Posted by Rick Denney on December 04, 2000 at 10:08:09:
In Reply to: Looking for a mouthpiece that........... posted by DavidRN on December 02, 2000 at 22:03:22:
Overpowered by what? By the band? Then get more tuba players. By the other tuba players? Then don't contribute to the problem. Be a subversive for control.
Once it a while, I go on a tirade about how loudly community band players feel they must play. It's probably the same in professional ranks, but the pros seem to hold their sound better when playing so loudly, though not all agree on that one. I talked to a fellow this weekend who just got a huge Conn 24J, and felt he needed it because everyone else in the section of his band had one. I've heard that band, and it sounds really good. But I wonder if any 60-piece wind ensemble really needs a section full of 6/4 tubas.
I have a Rose-designed mouthpiece made by Warburton and marked "Tuba Exchange." Dillons is selling them (still?) to help Terry burn off his old stock that he was stuck with. (There's a story in their somewhere, but nobody's talking.) It is similar to a Helleburg, but about 20% larger in all dimensions. It's good for the low register, but I have problems with it up high. If you have the chops, it's louder. I can also second Klaus's recommendation of the PT-50 (or PT-48).
Rick "often buried by moving earth" Denney