Posted by Student on September 14, 2003 at 19:28:03:
I am in need of some help,
Last year I got private lessons from a college tuba player, well at the time I was playing on a school owned 24aw. I really didn't know anythign about mouthpieces and how they can make such a difference in your playing. The instructor had a Conn Helleberg (gold) and told me "almost all 'all-state' tuba players play on these'.
Well after he said that I was sold, he let me play on his one lesson and I talked myself into thinking it was what I needed, and talked my mom into buying me one up at a music store about 1 hour away(we don't have a reeeaaal music store here, or near for that matter). I've been playing on it since.
Well, I can play better now on this mouthpiece then I could a year ago on the 24aw, but thats not really saying much I don't think. The mouthpiece just "doesn't feel right", you know what I mean?
Well, now I am back to square one, looking for a new mouthpiece. Well I have one big problem I have no way of testing out mouthpiece, atleast to my knowledge. No store around here carries mouthpieces in stock for the customer to tryout. I am liking the looks of the Mike Finn Mouthpieces. What would be some other ones to look at? Its looking like im not gonna be able to try till I buy type thing :-/. Im not quite sure what to do about this, When I play it just doesn't feel right to me. Plus my lip goes quite fast which I believe is due to the rim on the helleberg.
One last thing, Im ashamed that I don't know this but do I play a contra bass or a bass tuba? Im thinkin contra (cerveny 681), but Im really not sure. I see this listed in various suggested music peices etc and its always kept me a lil confused.
Thanx In Advance