Debunking the Best Brass Instrument Mouthpiece

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Many will promise you the best brass instrument mouthpiece, but does it exist and how do you know? Can you tell it by sight? Is it gold plated? Is it the best because your favorite artist is playing it? Is it the best because the manufacturer told you it was? I am going to debunk this quickly here. It should come as no surprise, No. None of these qualities define the best. So what does?

Engage Your Senses… but not all of them.

Your 5 sense include touch, sight, hearing, smell, and taste. While sight and touch frequently battle for prominence, hearing is the main sense you need. Don’t be distracted by the other senses. Let your ear guide your choice.

You Own the Best Already… (not talking about the mouthpiece yet)

Your best judge is yourself. Two things you own will 100% determine if a mouthpiece is the best option for you: your tone concept and your physical response to the sound you make with the mouthpiece. You need to focus your ear on what you want to sound like. Take a deep breath. Play. Your body will respond to the sound it hears. When the sound response matches your tone concept, your body will feel relaxed, your sound will “pop” and inevitably the mouthpiece will feel pretty comfortable. Any mouthpiece that does not create the correct tone will cause your body to muscularly manipulate the sound into what you want to hear. This will manifest into discomfort, premature fatigue, and potential injury. Using these 4 mouthpiece trial steps will very easily help you determine your best.

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Consistency Matters

Once you determine what is best, consider the manufacturing of the mouthpiece. You don’t need to be an expert, but consider price, manufacturing consistency, and availability. For instance, your worst case scenario is you found your best option in a small music shop during your vacation to Europe, and the mouthpiece is an obscure brand that is barely affordable and not sold in your native country. I’m not advising you don’t purchase, but there are a lot of fantastic brands out there that may be a better investment.

Consistency is key. If you know there are industry concerns about manufacturing, but it is an easily accessible and affordable mouthpiece, this should give you pause as well. If you found the best, you want to make sure you can get it again. Denis Wick has an industry-wide reputation for consistent quality in our manufacturing. Learn more about our process in this video.

Debunked

You are in control of the best in everything you choose or do. Don’t trust a promise for the best. You must take an invested and intent-driven journey to find your best. Will Denis Wick be your best? We sure hope so! Denis Wick Products has made your art our craft for over 50 years. We can’t, nor can any manufacturer, promise to be your best. But we can promise to support your journey to the best with our most consistent manufacturing, highest quality materials, best education resources, performance advice, career advice, and a supportive community of artists, educators, and performers to benefit from. Visit your instrument page at deniswick.com and continue your journey to the best!

Mary Galime is the Global Director of Marketing for Denis Wick Products. In her free time, Mary is a freelance trumpet player, teaches private lessons, and enjoys time with her family and gardening.

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