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Last night at a rehearsal I was playing with two different mouthpieces, one more funnel shaped and one more cup shaped, but both rather large and somewhat comparable in terms of total volume.

I've always found that, for me, the smaller the mouthpiece the higher the pitch seems to ride (overall) but last night I noticed the cup mouthpiece was riding higher than the funnel, which is NOT what I was expecting. The sound difference between the two was rather dramatic, with the cup producing more fundamentals and less overtones and the funnel doing the opposite. I liked the cup sound when I was playing by myself but I didn't like it so much playing with a group. But I digress.

It got me thinking that all the various characteristics of a mouthpiece probably come into play with it comes to pitch tendencies, and I'm not up to speed here like I wish I was. Generally speaking, what can one expect in terms of differences between a funnel and a cup? And really, what are some of the other more widely accepted tendencies? Does a C4 rim promote a pitch tendency that a helleburg rim doesn't (or vice versa)?

For perspective, where does a C4 go in your cup <--> funnel spectrum?

too many variables

“The science” is only “the science“ on a day with a player with a mouthpiece with a tuba at a temperature.

when i SWITCH to a LARGER mouthpiece, i play SHARP for a while... same going to a larger horn. after a bit, i'm back on though... i guess i get used to having to use more air.