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Choosing a French HornMouthpiece (III)

PUBLISHED: July 31, 2009, Bruce HembdOther choices, a general checklist and a few related links.

In additin t rim and under!art", t#er mut#!iece !tin" include!latin$, %ei$#t, and "#an& "eatin$'

» Plating

 (#e m"t cmmnly u"ed bra"" in"trument mut#!iece" are created n alat#e )rm a blc& ) bra"" ally' *n e+tra layer ) !latin$ i" needed in

rder t !rtect t#e li!" )rm ra% bra"" "ur)ace'

a% bra"" n t#e li!" can be an irritant' Be"ide" lea-in$ a re"idue n t#eli!" t#at i" e+tremely un!lea"ant t t#e ta"te i) accidentally di$e"ted, itmay cau"e mild "%ellin$ r at %r"t, an aller$ic ra"#'

 (#i" bein$ "aid, a minrity ) !layer" actually !re)er t#e "en"atin ) ra%bra"" n t#e li!" and %ill u"e an un!lated mut#!iece re$ardle"" ) any!tential "ide e.ect"'

 (#e t% m"t cmmn c#ice" )r mut#!iece !latin$ are $ld and "il-er'

/n bra"" in"trument" t#er t#an t#e renc# #rn trum!et, trmbne,tuba, etc' m"t !layer" it "eem" c#"e a "il-er!lated mut#!iece'

Hrn !layer" mi$#t $ %it# eit#er ty!e ) !latin$ "metime" n t#e entiremut#!iece r %it# a mi+ ) $ld and "il-er !latin$ in a mut#!iece4"cre%rim cmbinatin' 5y"el), I #a-e a $ld rim %it# a "il-er under!art'

 (#e c#ice ) %#et#er t $ %it# "il-er r $ld !latin$ i" !er"nal, ba"ed"lely n tactile "en"atin' /ne !latin$ "il-er r $ld i" n mre"u!erir in !er)rmance t#an ant#er'

In brad term", "il-er!lated rim" may )eel "me%#at "tic&ier, %#ile $ld!lated rim" )eel mre "li!!ery and "u!!le' Beynd t#i", a" )ar a" t#etec#nical a"!ect" ) !layin$ are cncerned t#ere i" nt a di"cernibledi.erence'

In rare ca"e", "me !e!le %ill #a-e aller$ie" t $ld and "il-er !latin$'r t#"e indi-idual" t#ere are a )e% !tin": !latinum, nic&el r "teel!latin$, r a !la"tic rim made ) Delrin r Lexan' amed #rn -irtu"Barry (uc&%ell, )r e+am!le, u"ed a !la"tic rim )r many year"'

» Weight and Annealing

*but ten year" a$, I "%itc#ed t Moosewood 67artuc#e8 mut#!iece" 

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a'&'a' t#e 65e$a5"e'8

 (#e "und and )eel ) t#i" #ea-y%all, annealed mut#!iece )eel" ri$#t )rme' It" %ei$#t and ma"" i" muc# #ea-ier and den"er t#an t#at ) a"tandard %ei$#t mut#!iece'

rm t#e Moosewood %eb "ite:

 (#e added ma"" en#ance" !rectin %it#ut dam!enin$ tne clr' (#e5e$am"e i" e"!ecially recmmended )r rc#e"tral and %ind en"emble!er)rmance, a" lud dynamic" are ea"ily mana$ed %it#ut -erbl%in$'Stability r 6"lttin$8 ) tne" i" en#anced %it# t#e u"e ) t#e 5e$am"eunder!art ea"e ) "lurrin$ i" nt a.ected'

Hea-y%all mut#!iece" are a bit mre e+!en"i-e t#an t#e "tandard%ei$#t mdel" but )r my"el) at lea"t, it %a" %rt# t#e e+tra e+!en"e'

r ;uite a )e% year" already, #rn ma&er" #a-e been annealin$ bell"' (#e!rce"" in-l-e" #eatin$ t#e metal )r a certain time, at a certaintem!erature' It can im!r-e t#e re"nant !r!ertie" ) t#e metal'

5r' <reer anneal" #i" 5e$a5"e mut#!iece"' I am nt "ure %#at )e+actly it de", but I d ntice an im!r-ement in -erall tne ;uality'

» Shank seating

I nce #ad a teac#er t#at in"i"ted t#at I $et t#e "#an& ) my mut#!iece

=led d%n " t#at it %uld "it -ery dee! int t#e lead!i!e' Hi" ba"ic idea%a" t#at t#e cl"er t#e bre %a" t t#e lead !i!e, t#e better t#e #i$#nte" %uld be'

In time t#i" !articular met#d !r-ed t be )aulty t#er a"!ect" ) my!layin$ "u.ered but ne-ert#ele"" #% dee!ly and "ecurely amut#!iece "et" int t#e lead!i!e i" im!rtant'

I) t#e mut#!iece de" nt "it "ecurely, i) it rc&" bac& and )rt# in t#elea"t, $et t#i" =+ed r cn"ider a di.erent mut#!iece in t#e "ame mdel'

I cannt "!ea& %it# any aut#rity n e+actly #% dee! t#e "#an& "#uld$ int t#e lead!i!e, but %#en %r&in$ 5r' <reer n my currentmut#!iece c#ice", #e !aid !articular attentin t t#i" detail'

See 5r' <reer>" !a$e 6it ) ?ur 5ut#!iece Stem8 )r mre detail"'

 J#n Eric"n cncur":

Be "ure, a" al" nted in t#e ab-e article, t#at any mut#!iece yu u"e i"!r!erly "i@ed )r yur #rn lead!i!e inlet' (#ere i" a di"tance t#at amut#!iece "#uld =t int t#e recei-er i) it $e" in t little r t )ar

t#in$" really %ill nt %r& a" %ell a" t#ey "#uld' (#e rea"n I em!#a"i@et#i" !int i" becau"e I )und a "tc& B12 -ery $d n my bi$ Pa+man

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#rn but t#e "maller "#an&ed B12? t be e-en better' It =t" maybe 141A) an inc# )urt#er int t#e lead!i!e t#an t#e "tc& B12'

» A few shopping tips

S#!!in$ )r ne% mut#!iece can be a )l>" !aradi"e' (#e $ra"" canmany time" a!!ear t be $reener n t#e t#er "ide ) t#e !a"ture'

Here are a )e% ti!" t#at I #!e yu may =nd u"e)ul:

1.*-id radical c#an$e" unle"" ab"lutely nece""ary'2.cu" rst  n t#e rim and #% it )eel" n t#e li!"'3.it# under!art", )cu" at =r"t nly n t#e de!t# and "#a!e ) t#e cu!,

and t#e "i@e ) t#e bre #le'4.*uditin t#e ne% mut#!iece %it# a teac#er r cllea$ue li"tenin$ at a

di"tance' S%itc# bet%een it and t#e ld mut#!iece' *"& )r)eedbac&'

5. I) !""ible, $i-e a ne% mut#!iece an e+tended trial !erid'Smemerc#andi"er" li&e 5"e%d %ill all% )r "uc# a trial !erid'* mre de=niti-e deci"in can be made -er a )e% day" r %ee&"rat#er t#an in u"t a )e% minute"'