This isn't an exhaustive dissertation on mouthpiece selection, because I know very little about them. It’s just that I had the opportunity to choose a new mouthpiece to go with my new horn, so I did a lightning bit of research. My current mouthpiece is a Paxman 4B, which is about as middle of the road as you can get. It has a slightly cupped interior and a fairly thick rim, if I compare it to the ones used by my peers.
My major problem that I’ve had ever since I began playing is stamina, which means that by the end of a demanding rehearsal or concert I’m mashing the mouthpiece into my teeth, creating an angry red ring. Yes, I know – bad horn playing technique 101. A couple of years ago I bought a pressure training gadget which forces the player to use minimum pressure when practicing – use excessive pressure and it exhausts out sideways. Somewhat easier than Philip Farkas' idea in his Art Of Horn Playing of chasing the horn around a shiny table with the lips. Regardless, it didn’t help much.
A Google search predictably comes up with hundreds of hits on mouthpiece selection. I found the library of articles in the Stork Custom Mouthpieces site was an excellent resource. Terms such as “fleshy lips” (which makes me recall a “best kisser” joke … another time) and “pressure playing” get bandied around with expert ease. In my very brief visit I decided that, since I do have fleshy lips and do have a pressure playing technique (I think), that a narrower rim may be of benefit. So, Paxman 3B it is. Whereas my current 4B has a rim of 4.4mm, the 3B is 4.2mm, and also an internal cup diameter about 0.9mm smaller at 16.89mm.
Incidentally, in my scan of internet sites the other categorisation of horn player is mouthpiece changer, or not. I’m definitely of the latter type: I’ve only ever used two mouthpieces: the ones that came with the two horns I’ve owned. The other extreme is players who even use a different mouthpiece for different styles of music.
Anyhow – when the new horn, and its smaller mouthpiece, arrive, I’ll report on my newfound mouthpiece selection expertise in this essay.
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PS: you do want to hear the Best Kisser joke? OK, here goes.
A girl went out on a date with a trumpet player, and when she came back her roommate asked, "Well, how was it? Did his embouchure make him a great kisser?"
"Nah," the first girl replied. "That dry, tight, tiny little pucker; it was no fun at all."
The next night she went out with a tuba player, and when she came back her roommate asked, "Well, how was his kissing?"
"Ugh!" the first girl exclaimed. "Much too big and rubbery; it was just gross!"
The next night she went out with a French horn player, and when she came back her roommate asked, "Well, how was his kissing?"
"Well," the first girl replied, "his kissing was OK I suppose; but what I really loved was the way he held me!"