What is THE best trumpet mouthpiece?

For trumpet players, the mouthpiece is a fundamental tool, almost more than the trumpet itself. It's with the mouthpiece that we produce and better our sound and there are hundreds of different models.

Is there ONE trumpet mouthpiece that surpasses all of the others?

That is a question our clients trumpet players have been asking us for about 65 years, and the answer is yes and no.

NO - There isn't one miraculous mouthpiece that surpasses all the others ever made and that can replace a constant practice during years.

YES - However, there are mouthpieces that can help YOU with certain aspects of your playing and overcome natural flaws. So there are mouthpieces that are better suited for you and your specific morphology. 

Be aware : if the rest of your equipment is faulty, in bad shape or dirty, changing your mouthpiece will not have the desired effects. In this article, we will help you navigate the different steps you need to take if you want to change your mouthpiece and we teamed up with some of the top Montreal trumpet players to give you expert advice.

Here is how you should proceed to find the perfect mouthpiece for YOU

1) Research the different makes and models

Whether it's from a trumpet player friend, your teacher of experts at Twigg Musique, it's important that you get familiar with the different models and brands.The principal brands are Yamaha, Bach, Denis Wick, Stork,  Schilke, GR , Monette and Warburton, but there are many others. All these brands have different series of mouthpieces depending on music styles, solo playing or even mouthpieces that are created with the help of famous trumpet players and their specific preferences. 

For example, Yamaha has mouthpieces that were created with the specific requests and preferences of Allen Vizzuti, Eric Miyashiro, Robert Sullivan, Bobby Shew... and many more!

Mouthpiece models 101

Different companies have different systems to organize their mouthpieces but here are the basics :

Yamaha, Schilke, Stork : The smaller the number of the mouthpiece model (e.g., 5 , 6A4, 7B4), the smaller the mouthpiece cup. The larger the number of the mouthpiece model(e.g., 18C3D), the larger the mouthpiece cup.

Bach, Denis Wick : the smaller the model number (e.g., 1C, 3C, etc.) the larger the mouthpiece and the larger the model number (15,16, etc.), the smaller the mouthpiece.

Tip : If you are currently a beginner, one of these mouthpieces should be your first one : Bach 7C, Twigg 7C or Yamaha 11B4 

2) Try the mouthpieces

At Twigg Musique, we offer the possibility for you to try mouthpieces. What best to make an opinion for yourself? And we offer a three-day trial period at home if you are uncertain.

When you feel ready to step up your playing and that you can clearly identify flaws in your playing that might require new equipment, you should come by and try mouthpieces.

3) Keep in mind: easy things for you to play have to stay easy!

A good tip to keep in mind is to make sure that what was easy for you to play, like a scale, stays easy to play with the new mouthpiece. You should beware of a mouthpiece that suddenly makes it difficult for you to do the basic, even if it's the cool new mouthpiece that everyone talks about! 

It can be really tempting to play the same model as one of your trumpet idols, but be honest with yourself : does this new mouthpiece provide me with the sound and comfort I want?

What are the experts saying about all of this?

Paul Merkelo

Principal trumpet of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, international soloist and Yamaha artist.

His mouthpiece : Bach 1C Symphonic with #24 throat and #24 backbore.

Why this mouthpiece? He chose this mouthpiece because he can create different colours of sound with resonance and a free blowing approach.

His advice: "try and choose a mouthpiece that helps give you a beautiful sound that is flexible in all the necessary registers of the instrument."

Rémi Cormier

Jazz & pop trumpet player, Yamaha Artist and composer

His mouthpieces : Yamaha 6A4 and 15B4

Why these mouthpieces? He has two mouthpieces because he does a lot of shows where he needs A LOT of high range (Yamaha 6A4), and a more "all-around" mouthpiece (Yamaha 15b4) that he uses for other engagements.  

His advice (translated from French): "There isn't any mouthpiece that will help fulfill 100% of your needs as a trumpet player. At least one aspect of playing whether it’s endurance, flexibility, high range, low range, roundness of sound, precision of articulations, etc. will be sacrificed and no mouthpiece can do everything." 

" If we have a lot of ease playing in the high range but we need a broader and larger sound, you should go with a larger mouthpiece that will help you get the sound that you want. Basically, think about your weaknesses as a player and find a mouthpiece that will naturally help you with these weaknesses." 

For Remi, the most important thing is comfort. It's the element that you should never overlook when choosing a mouthpiece even if it can be tempting to unlock an artificial high register with a very small mouthpiece.

Dr. Lex French

Jazz trumpet player, Adjunct Trumpet Professor at McGill University and Université de Montréal,  composer and improvisor.

Hichem Khalfa,