A full review of the Wedge mouthpiece
Вставка
- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- A thorough review on the Wedge mouthpiece, specifically surrounding my new eupho mouthpiece.
Become a member to get early access:
/ @trenthamilton
Donate: trent.nz/donate...
Become a patron: / trenthamiltonnz
Send me stuff!
POBox 5107
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
Get some Merchandise! shop.spreadshi...
Join me on Facebook: / trenthamiltonnz
Join me on Twitter: / trenthamiltonnz
I'm a trombone player with a Wedge 4G. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to it, but I have found that I don't fatigue nearly so fast as I did before, and my tone improved quickly after I made the switch. To me, the Wedge changed my whole playing trajectory.
That being said, every mouthpiece is a series of compromises that you have to be willing to live with. If you just feel good on the Zwick, why change?
I'm glad you got it and tried it. Wedge mouthpieces are an engineering marvel.
I'm glad you decided to try one for the euphonium. I use one on cornet and trumpet and used to on a flugel as well. I first tried the Wedge when they came out in 2007. It immediately gave me a couple of notes in the high range and longer endurance. You might not be a cornet player, but your cornet playing is excellent, IMO. Thanks for this excellent video.
Trent, as I believe I have previously commented, I am a Wedge convert. I use it on all my low brass horns: trombone, euphonium and tenorhorn and, on occasion, my alphorn. I find it gives me greater endurance with less fatigue.
What was the piece at the end? It gave me imagery of a cowboy or other lone protagonist heading into a losing battle in a wasteland. The vibrato was very nice, I appreciate that you don't go overboard on it.
Concerto De Aranjuez - from Brassed Off.
I've heard brass bands play this, but it doesn't work for me. You can find UA-cam recordings of the guitar with orchestra composition, which is the composer's intent.
For me, the best version is the Gil Evans arrangement played with Miles Davis. Lots and lots of space, and that's where the music lies. Space scares people - just wait there seconds before replying to a question and you will see what I mean. Space scares inexperienced musicians, too. But in Evans' arrangement, it's everything.
ua-cam.com/video/mSS5p9BdNGU/v-deo.html
Hi Trent. First off beautiful job on the Rodrigo piece at the end. Have heard it many times on a flugelhorn (and played it a few) but not on an euphonium. Thanks for the full review of the wedge. I have been using one from Dr. Dave on trumpet and flugel for a number of years and like them very much. I was a little disappointed in your original review because Dave's piece wasn't included. As for conclusions, I like that the sides of the embouchure aren't nailed down and agree that it provides the capability to enhance the more artistic elements of playing. I also found a higher degree of flexibility in lip slurs particularly in my playing. I enjoy all of your videos - the creation of a 4 valve trumpet and the "super piccolo" were fun to watch and encourage you to keep making them.
I too was surprised at how little curvature there was.
I have a permenant lip injury, the wedge gives me more endurance than a traditional mouthpiece. Less pressure on the injured part.
I use wedge 100al on small bore tenor, 5g on medium bore & 1.5g on bass trombones & 3g on eupho.
I just purchased one for my tenor trombone. I absolutely love the feel of the curved rim, but since it's narrower, I find it more difficult to play low (especially pedal) notes. I'm hoping that with a little adjustment, I'll get those notes back, because I think that otherwise, it's a tremendously good mouthpiece. I also had a similar experience with Dr. Dave. He knows about mouthpieces!
I got one for my tenor horn, I’m a beginner and it helped, made it easier with increasing my range.
I did not expect, when I woke up this morning, that I would hear Chick Corea’s “Spain” played on a euphonium today. Yet here we are.
*”Concerto de Aranjuez”, although I never realized how close the rhythms were lol
@@jaylenhall9450 Chick Corea Spain is a "cover" of parts of the Concierto de Aranjuez(with and "I" by the way, it's not Italian) by Joaquin Rodriguez a Spanish composer.
Not surprising that it's similar lol
@@Goriaas yeah, Spain is an interesting amalgamation of various different tunes, this being one of them.
I used to hand polish Wedge mp's for Dr Dave back in 2014-2015, and I can tell you that Dr Dave did really care about packaging presentation but because of the cost of hand polishing asymmetrical mouthpieces, the only way to help the consumer in the price point is to cut costs in the packaging and presentation.
The sound is excellent....seems well controlled. I suspect that you can maximize the results of any mouthpiece that you use.
Please do a review of the wedge trumpet mouthpiece that you bought recently too! :)
Rodrigo's adagio is wonderful. BBBC has an amazing arrangement. I have found the difference in a flat rim and a round rim is the note attack with flat rims being better. And your lips last longer with a round rim. It's all about tradeoffs.
I, for one, just appreciate the effort you put into the video. Personally, I am not skilled enough yet to think that a different mouthpiece will help a lot (don't ask how long I have been at it though). But I certainly enjoy aspiring to that level!
With my wedge, I definitely noticed a fuller and easier lower register.
We all strive to improve and equipment changes can help. But if this one just gives you a six and two threes dilemma, why change? Earlier this year I moved from a Griego 0.75 to a Griego 0.5 and this did take time to adjust to and get the potential out of it, but I did know what the potential was within an hour or so of playing on it. Trent, thanks for the channel. Very enjoyable.
I enjoy using the Wedge S59 (comparable to a Schilke 59) BassTrombone mouthpiece. I is an improvement over its Schilke counterpart and facilitates a wide range of high and low tones. I also use, less often, a Wedge 1.5G (comparable to a Bach 1.5G mouthpiece). But, for honking out low pedal tones, I prefer a Marcinkiewicz Model 107 bazooka of a mouthpiece.
Similar here, but for a while I honked on a Hammond 21BL. But after having taken a break for 6 months, I found it just way to large. Getting down into the basement is one thing, Doing it relaibaly and controlled is something else. After having taken this break, my Wedge 1.5G is also working just as low (f below pedal b-flat) and more reliably and with better control. I do miss the darkness and depth of sound of the S59 which now is also a tad too large. Hoping the new Wedge 108G Gen 2, which is a tad larger than the Wedge 1.5G but smaller than the Wedge S59 will be -the- compromise. Control and reliablility of the Wedge 1.5G and a little more darkness ad breadth like the S59.
Loved orange juice at the end!
And he calls that wobbly!
I'm late to the parties here, your video AND the wedge design mouthpiece! Thanks for your review and thoughts on the mouthpiece design really useful despite the near neutral outcome. I get the impression that the results you found were on the 'unremarkable' side of benefit or detriment. To me, this was almost expected as you say in the review that you didn't have much in the way of 'need' aside from the review aspect. I watched your cornet video on the subject, and I also watched Dr Dave's introduction/background video. There appears to be nothing of interest/note to correct with your mouthpiece so Dr Dave is not able to 'prescribe' a remedy. This is really useful because 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' I play trumpet and flugelhorn and would consider a wedge, but for me would it really be a 'need' or a trendy acquisition?
Finally, did you get the mouthpiece plated, have you stayed with it and has it produced any longer term benefits? Thanks again from the UK.
I bought a S59 for my Yamaha Xeno 822G bass trombone in 2017. It took a couple different ones from Dr. Dave before settling on it. As my daily driver I loved it, BUT ... it was just a tad too large for certain pieces, like the Creation. So for that I kept my Wedge 1.5G and my old Yamaha 58. But I wasn't really happy needing 2-3 mouthpieces, depending upon literature.
Then I took a break due to corona and some personal things. I started up again after about 6 months off and found the s59 was now just plain too large. HOWEVER, the 1.5G was 98% of what I was looking for. I had the basement on it that didn't work previously and the high range up to high c. But I missed the deep, dark S59 sound. So now I've ordered a Wedge 108G Gen 2 which is between a Wedge 1.5G and a Bach 1.25G. So a tad bigger than a Wedge 1.5G but appreciably smaller than the S59. Very much looking forward to getting this new one, which shipped ... yesterday.
My Wedge 4G still works fine with tenor, just that I hardly ever play it, so will most likely be selling both it and the Rath R400 - it is after my doubling horn, as I'm primarily a bass trombonist who will play a 2nd part if necessary.
Trent, what size wedge is that? Also, what size wick euph piece do you usually use? Seems pretty small. Thanks
Is there some sort of rule that says that you must not allow the camera to focus in on the actual cup interior ? A lot of Utube videos about mouthpieces seem to follow this supposed rule. 😎
istg i got a wedge ad before this video no cap
But did it say "Mouth of eupho mum" on the box?
So Trent what’s the verdict 2 months on? Did you stick with it?
Any further insights after playing on the wedge for a while?
Remember what he said, if it doesn't click in a couple of days, send it back.
I thought you sounded pretty good with it.
I could imagine this kind of mouthpiece may have a use case when it comes to endurance. Maybe those contours make it less fatiguing. However I'm nowhere near skilled enough to be even in the same solar system as a nuanced purchase like this. I do appreciate that innovation and creative thinking are still alive and well, with manufacturers willing to invest time and design effort into a specialised area. This indicates the live music scene is not only still alive and well, but is vibrant and willing to be progressive. That can only be a good thing as people far more talented than I seek to pass on their craft to the following generation.
Some people that have focal dystonia use the wedge mouthpiece-from what I understand, it does help with fatigue.
For me I didn't really notice any difference, even after a 2 hour long band practice.
Having grown up in an era when there wasn't much truth in advertising and there were lots of products and instructional methods, etc., that were supposedly "scientifically proven" to be better than everything else ever, I'm generally skeptical about the claims made for things. I'm a big fan of things being ergonomic and I think that everything should be ergonomic. However, with respect to these mouthpieces, I wonder 1. if they've been independently tested and 2. if the claims made by the manufacturer are verifiable, not anecdotally, but through testing in a laboratory with controls.
It's a little difficult to find the prices on the website. I really prefer it when there's a price list. I did find a couple and both were about $250. That's more than I would be willing to pay for a mouthpiece. I like to experiment with different mouthpieces, but since I play several brass instruments, I have a draw full of them. That would be thousands of dollars, if they were all wedges. Most of my mouthpieces cost about 16€. My trombone and French horn mouthpieces were more, but all under 100€. They are all just fine and I don't feel any particular need to upgrade.
As far as low notes and high notes are concerned, I think the best solution for trumpeters is to play an alto horn or alto trombone instead, when low notes are needed, and a D, Eb or piccolo trumpet when high ones are needed, and similarly for other instruments. As an arranger, I would never write a part for someone with notes that I didn't think a normally competent instrumentalist (not a virtuoso) would be able to hit reliably. Anything one can only get occasionally in the practice room under favorable conditions will most likely not work under stress in a performance situation.
I personally think vibrato is most effective as a seldom-used effect and only ever buy instruments without vibrato (especially bowed string instruments!). I have to work at my stamina, because I have one lung with reduced function, but the only way to do this is to play regularly. A mouthpiece is not going to do it. In music as in everything else, there's never a "magic bullet".
I'm really not a fan of the euphonium at all. Bit too much of a brass band instrument for me and I don't like those either. However, your playing at the end of the video was beautiful.
Who else got the wedge ad on this video