Does the mouthpiece matter?
Sound production and perception in brass instruments
Massimo Zicari
This contribution stems from a research project which strived to tackle the question of the influence of the form of a trumpet or horn mouthpiece on the produced sound. Six students of the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana recorded a series of passages, which were then evaluated by themselves and by listeners, with the help of sound analysis programs. It seems that, in terms of attack, agility, stability, etc., the difference for the players is greater than the effective result on the produced sound.
