Posted by Steve Bloom on September 08, 2000 at 20:28:07:
In Reply to: Gene Porkony's CD posted by Curious.. on September 02, 2000 at 13:12:05:
Mr. Liu's question is fine as long as it's for curiousity only. One thing that has amazed me over the years, which no one has addressed, is the constant question people have about what "mouthpiece" or tuba "brand" a particular artist is using. The inference here is that if John Doe uses the same equipment as Patrick Sheridan or Sam Pilafian, he will find the magical combination. I made the same assumption for decades, until I finally learned that the list of possible combinations is nearly endless, as every player has different needs and wants. Even the same player will have different horns and mouthpieces depending on the effect and feel he/she is looking for. This is like a painter trying to find out what kind of bristles Michelangelo used to paint the "Sistine Ceiling". Nice to know, perhaps, but not necessarily useful. What every player should do is concentrate on what horn and mouthpiece works best for them for any given situation. Experiment and test--it takes time and patience but it will pay off in the long run. Even the best professionals have changed equipment during their careers, at least once. If nothing else makes it to the beginner level, this is one important concept to embrace.