An intriguing letter came in some
time ago, referring to the writer’s
individual situation, as most do. However,
his problem is of great consequence
to all players, and I sincerely
hope that this column will be of value
to you all.
I have played an old Meyer Bros. alto
mouthpiece for many years, with fine
results. Recently, I bought a new one with
the same model marking, but the playing
characteristics are quite different. If I
send it to you, can you analyze it and tell
me why it doesn’t play like the old
model?”
Your question is one I hear quite
frequently, and not only about the
particular brand you own. Please send
it to me; I welcome the opportunity to
be of service.
This mouthpiece was received,
observed, measured, diagramed, and
play-tested by me and several others.
All of our findings confirmed reasons
for the concerns of the owner. Because
of the long history of popularity of
this mouthpiece (for some fifty years
world-wide) I felt that this problem
merited a much deeper investigation,
since many of the same facets were
present in several other brands. This
column will deal with just this one
brand name, and with the years from
the 1930s on. Please pardon the need
for becoming a bit more technical, but
don’t become overwhelmed by it. Just
re-read the technical portions and give
them some deeper thought. Perhaps
you will find some parallel problems
with your own equipment, and also