Adjustment to New Horn

[NiKu]

Hi all,
I recently bought a Yamaha YSL620, and everything looks good. However, before this I have only ever played on a .500 bore King 606. When I picked up the instrument today and played it for the first time, and the sound just felt a bit empty (which I expected for a while). There was also a kind of buzzing/hissing sound whenever I played a note, which doesn't contribute to the already sub-par tone being produced. What are some ways that I can readjust to this new instrument relatively quickly? My school goes back in 6 weeks and I want to be performance-ready in about 8 -10.

Thanks in advance.

[Matt K]

What mouthpiece are you using? Has someone who plays bass trombone checked your horn out for leaks at all? First thing is to make sure the horn itself is working right.

[ghmerrill]

Yeah. Easy checks are water key leak and valve alignment. You can pressure test it by sticking something in the bell and then blowing into the horn through the lead pipe or mouthpiece. Listen for hissing or a lack of resistance. Otherwise, it could just be the difference in horns you need to get used to. When I switched from tuba/euph to bass trombone it took me quite a while to get decent tone. And again when I picked up my small tenor. You may discover problems with your embouchure that you never suspected.

[BGuttman]

Other thing to look at is the difference in mouthpiece size. What size did you use on the 606? What size do you have with the new horn? Might be worthwhile to see what happens if you use your old mouthpiece with an adapter at first.

[baileyman]

That's a very different horn!

The bigger bell may make you think it sounds bad because the sound does not come back to you so directly. That may allow you to hear other horn noises more loudly than you are used to. The larger bore changes the playing characteristics a lot. You may have to spend a lot of frequent time playing simple figures in easy registers listening intently for improvement in sound. Frequent short sessions may avoid getting tired, which never helps. A resonant bathroom may be good for listening. And on the other end of the spectrum a good practice mute would allow you to hear how vibrant the noise is inside your mouth when you buzz.

[NiKu]

Thanks for all the replies guys!
Yes, I had someone check leaks etc. when I bought it, but I might check again. The mouthpiece I'm using at the moment on it is a Yamaha 48L, but I have a Bach 5GS coming either today or the day after. The mouthpieces I was using on the 606 were the 12c and 6 1/2 AL. Due to the very different mouthpieces and the horn itself, I was definitely expecting problems in term of running out of air, etc. But I think Baileyman might be on to something. Whenever I play, I hear a loud, I guess.. second buzz?? Is this most likely due to the mouthpiece? Because I never had problems like this when I tried the horn with the 5GS.

[sirisobhakya]

Mouthpiece can have significant effect. A dramatic jump in inner rim diameter can make the sound airy and unfocused, a dramatic jump in throat diameter can lower the resistance and "suck the air out of you". Like Bruce said, using your old mouthpiece with adapter first, and gradually change to the new one. If the size difference is large (like 12C -> 5G, or 42 to 51 for Yamaha numbering system), it may be good to find an intermediate-size mouthpiece (such as 6 1/2 AL or 48) to help you adjust first, and it may even become your main mouthpiece if you like it.

[greenbean]

Try to give it about twice the amount of air that you give your 606. And see if that improves the sound.

[NiKu]

I've tried the 5GS on many different horns, and it is my favourite out of the 5G, 6 1/2 AL type range. So once it arrives, I'll see how it goes. I'm also expecting that the general tone I'm producing will improve as I get used to the more air required.

[NiKu]

Ok, so after playing on the 48L and 5GS, I've noticed a few more things. There is a bit of a buzz still, but mainly my tone sounds constricted. What can I do to fix this?

[sirisobhakya]

Ok, so after playing on the 48L and 5GS, I've noticed a few more things. There is a bit of a buzz still, but mainly my tone sounds constricted. What can I do to fix this?

I would like to ask for the clarification of “constricted” first, but if I understand your meaning correctly, it may be because the larger bore makes the horn less resistant, so your embouchure loosens. A larger mouthpiece can exaggerate this. To get the same pitch (not falling into the lower partial), you maybe subconciously (or maybe conciously) tighten and “squeeze” your lips, and that constricts the sound. Trying not to make the airy sound in the wrong way can also make this worse. I had this kind of problem also when I switch to bass and larger mouthpiece for the first time. I still have it occationally whenever I switch back to my bass after playing with small mouthpiece/tenor for a long time.

Solution? For me it is practice, and also don’t try too hard. If your lips keep dropping down to the lower partial, let it be, and get to the higher partial by playing scale instead. Eventually you will get more familiar with the horn and your range will be extended without you squeezing your embouchure.