Like most trumpet players that's been around awhile, I have enough mouthpieces to make a good anchor for an aircraft carrier. In choosing a mouthpiece there are two big words; ease and sound. I've played trumpet 55 years and I would encourage you to choose sound over ease. I do agree one mouthpiece doesn't serve you well, especially if you are doing solos, classical, chamber and jazz! Especially lead jazz! Throwing in a bunch of different horns adds to the complexity. I'm not plugging a brand, because I own them all. Usually the classical guys go too big and the jazz guys go too small. Imagine that! I tend to think around 85% of our playing can be done on one mouthpiece. Also what worked for Herseth and Maynard probably won't work for you. I know from experience. Find a good rim that feels good on your face; while doing this do not look at the diameter, because it will play with your mind. Even if you are playing first parts, most stuff is below high C, unless of course you are playing for Gordon Goodwin. As I heard George Vosburgh once say, "if it sounds bad, it is bad". Your sound is your signature, choose wisely!
This is a helpful comment; thanks. I'm a comeback player. I have a good sound, but my range and articulation could be better (they are getting better, slowly). Put it this way: I'd rather be Chet Baker or Art Farmer than Maynard any day, LOL. Also, I never concern myself with bore sizes and reverse lead pipes, etc. but that's a whole other can of worms.
Going too small and shallow was my biggest mistake. Trying to play on Yamaha or Schilke 11s with shallow cups because I had range anxiety... I weaned myself off the smaller pieces and am now a happy 1.25C player. I have one of the VB symphony series with the 24 throat and #24 backbore. Awesome mouthpiece.
All awesome advice. I never went on a mpc safari. My buddy did, and every time he decided he didn't like something I borrowed it. If I liked it, I bought it off him. As a result, I have several mouthpieces for Bb that all have different sounds and purposes, the best mouthpiece for C trumpet I've ever played, an Eb mouthpiece that makes a stock E3L sound almost like a C trumpet, and a couple of great piccolo pieces. Each one plays, for me, like it's optimized for the horn I use it on, which makes playing so much better. Never sold a mpc I previously liked playing. I always felt there was something about it that was worth keeping and though I haven't done it yet, I figured I could send a couple off to a custom maker who could scan and combine various features to produce something better. Funny enough, I only ever copied my teacher's choice in mouthpiece when I bought a Wick 2B for cornet. I learned my lesson real quick. My teacher did buy a mouthpiece off me at one point (it was a trade -- I give it to him as payment for a lesson). I wonder if he's still using it. I've always taken issue with teachers saying, "It's not the (mouthpiece/horn), it's the player!" While there is a certain fundamental truth to that, it ignores the important point that poorly-fitted equipment hinder a player. I've known players who took that advice to the extreme, ignoring playing issues that persisted despite practice and lessons, only to one day try a different mouthpiece and have their minds blown. I wonder how many students have given up playing because of such advice from teachers.
Way back when I was at [NAME REDACTED] Conservatory, I followed my teacher's recommendation to switch to a [LARGE THROATED/EXPENSIVE/GOLD-PLATED/BRAND NAME REDACTED] mouthpiece. I got that great broad orchestral sound, but playing it on all my commercial gigs w/wedding bands on the weekends, I felt like Boba Fett trying to crawl out of a Sarlacc pit!
" #3 - You shouldn't go on a mouthpiece safari. " The sound of advice falling on the collective deaf ears of trumpet players everywhere. Lol. 🤣 You've heard about Doc's bathtub full of mouthpieces right?
The younger me treated mouthpieces haphazardly. Now I wash any piece use after each session. All great tips. Do you have any videos on how to approach a mouthpiece consultation?
Kudos for having others listen. With all that commotion going on inside and on your head, what others hear can be quite enlightening. At the very least, record yourself with some level of fidelity. That can often be a humbling or sobering experience.. but sometimes I surprise myself and like what I hear :-).
I played my friends 3c because he let me and just on initial feel it felt 10x better than my 7c so I was thinking about buying one and now here I am on yourube
If you liked your friends 3C that much better - you should just buy your own and start with that! Within a few weeks you’ll know if it actually works better for you than the 7C.
I had a great mouthpiece for a couple of years........unfortunately, then I went on safari. I played everything, classical, jazz, and all my lead trmpet gigs, even screamed to double C on my trusty Getzen 5-C. Went perfect with my Connstellation
It’s funny how we always assume something out there will be better than what we have - even though our sound and connection to the instrument is with the mouthpiece we have!!
Trumpet players are notorious for using different mouthpieces. Count me in. But, for me, using different mouthpieces only hampered my tone and ability to play. I've been playing since 1953 and I finally settled on a Bach Megatone 1D for everything and I've had no reason to alter what I do. I even use a 1D for my cornet and flugelhorn. Of course, I'm not a professional anymore and I never had a Maynard Ferguson range. But I do play in concert bands, Jazz band, Dixieland Bands and a brass choir. I'm happy with the one mouthpiece. Now, I have around 15 mouthpieces to try and sell on eBay. I'm not recommending anything. Everyone has to find their own satisfaction, and 15 years ago I found what works for me. I just have fun.
#1 tip that i’ve learned from both playing trumpet throughout high school and also being a section leader to underclassmen and seeing their mouthpiece development is to NOT buy some random jet-tone or yamaha signature mouthpiece to try to increase your range! It won’t work at all. Develop your upper register on something you’re already comfortable with or actually go and try out the mouthpieces you are considering buying, and take into account other factors besides just upper register.
Mouthpiece phobia is what it is called. I've had and played on a drawer full of mouthpieces. Since I'm older now, and just play for fun, I don't get hung up on this issue of mouthpiece compromise. I think it's about methodology and science. It's just like having 10 pairs of shoes of the same size, and each pair will fit different. I think it's about physical characteristics, lip structure, etc. If the mouthpiece feels good and it takes minimal effort then the sound you want will be there. Practice like you play should be the main goal .
At one time I played an E cup and bored out the throat with a drill to open it up. It played just fine and I convinced myself I was a genius for making it more open and playable.
100% brilliant advice 👏👏I have made most of the above mistakes !🎺🎶🎺I have always picked a quality mouthpiece and stuck with it and regret giving my older mouthpieces away!. Considering a horses for course’s style mouthpieces and build a small collection 😊🎺🎶🎺👏
@Paul Grimm, Great choice! If I had seen this video when you had posted your earlier comment, I would have mentioned to try out the GR mouthpieces. I still think it would be a good try, but they are similar (I'm not sure if Monette is still this way) to Monette as they do not allow returns after the purchase of the mouthpiece.
I think of it like my main mouth peace is has a better tone and is easier to slur and my other is more robotic and doesn’t have a good town but I can hit higher notes easer and faster
I was the weird one that plays a mouthpiece that most will tell you is insane! And yes I have had several pros look at me crazy and after walking my through several choices and they all tell me to keep my Schilke 20D2d and your done! Yes it is easy to play and is actually quite comfortable!
I’m glad you found something that works for you!!! Many people are too determined to stay within “normal” equipment standards but everybody’s anatomy, playing style, and musical goals will mean different optimal equipment.
Wedge all the way. Ok, I'm a bass trombone player. My bass bone playing took a quantum leap with the Wedge over my Bach, Slokar, Hammond pieces. And frankly, I now wonder, what would have happened in 1985, if Wedge had been around while I was still a trumpet player. But alas, I did make the switch from trumpet to a musical instrument (dig, dig).
After years of suffering ,-) I know what works for me: the less common, rather flat rims with a low alpha angle (so not a gradual bite but a fast one, some call that sharp). Then the diameter or depth is ,with these flat mpc's ,not very important so I can switch easily, even within the same concert. Bach mouthpieces though are often a bit rounded and feel rather different from one another and so switching or changing is then difficult. I discovered I like flatness while playing on DW cornet mouthpieces, which are all on the flatter side.
When I went on MY mouthpiece Safari it was to find a replacement for a mouthpiece I had lost and then found out to my horror it was no longer available because the company (Giardinelli) had gone out of business. It took awhile, but the mouthpiece I found is (for ME) even better, and I maintain a minimum of four of them so I never again will run into the problem of not having one. If one gets damaged or lost (it happened) I immediately replace it, so I should be set for life.
I started playing trombone this past March, and I'm awaiting the arrival of a Blessing B-125 trumpet from eBay. As one who has played and experimented with various instruments, I had an idea after seeing a recommendation that buzzing into a trumpet mouthpiece or even playing a trumpet would be good for developing the ability to play higher notes on a trombone. Lest anyone feel slighted that I'm only using the trumpet as a "tool"--this is not the case, and I'm interested in learning to play the trumpet in its own right. However, after getting the trombone, I decided to purchase some inexpensive mouthpieces (Chinese)--one for trumpet, another for horn, and the third for tuba, figuring that along with my trombone mouthpiece I can sample the four basic types. The results have been interesting--the trumpet mouthpiece (Eastrock 3C) fits nicely into the trombone, the sound is definitely trumpet-like, and the range I can obtain is nearly an octave higher than when using my Bach 7C trombone mouthpiece, but it is difficult to play anything lower than the trombone's "home base" concert B flat (an octave lower than the trumpet's low "home base" C, just below the middle C on a piano). The 7C horn mouthpiece ("mouth of French Horn" is unbranded but obviously from China based on the packaging) has a thinner stem but forms a tight-enough seal with the trombone that it functions well; the range I get is very similar to that I get with the trumpet mouthpiece, although the sound is quite different--less "piercing" and somewhat subdued. The stem of the Eastrock U (box labeled JDTB-U) tuba mouthpiece is the same diameter as the receiver of the trombone, so I had to use a small section of plastic tubing to get a suitable connection, and I've been able to play very few notes on it. (I was disappointed, because I was hoping to have better luck with the pedal tones than I get with the trombone mouthpiece.) I suspect that any mouthpiece requires a certain "resistance" from the air inside the instrument to function properly (e.g., "buzzing" into just a mouthpiece isn't the same as doing so with the rest of the instrument attached), and a trombone simply doesn't provide a sufficient volume of air. I also found it rather difficult to buzz into the tuba mouthpiece by itself--almost like trying to buzz using the bell of my clarinet. Therefore, it appears that smaller mouthpieces work well with larger instruments, but the reverse is probably not true. However, I will need to perform this experiment when my trumpet arrives, particularly when coupling it with the trombone mouthpiece (maybe I'll get great pedal tones on the trumpet?). Any comments would be of interest, particularly if other players have tried similar kinds of experiments. AN UPDATE: I received my trumpet yesterday, and I'm already having a lot of fun playing the songs I already can play on the trombone on the trumpet now. I coupled the horn mouthpiece with the trumpet, and found that the range was similar to that obtained by the trumpet mouthpiece, but with a more subdued sound. Coupling the trombone mouthpiece with the trumpet resulted in being able to play the C pedal tone quite easily, along with the normal low G up to about the first G above middle C (that is, and octave higher than the low G, and a 12th above the pedal tone C)--however, the sound is definitely more "husky: than that obtained with either the trumpet or horn mouthpieces!
I've tried all of this stuff and then some furthering on to the extent of instruments that are so niche, you probably haven't heard of them. I know I'm going to sound like a jerk, but I need to say it point blank. All of this stuff is completely misunderstood and totally unknown in the English speaking world. Shank size and gap matters. Ratio of cup depth to throat size matters. Cup diameter and cup volume matters. The playability and intonation of the instrument is completely reliant on those factors being correct. If any of that stuff is wrong, you will have problems. Most of the instruments that people consider bad are actually just mouthpiece hateful and not being given a chance. The instruments that have survived to be played in the modern American wind ensemble are the ones that are the least mouthpiece hateful. Here's some basics on what can go wrong: Gap /Shank : Mouthpiece too far in = octave expansion, very limited high range. Mouthpiece too far out = octave compression Throat : Throat too small = octave compression (high notes flat) Depth : Cup too deep = octave compression Volume : Too much cup volume for the instrument = bad tone, low notes stuffy (ya rly) Diameter : Too wide = range limited (yes, can be both ways), Too narrow = slotting goes haywire
@@Markworth Thanks. I figured the mouthpiece/instrument combinations essentially have been "optimized" over the years. My experiments were simply that--I wondered what would happen in each case, but had no interest in actually using these "mule" combinations otherwise. Your experience with various niche instruments is of interest. Because you didn't specifically say your experience was restricted to brass instruments, I'm wondering if you've ever come across a fingering chart for the suona. The few videos I've seen so far don't address this very well, and when a friend invited me to her traditional Chinese orchestra rehearsal, no one there played this instrument.
@@bobjacobson858 My know-how is pretty much limited to brass and even, there's still some stuff I don't know about. Like backbore length seems to matter, but I don't actually know how. I leave that up to the geniuses. So as for the Suona, I don't know anything about it. Looks cool, though. In terms of how optimized things are, you'd be surprised how bad commercial mouthpieces can be, even to this day. You actually can force some non-standard behavior from instruments, but it can be a crapshoot in terms of what actually works. For a quick example, some Baroque Trumpet mouthpieces are incredibly wide for their playing range. Something about the Trumpet profile requires this wide cup diameter as the length of the horn increases. It's really something to be playing Trumpet range music on a Bb Bass Trumpet with a 19mm mouthpiece, but it works. Great way to whip your embouchure into shape.
As a youngster i bought a new trumpet. It had a 7m mouth piece where i was used to a 7c. The change ruined my armature ( if that is what you call it) and i couldn't play at all. Dropped out of band and quiet playing
I've been playing for 10 years now and I've been on 7c the whole time 😅 One time we had sectionals and the tutor asked me why my tone was so dull (ouch) and recommended getting a 3c or 1.5c I think? I prefer classical playing so would like a better tone, I just have no idea where to start when it comes to mouthpieces
I have learned that some players can indeed succeed with one mouthpiece, while others cannot. It you're a studio player, for example, and you play multiple styles, you will probably need multiple mouthpieces. If you play small group jazz only, you will probably do fine on one piece. "Play what gets the job done."
Great video; thanks. I've ignored the whole mouthpiece issue for years. I recently picked up one of those megatone mpc's with a shallower bore and found that, yes, it made my high notes easier, but that's all it did. My articulation suffered and I thought it sounded "thin" in the low and middle registers. I don't know; should I keep playing it in hopes that my chops will adapt? I've always had a fear of becoming a mouthpiece junky, like my friend who has a chest of drawers full of pieces and carries around a pouch that holds six mouthpieces. I'm an older comeback player and mostly play jazz and blues in smaller venues; certainly not a screaming lead player. I do play third in a big band, where I need better upper register control. I'm not usre what to do at this point. Before COVID, shops would let you try out mouthpieces, but I don't think they do that anymore. In any case, thanks for the vid; very helpful.
I have huge lips. My teacher wanted me to use a 7C mouth piece, as many do. Defying him, I bought a Cherrystone 3C for 1,50€ and Ive continued to use it. I loved the sound instantaneously.
That's great! Every time I have moved to a new mouthpiece it was partially because it felt so much better right away than what I'd been on. It's so nice to play equipment that helps us sound how we want to sound! Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thanks Jon. This is good stuff. I actually just watched your Hooten video and ordered one. My teacher at Rice was Jim Wilt and Ghitalla. I recall Ghitalla mentioning Hooten and of course Jim plays with him. So here we go with the signature mpiece. I’m currently on a Patrick CR 1.5C. Are you familiar with that mouthpiece? Anyway you’re a great player! Your playing reminds me a lot of Russell Campbell in the DSO…we went to school together and he’s a solid player. Anyway thanks for this. I’ll see how it goes!
Thank you very much Jon for contributing so effectively to know this complex world. I've been playing Bach 3C for a long time but I think Dennis Wick has a number of interesting new mouthpieces for ease, like the "Heritage" series; "American Classic"; "Heavy Top", etc. I would like you to give me your opinion to try to change my 3C?
Really liked the video! Do you have any good resources on finding a new mouthpiece, or even learning what I might want in one? I've been playing for 20 years now (not professionally, like I haven't even had a proper teacher just junior/high school band) and maybe 5 years ago moved from a Bach 7c to a 5c where I was playing lead in a community jazz band. I couldn't believe how much easier it made it to play and maintain higher notes. Sorry for the wall of text lol.
The first thing to ask yourself when deciding if you need a new mouthpiece is what your goal is for the change. More highs or lows? More flexibility or stability? Better endurance, or precision? If you're not really sure, the best bet is to stick with what you're using and keep thinking about it until you discern what it is you're trying to accomplish. Many people make the mistake of assuming they need something different when in reality, what they're using is serving their needs just fine! To learn more about mouthpieces in general, I would check out the gr mouthpieces website, the yamaha mouthpiece page, as well as maybe the trumpetherald forum which is where I've picked up a lot of little things over the years.
@@JonTalksTrumpet if you've listened to any recent episodes of "That's Not Spit, It's Condensation", you'd know that suffering refines character. The choice is clear.
personally i prefer my 3c megatone have tried bach monette dennis wick 2 mm yamaha 14b4 and many others mouthpieces and from 1c to 11c always coming back to my trusty bach 3c megatone silver i play on a intermediant trumpet ytr6335g but im a intermediant player to no plans to go pro
I’m Freshmen in highschool and i’ve been playing a Bach 5b since 6th grade and It’s been holding back my range back and it’s really not fit for me , i’m trying to save a up for a Megatone 3c , my friend recommended it
Welcome to the channel! The Bach 5B is a great mouthpiece and versions of it are used by many orchestral players in the US. If you want to try a 3C, don't worry about the megatone version and just start with a "stock" or standard Bach 3C. The extra weight of the Megatone version won't necessarily make it easier to access your higher register. Good luck, and thanks for tuning in!
Thanks for the tips👍. For awhile, I have had a problem with mouthpiece pressure. Often after playing sessions, a red ring forms around my lips, and it gets harder to play. Do you have any tips?
Mouthpiece pressure is only a problem if it’s not properly balanced by muscular support or “pucker” from the embouchure. Check out David Hickmans video about the “4 Ps” to find out more about that. A red ring doesn’t indicate anything to be worried about (unless there is pain) and lips naturally swell the longer you play in a given session. Remember to take regular breaks - rest as long as you play!
5. I'd probably say: each instrument works best with a different mouthpiece. 7. For shine: aluminium foil at the bottom of a bowl, the mouthpiece sitting on it, a couple spoonful of baking soda on the mouthpiece, almost-boiling water covering the mouthpiece, wait 15 min. Super clean, and no abrasive products nor elbow grease 8. Oh... so painful. I'm still mad at my 18 year-old version for selling that Monette BS2, damn fool
I’m starting back up at 68. My 7c is now harder to play.I’m looking for a more comfortable mouth piece. I don’t care about the 3rd octave . What to you suggest?
Question: I have 3 mouthpieces (that I use) One for really soft playing. Mostly smooth jazz, ballads and such. One I use for mostly everything. It has a broad sound, but its a chore to play high notes on. And then a v-cup I use for the really high stuff, but its a chore to play low notes on. Im looking for a mouthpiece that will kinda combine the qualities of my 'everything' mouthpiece and my v-cup mouthpiece. Like maybe take a small bit of the ease of the high notes, but add to the broadness of the middle and low register. Any idea of what to look for?
More practice. Take a Standard mouthpiece a 3C or that Allrounder that you have. Then practice scales don't start too low or high and you'll find a point where the sound brakes away or gets bumpy. for example at low b or a g at the top line of the staff and thats your weak point. Connecting the registers and finding a stable setting of your chops will help you with your playing, not the one mouthpiece with slightly better that and this.
@@FishingForLife28 years ago my face settled into a 3C, later I went larger and then as I've aged I've retreated back to a 3C comparable size in a well known brand. Eventually I went a bit shallower. Now, the surprising thing is my sound is fuller yet also brighter (in a good way). I "think" (big air quotes here) the slightly shallower cup allows me to relax into the cup. The results have been wonderful.
I am guilty of the mouthpiece Safari, it makes me mad-sad-laugh how much money I've spent over the years haha. Do you think that as trumpet players are we just destined to keep buying mouthpieces? Will this ever end? What about those guys that have been playing the same mouthpiece for the last 15 years ?? Great video. I just subscribed.
Carlos, I think most of us have been there lol. What's funny is that even with all the experimenting I've done, I still play the same mouthpiece as my "main" that I've been playing for almost three years now. A lot of the experimenting has not resulted in something that actually worked better than what I was already using for my typical work requirements, but has rather been for dialing in mouthpieces for secondary instruments (Rotary, piccolo, cornet) or for unusual playing scenarios (commercial or pops playing in my case).
Yes yes yes yes.... clean the mouthpiece, and clean the horn! It is horrifying and amazing how quickly a film of crud can build up in there from all the lovely things that come out of your mouth other than air. I cannot count the number of time I have let this slide, then slapped my head in amazement at the difference when I finally cleaned the horn and mouthpiece. Mostly the leadpipe and up to the valve casing are the bad boys, but it can bild up downstream too. It is an insidious thing that can creep up on you if you let it! Sound, slotting, flexibilty, you name it.. organic filth in the horn does not help LOL! And yeah, lay off the polishing cloth on on the mp.
Hey Alexandru! The "bite" is sort of "corner" right between the inside of the rim and the top of the cup. A "sharp" bite would have a more sudden drop from rim into the cup, while a "smooth" bite (or *less* bite) means that the angle from the rim into the cup is more smooth and gradual.
Means that, If you're teeth are creating an indent behind your upper lip, that means you need try another mouth piece. For a higher register. Something that will help you with high and low range.
Hi I'm a tenor horn player wanting to play trumpet as well. I am looking for a mouthpiece that has a similar depth to a flugel mouthpiece but that is for trumpet. Do you have any suggestions? All the best, Chris
It’s not all the way to a flugel sound, but partially (maybe like 50% of the way). Curry also offers a trumpet shank “trumpet/cornet” mouthpiece which is a bit less volume. A third option would be something like a Bach A cup mouthpiece, like a 5A.
I have 17 mouth pieces. They all vary in sound, weight, size, hole diameter, etc.. and yes I find that some are more difficult to play then others but I practice on most every day and as far as I got with what I know.? .. I'm lost beyond belief still and this was some great info but Im thinking I need 1 on 1 tutorial to understand which types I need/ should go with what I'm using and what's actually really going on with my playing even though I think I sound amazing like I'm famous. I need a second opinion I'm thinking in that department... Also I have17 trumpets. One day, I figured I'd cut some time ( do it the lazy way) and take them all out of the cases, sterilized the bajeebuz out of all 17 of them at once in the bathtub (during my bublebath hour) and then I figured just slap them all back together easily enough, maybe mix & match perhaps have a bit of fun thru experimentation and get some good sounds etc....Big mistake.. My horns sound goofy like they were made from Ostridge beak and now I can't flippin remember which mouth piece goes back to what anymore so I'm skrewd & chewd it looks like. Also might explain why nobody comes to visit me anymore (including family) and people in my neighborhood are moving for some reason.
to no#7 Don't wash the mouthpiece with soap, wash it with toothpaste. Toothpaste is already safe for your body, you use it INSIDE your mouth, and polishes silver (like the silver plating most mouthpieces have) very well.
Hello there Mihai!! I’ve heard this tip about the toothpaste before but I actually don’t recommend it. Toothpaste is abrasive to silver, a 3 or 4 on the Mohs Hardness scale, which means even though it is capable of polishing mouthpieces the reason they look cleaner is that the toothpaste is polishing the mouthpiece and removing a microscopic layer of silver, which would lead to plating wear if done very frequently. Toothpaste is fine for your teeth and in your mouth but I wouldn’t use it to polish mouthpiece frequently. It’s ok to do once in a while. Soap and water works best, even though it doesn’t polish the silver, because it will clean all the dirt and grime without slowly removing the plating. I will once in a while polish mouthpiece, in which case I’ll use a connoisseur UK polishing cloth (the pink and white one).
@@JonTalksTrumpet I have a Bach Megatone 1C I bought back in... 2000 or 2001, used it daily, cleaned it with toothpaste pretty often, it was my main mouthpiece until last year when I bought a new one. It still retain all silver plating, with the exception of small insertion wear where I put it in the trumpet. So...
That’s great! I’m glad you still have that mouthpiece and it is in good shape! Basically I am just saying I don’t feel cleaning it with toothpaste is necessary or offers a significant hygienic advantage to washing with dish soap and a mouthpiece brush - and the toothpaste is more abrasive while dish soap is not.
Is there any such thing as a magic mouthpiece? You should learn to play with the ideal mechanics and not depend on the mouthpiece to solve your problems......Yamaha Bobby Shew Lead. 😁🎺 ♫
Of course practice is always important, but equipment can improve things much more quickly and efficiently sometimes compared to practicing. Lol - nice piece!!
@@JonTalksTrumpet Yes, it's the closest thing to a "magic mouthpiece" I've tried. I've tried the Bobby Shew Jazz and the Yamaha Allen Vizzutti and they're both fine but neither do for me what the Lead does. Btw for anyone reading, it's not the same as the Marcinkiewicz Bobby Shew pieces.
