To be clear, my trumpet tips are intended to provide unconventional insights to those players who are not afraid to defy convention. These insights are those of Maynard Ferguson, based on direct experience with THE master in his prime. Maynard was anything but conventional. My simple observation is that if conventional approaches worked, then everyone would have Maynard's physical capabilities on trumpet..... These insights will take you far beyond conventional. Creating value is my goal. Those of you who know me personally, know that I am a straight and direct shooter, not interested in small time BS ..... No trumpet voodoo here. The MF Protocol actually works, and it is non-invasive, being used only as needed..... Enjoy the tips/suggestions, and imagine being able to play anything you hear...... The feeling of latching on to even a piece of the Protocol is exhilarating beyond words..... :)
@@timoteoluna3789 I could fit about 3 of my XPiece cups in your 15..... Hehehe.... Glad you're happy with your piece, but you'll never be able to fully employ the MF Protocol with such a large piece.....
@@lynn95441 what is the mouthpiece that you are using? I did not catch the name. I assume it is probably custom-made. If it is smaller than a Schilke 6a4a, then, WOW, that is small. I can agree with what you're saying about Jet-Tones. Although very shallow, they have very wide rims. I think they do that to allow for a fuller sound in lower registers? But they also have very small tight backbores. You are saying that a good piece should have a very open backbore. A jet tone works for me pretty well at first, but I tire out more easily because of the wider rim and also because of the very shallow cup my lips swells and hits bottom and don't vibrate properly. I'm assuming that doesn't happen in a v-cup?
Thank you for the technical explanation. I play a bach 3B and I have a relatively open sound up to about a high A, but have learned that could be the reason that my double Cs can sound thin.
Thank you... I've been searching and experimenting for 30 years on different mouthpieces, and all it took was one with a bigger hole that makes the world of difference in slotting notes in the extreme upper register. I've never been able to "slot" anything above a double A (I could hit notes up to D above double C, but they wouldn't slot and rarely have power), and today I slotted with piercing volume and power, an Eb above double C. Great advice, thank you!
I played lead trumpet in a Tower of Power cover band for 15 years using a shallow mouthpiece (Marcinkiewicz Roger Ingram piece) and the more I played, the more I could keep on playing in the entire range from low G to double C. Before I knew about the Maynard protocol, I think I was doing it anyway as a discovery from sheer experience. With the L.N. Personal it is even better. One of my favorite songs was "You Can't Fall Up"
i never had it explained this way, and it makes perfect sense. now i want to see you play a clear mouthpiece on a super high speed camera. we could probably learn a lot with a good macro high speed shot to see how your chops move around exactly
Great advice, I had liked to know this before. This just is what happened to me when I discovered the magic of a small mouthpiece with a big hole. Thank you
Guess I am three years late on this one, but I agree that most people, especially part timers and we seniors, play pieces that are too big. John Eth, Las Vegas player and inventor of XStream pieces also said that. I still use one of his as a backup and main one for church music. My no. 1 is an old Jettone Studio B that the great Charlie Schlueter opened up the throat to a 17 or 18, and explained why he and Maynard believed in doing so . Sorry Lynn I didn't do well trying a Vcup but thanks for your wonderful and generous lessons.
Thanks Lynn. When I was playing many moons ago I was always told cup size determined how fat the sound will be . Glad to hear that it is the hole size in the cup that is important. No wonder I never had good range.
cup depth defintely changes the sound in my case. Like taking the bass knob on a stereo system and cutting it down to 2 setting of said knob and maybe turning up the treble knob to about a 7.
Went to Schilke 13a4a in college after playing some standard fat cupped mouthpiece in highschool that came with my Getzen Capri. It did improve my range a few steps, but have never heard of V cup. Plan to watch all your videos. I basically laid down the trumpet years ago because I could not play in the upper register. I think the knowledge and science of how players are achieving success in increasing in their range has greatly improved. All the tutoring aside, you have to admit, there are some players that just naturally have the right set of physical characteristics that allow them to play in the upper register. Without viewing any of your other videos yet, here is may assessment on those characterstics. 1. Some players lips naturally unfurled when they first started playing. Other players have lips that simply vibrate faster with less effort. Another physical attribute that may not be able to be overcome is the ANGLE OF A PERSON'S DIAPHRAGM inside their body. This muscle that causes the lungs to expand and compress may not be positioned or shaped the same for all people. There may be an angle or shape that allows some players to achieve much greater support and compression for the airflow to achieve high notes. Just my two cents. Thanks for posting.
Interesting comments...... More info here on v-cups and Maynard's Protocol...... james-r-new.com/affiliates/lynn-nicholson.html 1. Yes, some players correctly started with relaxed chops that vibrate easily in response to the correct application of air.... AND, said beginners never let their chop compression teachers talk them out of it.... Ha! 2. I will remind you that diaphragm muscles are used only on the inhalation process. Abs and intercostals manage/compress the air for the all important exhalation process... Here's the link to one of my compression videos..... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fviXbWYvaZc.html Finally, yes, some players are predisposed to correctly line up their anatomy for trumpet. The rest of us either stumbled on to the MF Protocol, or had to work for it....
@@lynn95441 I am retired civil service now and play keyboard, sing, and write songs. I have been watching DCI videos recently, and that, along with videos like yours, has caused me to consider getting my trumpet back out and attempting to unlock the secrets of playing in the upper register. Just a little music history on myself. I played drums early in highschool then switched to trumpet my Junior year. In just two years, I was chosen to play first chair at honors band where about a dozen schools sent their best players. I spent two years at college and was selected as one of the marching band soloists. I decided to join the military. I found out later that my college band director contacted my highschool band director and asked if I was coming back that following semester. My band director from highschool, now 74, after teaching at multiple highschools over a 30 year span, said I was the best trumpet player he ever had. Not bragging, just showing you what I walked away from out of frustration from the inability to play melodies above high C. Kind of excited about this process. Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
Vizzutti (famously) was saying this in clinics decades ago as well. I have one of them on VHS tape and his way to express it was to "play the smallest cup out of which you can get a GOOD (the big caveat) sound. I had to use bigger mp's (but not huge) to blend with the players I hired for my groups or the Classical groups with which I was hired to play. But the greatest damage I ever suffered as a player was at the hands of non-Trumpet playing School Directors (when I was very young) or hyper-dogmatic College teachers. If a teacher could actually PLAY in that register, I could benefit from their example and learn from them. I know there are players who CAN play up there on buckets, but they nearly all lack projection if they're not having intercourse with the microphone. I also have a VHS tape of a famous (think some of those TERRIFIC legit Star Trek MOVIE-not TOS-licks) session Trumpet player getting absolutely buried by the rest of the section/band on an '80's Buddy Rich gig. It was shot with a camcorder and didn't have feeds directly from the board, so this was from the audience POV. Most live sound engineers don't know the physics of a Sax from those of Brass Instruments, Trumpets most of all. if you weren't lucky enough to be on a gig where a Trumpet player paid the sound tech, you could tell pretty quickly whether or not they understood the differences. Very often, in my part of the World, they did NOT. The vast majority had their educations end at "Guitar/Bass/Kick Drum". If it was plugged in "straight to board" and didn't take significant actuarial potential to manipulate, they understood it pretty well. That is NOT the case for Trumpet. I will say that things are somewhat better now with IEM's, but back in the day, not so much... : - )
Very well said..... I will add this. Maynard used to say (1974), "Get a mouthpiece that gets the high notes easily, then work on the sound." Great advice from THE master. Lots of talk from alleged "experts" out there, but very few walking the walk..... Thanks for noticing...... :)
Hehehe..... Really Jason? Your comments create little value.... Why don't you go comment on your own posts.... I'm sure conventional players will be most impressed......
@@lynn95441 yes, really. The mouthpiece and the player are both required to play high notes. I'm here commenting to add value. You can have a civil conversation amongst professionals, right?
i respect your advise , and agree for jazzers especially, smaller cup or even v cup is going to be best . but as a strictly legit player , the larger cup gives a warmer fuller sound . in my opinion.
There's not as much controversy about it now as there was when those of us of a certain age were making our way along in a "pre-Internet" era. It seems to me there's a LOT of intuitive scientific understanding behind what Lynn says even when he doesn't elucidate on it as being Science. @Eric, LOL, I haven't heard the term "Jazzer" since I was in College Woodwind methods. The teacher said it through her nose like she was describing Chlymidia and didn't care much for either. It has everything to do with physics. The physics of our Nitrogen/Oxygen atmosphere, of us (the wetware-and the biggest variable of all), the horn and the mouthpiece. The more the upper partials of the Natural Harmonic series are reinforced, the easier they speak. The more you emphasize the fundamental, the more stable the partials (slotting-and consequently lip trills require more effort) and the more of a "guard rail" there is when playing all those excerpts with which we all wrestled. I love Classical Music. During my later years, I played more and more of it as (frankly) steady paying gigs for Big Bands (around my neck of the woods) started to thin out except around Holidays. But Classical was an acquired affection. (Listening to the second iteration of B, S&T had a lot to do with that.) When I was a young kid, the things that REALLY turned me on to Trumpet were the Soundtracks of TV and Movies (all genres) but most of all, Big Band Jazz and Jazz-Rock/Popular Music groups. I was watching Doc and the Tonight Show Band at an age (pre-teen) when I probably didn't get more than half of all the off-color humor that made it the institution that it was. I feel lucky to have lived during a time when I was able to hear players like Maynard, Doc, Lynn and my other "heroes" live. The information is easier than ever to access these days, but I think for younger players, it's a little like drinking from a "firehose". Back then, I'd buy a record and transcribe stuff off of it for months and literally wear the grooves off of it. It became part of my metabolism. I lived, ate and breathed it. I think that's a tougher thing to do for younger players now. An embarrassment of (free-mostly) riches, I guess... : - )
@@lynn95441 I'm unfamiliar with your career and musician you've worked with. I'm just curious what your range was in your prime. Unless your still waiting for it. (Jokingly)
@@Ricktpt1 soundtracks like Rocky and similar. And also the horn sections in bands like earth, wind, and fire. Kool and the gang. Just t name a couple . Really wet my appetite. And always wanted to be able to play same licks. Unfortunately, the live horns are few in today's music/groups . I was pretty much a legit player . Never really achieving I my full potential. Reasons I won't get into. But respect all the talent these new musicians . And also the old school. Thnx for the chat fellow horn player .
@@erichollly723, I can't believe any Trumpet player hasn't heard of Lynn. On the off chance you meant to address me, I worked with R&B artists, regional acts and orchestras (and I led my own Brass Quintet) but I'm not "famous" like Lynn is. I studied from some of the '80s Ferguson section players, but I've never been lucky enough to get a lesson with Lynn. I was a Lead Player (one of a number in two iterations of the band that recorded) for a regional Arts Grant Big Band (The Unifour Jazz Ensemble) and I recorded a number of licks (8va'ed from the chart) with E's above Double C. They were on a featured chart-"Straight No Chaser", the Herbolzheimer arrangement-and it went to nine takes in the Studio. (Not because of the Trumpet section, lol...) I nailed 'em all. It was in the early days of digital so there was no overdubbing, it was live to a multichannel board to two-track. As I got older, I mellowed a lot. I'm retired now because of my health, but I still love the Instrument and Music very much. I never cared too much about trying to be "a big deal", I just wanted to work with good musicians and I was fortunate to be able to do so. Lynn's one of my all-time heroes of Lead playing. (Ferguson's Chameleon? I know you have to have heard THAT...) We're all different and we have to find what works for us, but very few players can do what Lynn does as well as he does it. (Certainly not me, not even in my "prime", lol...)
Wonderful informations! Ir all makes complete sense. I love my new Nicholson Personal RR. I Just played loud and high for 3-4hours and my chops feel as if i had not played at all. It took me a while to get a nice Sound out of it, i now play pretty much with an equal proportion of bottom and upper Lip due to the smaller Diameter. I always wondered why i could not play near the center with bigger Mpcs.. I guess i’m a relaxed Player now, hahaa!! Thank you, Lynn!!🙏🏼🙏🏼 Now i’m gonna take a nice warm bath in one of my old Bach1 1/4 C.🛀 All the best!!✌️✨✨
The most useful video I have ever seen on the topic. I am wondering how you compensate for accuracy in the lower registry once you use the V-cup mouthpiece for the higher registry. I did find that using your exact mouthpiece (purchased from you), I was able to play higher than ever in my life (and I'm 57), which was exciting, but struggled with accuracy in the lower registry. Any tips? Thanks again.
Thank you..... The simple answer to more accuracy in the lower register is to NOT overblow, something that is easy to do on a conventional piece with less jeopardy.... V-cups are not as forgiving. Did you see this video? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OR8uKCNIMic.html
I bought a jet-tone MF awhile ago, and while I love the full sound in lower registers, I've never been able to play high with it. My go-to piece is a Marcinkiewiz g10s, but I haven't experimented very much.
Hi Lynn. Nice comments on pieces. As you said: try a lot but almost every piece in Denmark are traditionel c-cup so do you have an advice in that direction? Perhaps you know about a suiteble piece that are less in price than the most expensive? I think you told that before, but do you mind once again? I do not want to be average - I would like to be the well sounding trumpet everywhere there is a trumpet needed!
You may want to read about my mouthpieces..... They are all v-cups, but not for everyone..... Info is interesting, though..... james-r-new.com/affiliates/lynn-nicholson.html
What about air flow? To me when I watch Maynard ... it seemed he would take these huuuuuge deep breaths before he would play. Did this, and does this help in the upper registry? It seemed Maynard's neck would puff out when playing. So, I always wanted to know about his air control, breathing while hitting those high notes. Thanks Lynn.
It's always about control of the air.... The correct mouthpiece helps, but air still carries the day. It's not how big of a breath you take, but instead how you use it..... I have other videos on the subject.... You make want to check out the one on compression.....
So a 7C Bach comes with a trumpet as a starter. In my case I never got out of using a 7C until recently. I'm using I think a 4c equivalent now or something close. Also round rimmed. Your kind of describing the chops going INTO the mouthpiuece rather than resting on the rim? Maybe I dont have enough chop in the piece. I do struggle with upper register and its not an air issue. I played a bach 10 1/2 E semi round rim , yeah go figure, just as an experiment, and THAT was defintely a wrong move.
@@andreamangiavillano872 The XPiece and Reversible Rim work together to reduce chop tension, while teaching your playing apparatus to rely more heavily on air..... The XPiece will not play well at all if the player uses too much chop tension....
Hey lynn , what do you think I should get to help me be a screamer for marching band and jazz, jet tone , Bach 3e or Denis wick 4x. but I'm thinking of getting the get tone but i want your opinion on those mouthpieces.
You might try one of our pieces, perhaps an XTR3. Whatever you get, it should be shallow..... More info here..... james-r-new.com/affiliates/lynn-nicholson.html
Coming from a 3C mouthpiece, is the xpiece supposed to be harder to warm up on? I cant play easily on my mid range, it either doesn't come out or it cracks.
Yes, that's the whole point. The X is extremely difficult to play. In the process of perfecting your sound production, your playing apparatus will be improved which will transfer over to your 3C or other primary piece. Soon, your 3C will start to feel big, so the X and Rev Rim will help you downsize your primary....
I disagree on your comments concerning maintenance vs. size. My clients and students most often find that the mouthpiece rim that fits their embouchure, high point and dental shape is the easiest to play after taking many days off. Small or large means nothing without the player's needs taken into account. Your theory of the V-cup is unusual in that this assumes the player is using pressure and playing loud. The cup shape is most responsible for the attack characteristics such as soft, hard, clean or fluffy. Very rarely do my clients succeed on a small/shallow cup.
Harrelson Trumpets also consider he’s talking about extreme register, FULL range trumpet playing not average toot-toot trumpeting that doesn’t go above high D too often
jambajoby32 MF was killer without a doubt; but not everyone has his chop setup. I’ve found very few that can play the drop V, nearly bite-less mouthpieces he did. If anything, a mouthpiece maker will have a broad idea of how and why different mouthpiece shapes/sizes work for different players by working with their clients until they find the right fit.
I built something similar myself, about 45 years ago..... Did not work as well as I had hoped, and making changes was virtually an impossibility, so I didn't pursue further..... That being said, If it works for you, then by all means play it.... :)
Hard to say...... As I said in the video, most players use a mouthpiece that is too big. I would add, AND is too tight..... Average you ask? Who wants to be average?
@@lynn95441 Perhaps I need to be more specific. I think you have a line of mouthpieces you promote. I was wondering which one you think works best. I glanced at the link and there are 3 of them.
@@SOLT_Mark Understood.... If you're used to a conventional piece, then the LPiece would be your best bet, since it is deepest and has the steepest entry angle..... True v-cups are not for everyone, though. You must be a relaxed player, and incorporate at least a few elements of the MF Protocol. If you play with a lot of chop protrusion and/or chop compression, the acclimation period may longer. Rumor was that Maynard took about 6 weeks to fully acclimate to his v-cup. Worth it, though, yes?
