THE MOUTHPIPE
There are some parts of the horn easily replaced or altered: the mouthpiece, mouthpipe, slides and screw bell. The easiest
tapered tube to replace is the mouthpipe, the first part of the tapered tubing that has a marked effect on the playing
characteristics of the instrument. It is easily inserted into the horn body by connecting the large end of the mouthpipe to the
right hand leg of the main slide using either a piece of outer slide tubing or a piece of ½" plastic tube. The mouthpipe can be
secured for trial by taping it to the original pipe and sealing the joints with tape.
The search for a better mouthpipe is usually a blind quest since published dimensions or even evaluations of different
mouthpipes are not readily available. Manufacturers are inclined to keep their mouthpipe dimensions to themselves, leaving to
the player, his or her musical ability and sensitivity. Good musicians are surprisingly consistent in their evaluation of the good
or bad points of a mouthpipe if all other components (the instrument, acoustical environment and their physical condition)
remain the same.
Since the mouthpipe is only part of the tapered system of an instrument, it's effect on the way the horn plays is partial.
Factors to be considered when evaluating a mouthpipe are:
1. Intonation - variations or an uneven taper can cause certain harmonics to be out of tune.
2. Dynamic range - a long, slow taper will give more dynamic range than one with a fast taper but the slow taper may focus the notes too much in the high register, making it difficult to play
3. Band width - a mouthpipe with a large cubic content will widen the slots of the harmonics (similar to an instrument with leaking valves). The horn will slur easily but be less efficient and lack a center in the sound.
4. Extreme registers - a fast taper makes it easier to play high notes, a slow taper will be better for the low register.
5. Response - (start up time) a mouthpipe with a larger cubic content will have a faster response. The sound may be bright or harsh.
6. Overall pitch - the total length of the mouthpipe can be changed to either raise or lower the overall pitch of the instrument..
Lawson Brass Instruments has spent over 30 years designing and testing different mouthpipe designs and can provide
replacement mouthpipes for nearly any brand and model of French Horn.
They are available in three alloys:
CDA 260 Yellow Brass
CDA 230 Red Brass
CDA 752 Nickel Silver
Standard mouthpipes for Lawson, Conn, Holton and Alexander are on hand.
Other brands and special bends are obtainable by Special Order.
Lawson V2 mouthpipes are available only for Lawson instruments. These are double pipes, a pipe within a pipe, which
considerably effects the playability of the instrument. Click here for our V2 leadpipe page.