OTJ Authors
Larry Roth
Larry Roth began playing the trombone in the fifth grade, and has yet to succeeded in getting away from it. A technician for a State Health Department, Roth is a 'Weekend Warrior" with the Delmar Community Orchestra, the H-M-S Marching Band, the Starliters Big Band, and the Greg Nazarian Big Band. Contact: xaxnar@aol.com.
OTJ Articles
Mouthpiece Meditations Part 5
May 01, 1998Mouthpiece Meditations Part 5: Conclusion. There is a large body of theory behind mouthpiece design and use. How solid is it? Not as much as is generally assumed! This concluding article looks at mouthpiece assumptions, misconceptions, and hyperbole. It offers speculation and debate on where mouthpiece theory might profitably go beyond the current state of the art.
Mouthpiece Meditations Part 4March 01, 1998Mouthpiece Meditations Part 4 considers putting the information in the previous 3 articles to use. Having arrived at an ideal of what makes a 'good' mouthpiece, how different elements contribute to that ideal, and how to methodically compare between different mouthpieces, the question is how far to pursue that ideal, and the pros and cons of switching.
Mouthpiece Meditations Part 3January 01, 1998Mouthpiece Meditations Part 3 deals with the problem of comparing mouthpieces. A set of measurements and how to make them is described in the article. While mouthpiece 'feel' and 'playability' is subjective, these measurements can provide an objective basis for systematic comparison between mouthpieces, independent of type or manufacturer.
Mouthpiece Meditations Part 2November 01, 1997Mouthpiece Meditations Part 2 considers how mouthpiece size and shape matter. The various elements of a mouthpiece are described and how each affects performance is examined. A table summarizes the effects attributed to changes in different elements. Attributed is the key word Ñ many of the claimed effects have a subjective element.
Mouthpiece Meditations Part 1September 01, 1997Mouthpiece Meditations Part 1 asks some deceptively simple questions. What makes a good trombone mouthpiece? How does one find it? After exploring why the answers to these questions are not simple, the article comes to some preliminary conclusions on which to proceed.
OTJ Reviews
The Yamaha Silent Brass System for Trombone: A Review
By Larry Roth • August 26, 2001While not a replacement for pacticing on the open trombone, Yamaha's Silent Brass System has some distinct advantages for the busy and travelling trombonist.