How it Works
The Wedge mouthpiece differs from conventional mouthpieces in several important ways. The rim is unlike any other mouthpiece, and the shape of the design produces some very unique results.
- The parts of the rim touching the corners of the embouchure slope away from the center of the mouthpiece. This shifts the high point of the rim toward the inside, and makes the sides narrower than the upper and lower parts of the rim.
- The parts of the rim touching the middle of the upper and lower lip are the same width as a conventional rim, but have a gradual slope, with the high point shifted to the outside. The combination of rim contours produces a slightly oval shape in the upper part of the cup..
- The sides of the rim touching the corners of the embouchure dip down when viewed from the side.
These features have a very special effect on how the Wedge mouthpiece plays. The sloping shoulders and dip in the side rim decreases the amount of contact and pressure on the embouchure at the corners. The mouthpiece therefore interferes less with the movements of the lips. With less pressure at the sides of the mouthpiece the player is forced to use the corners to produce a more efficient, forward focused, closed aperture.
The improved range of motion at the corners and solid contact with the top and bottom lip make it easier to open the corners and to return them to the optimal playing position when taking a quick breath. Decreased mouthpiece pressure at the corners also improves blood flow in and out of the central part of the lips, improving endurance and decreasing swelling. The slight slope of the upper and lower rims produces top to bottom lip compression and improved range, rather than cutting off the note as moderate pressure is applied.
The vertical oval shape of the mouthpiece has a very important effect. The embouchure is a vibrating membrane, the movement of which generates a standing sound wave in the horn. The frequency of the vibration influences the pitch of the note. Pitch on a violin goes up when tension is increased (as in tuning) or when the length of the vibrating string is shortened. Smaller mouthpieces are preferred by some players for generating a higher frequency partly because the length of the vibrating membrane is less. However, this relationship is complex. Each lip is not fixed at two points like a vibrating string, but along three sides like a flat membrane in a three sided or semicircular frame. The problem with using a smaller mouthpiece is that as the distance between the two ends of the membrane decreases so does the distance between the free vibrating edge and the opposite fixation point. This makes the membrane relatively more stiff and difficult to vibrate, meaning that the advantage of a smaller mouthpiece shorting the vibrating membrane is offset by the difficulty in producing the vibration in the relatively stiffer lip. The vertical oval shape of the Wedge mouthpiece allows for a shorter, more pliable vibrating membrane that is easier to move at a higher frequency. The Wedge has the advantages of a smaller mouthpiece without the down sides.
The Wedge mouthpiece in most cases increases the range available to the player. It does not do this the way a shallow or small mouthpiece does, by producing a bias towards upper register performance. Instead it expands the "dynamic range" on the instrument. Both lower register and upper register performance is enhanced, producing a bigger sound throughout the entire range of the horn. The spread between the lowest, fattest note and highest note that can be played is increased.
Depending on the characteristics of the Wedge mouthpiece selected the improved performance in either the upper or lower register may be more evident at first. In some cases the lower register is fuller and easier while the upper register is unchanged or more challenging. This almost always means that a change to a smaller or shallower Wedge will shift the mid point of the range up and return lower range performance to the same level as a conventional mouthpiece while providing improved upper range performance.
The effect of using a Wedge is improved comfort, endurance, range, articulation and flexibility without sacrificing any other aspect of mouthpiece performance. The Wedge is simply a more efficient design.
For more information about adjusting to the Wedge check the Playing Instructions page.