The best trumpet mouthpiece for beginners is usually not the tiniest cup in the case. Mouthpiece size affects endurance, range and tone more than beginners expect, and starting on an extreme jazz piece or a deep symphonic cup makes progress harder. Most student trumpets ship with a mid-size mouthpiece similar to a Bach 7C, and … Read more
A good trumpet case is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy for a horn that costs a thousand dollars or more. Most trumpets arrive in a basic case that protects against scratches and very little else, which is fine until the instrument gets dropped, stacked under a bag or left in a cold car. … Read more
A bad music stand is one of those things you don’t notice until you’ve played from a good one. Pages slipping mid-performance. A wobble in the stand every time you turn a page. A desk that’s too narrow for a full score. Having to crouch because the stand doesn’t go high enough. These things sound … Read more
Most clarinet cases you’ll find on Amazon are fine until they’re not. The zipper breaks. The foam compresses. The handle pulls away from the shell. You find this out at the worst possible moment. Protec makes the most trusted clarinet cases on the market right now, and they dominate every list for a reason. They’re … Read more
When you buy a clarinet, the instrument gets all the attention. The accessories are an afterthought, usually whatever comes in the box, or whatever the music store points you toward. But a bad swab leaves lint in your bore. Cork joints that aren’t greased properly develop cracks. A cheap ligature restricts your reed in ways … Read more