Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

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jorymil
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Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by jorymil »

Does anyone know much about Wycliffe's "Wybrid" mouthpiece and/or have experience playing with it? I've heard of trumpet players using a Bach 22 or similar mouthpiece on trombone, but never heard of anyone going the other direction. I really like the sound Wycliffe gets out of his trumpet with this thing, but $200 seems a lot to drop for something niche like this. For almost $200, you could buy a good used Yamaha student model trumpet with a more standard mouthpiece and just work on your "trumpet" embouchure.
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Burgerbob
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by Burgerbob »

I would just choose not to play trumpet, personally.
Aidan Ritchie, LA area player and teacher
Mikebmiller
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by Mikebmiller »

I got a wild hair a couple of years ago and bought a trumpet and one of those mps to see if I could become a trumpet player. Kept at it for about a month and then eventually sold both the trumpet and the mp. I could get an ok sound on the trumpet, but my range topped out at about a concert F above the staff (thinking bass clef here). I also tried a friend's Schilke 24. My chops just aren't made for doubling, it seems. But I did gain a lot of respect for trumpet players who have a good high register.

And I learned big lesson. I always thought that if you buzzed a note on trombone and then essentially buzzed the same note on trumpet, that it just came out an octave higher. It seems that is not actually the case. To play a high C on trumpet, you have to be able to play a double high Bb on trombone.
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harrisonreed
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by harrisonreed »

I played the 11C version of it, but it was about what you'd expect. A cool novelty. Just don't play trumpet.
jorymil
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by jorymil »

Thanks guys. At this stage of my life, I'm not going to be a professional trombonist, let alone a professional trumpeter: I just want to have fun with it. I own a student-model King 606 and a pTrumpet for general goofing around. Both cost me less than $100. I'd always wanted to play the trumpet growing up, and I love Clifford Brown and Clark Terry, so if something like this made it significantly easier and more fun to play the trumpet, I'd give it a go. Sounds like more _comfortable_ perhaps, but not $200 more comfortable.
jorymil
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by jorymil »

And burgerbob, if you're gonna bring the snark, don't be afraid to take it over the top for laughs: "I'll never play that bleepity-bleep piece-of-farm-animal excuse for a brass instrument! You'd have to be so uptight that you can eat pencil lead and find diamonds the next day!"
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Burgerbob
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by Burgerbob »

I played trumpet a lot in high school, for better or for worse (worse, I think). I honestly just don't find it as fulfilling as the bigger horn.

If you do want to play, I would just use a trumpet mouthpiece. Schilke 16 isn't too expensive.
Aidan Ritchie, LA area player and teacher
afugate
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by afugate »

Mikebmiller wrote: Mon Dec 16, 2019 6:13 pm I got a wild hair a couple of years ago and bought a trumpet and one of those mps to see if I could become a trumpet player. Kept at it for about a month and then eventually sold both the trumpet and the mp. I could get an ok sound on the trumpet, but my range topped out at about a concert F above the staff (thinking bass clef here). I also tried a friend's Schilke 24. My chops just aren't made for doubling, it seems. But I did gain a lot of respect for trumpet players who have a good high register.
This was me, until I had a couple of lessons with Doug and fixed some fundamental problems in my embouchure. Now I can play above the treble clef staff on both trumpet and trombone. Helpful when I'm working with kids. :)

Not suggesting this is the case for you. Just mentioning it for others.

--Andy in OKC
Mikebmiller
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by Mikebmiller »

Yeah, I got over wanting to play trumpet fairly quickly. Now I mess around with alto trombone some and can halfway play that instrument with a pretty good sound. I have toyed with the idea of getting an alto horn, but as I am no longer in a British brass band, there wouldn't be much call for it around here.
RJMason
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by RJMason »

I owned one of the hybrid pieces. Low range was fat but high range was hard. Works for him, but not for me. I just picked up a 1.25 c and learned the regular mouthpiece. Easier to play, but need to build endurance through daily practice. If you’re just having fun, I’d suggest that!
jorymil
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by jorymil »

Thanks to all of you for your experiences - I'll stick with the regular pieces for trumpet.
Fruitysloth
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by Fruitysloth »

I'm with RJ as well, picked up a trumpet today with a Warburton equivalent of a 1.5C, and it worked much better for me than the Wycliffe model.
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brtnats
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by brtnats »

Totally opposite experience. I’ve got one, it works really well for me, and I play a lot of trumpet because of it. I don’t make a living playing, but I do play *a lot* with stable, gigging groups in a variety of styles. This mp opened up trumpet for me. I had a trumpet methods class in college, but the constant switching between it and trombone really made playing the trumpet a chore and the switch difficult enough that I stopped as soon as I could. The hybrid mouthpiece stopped that and made trumpet an easy double for me. I had to play on it for 30 minutes to know it would work, and had to practice keeping my corners firmer in trumpet ranges. But I can play it up to high C, and I can play it all night up to a high A.

Some of us find ourselves in situations where there are almost always other musicians to play with. I agree with Bob, trombone is more satisfying for me under most circumstances. But if I’m playing a church gig, which seems to happen a lot these days, I’d rather have my trumpet. It’s just a better horn to be alone one in some settings.

I’d honestly try one out if you have the opportunity. For me it’s essential equipment.
JGordon
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Re: Wycliffe Gordon Wybrid

Post by JGordon »

Some years ago I inherited my father's WWII vintage King Liberty model trumpet -- a horn on which he sounded great. I messed around with the horn but I wasn't having much success on the trumpet mouthpiece I had. So, I bought the Wycliffe Gordon "Chasons Hybrid" model mouthpiece. With it I could immediately play stuff in the treble clef staff, but above the staff I struggled.

I just picked up the horn (it has been a long while) and I can just squeak out a "C" (really a Bb in concert terms) that lives a couple of ledger lines above the treble clef. That note is not really usable for me although I assume that if I really practiced the horn regularly, it might become more reliable. Still, I can play in the middle and low registers and that is enough to have fun.

The sound I get on the horn and mouthpiece has a lot of core or brilliance. In trombone terms, it is not a "dark" sound. I don't know if this is because of the horn, the mouthpiece or the way I am playing the equipment. I rather like the sound, but it is more a lead trumpet sound than a smokey nightclub after-hours sound.

I got the trumpet for free and so I was OK paying some money for the mouthpiece -- and I am glad I did. However, I just amuse myself with the trumpet and that process stimulates me to think about my father. I have never used the horn on a gig or rehearsal with other musicians.

Given my peculiar experience, I can't either recommend or discourage the use of the mouthpiece. All I can say, is that in my case it has been fun playing around with Dad's horn and this mouthpiece.
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