The past few months have seen an impressive introduction of new mouthpieces endorsed by highly respected artists. Most of these great players, who already have their own personalized ‘signature’ mouthpieces available on the market, continue experimenting to develop something still better. Of course, this is a good thing, it is a perfect example of how our equipment is evolving and always improving.
Ironically, this also presents a problem. For example, if there are ten new great mouthpieces available on the market, indorsed by highly respected players, what is the best way for a tubist to find and test these mouthpieces; buying ten new mouthpieces on the contingency that one might be the ‘right one’ isn’t an option. Mouthpieces are expensive! Personally, not being a business man and having no marketing experience, I can see only four possibilities: advertising, sending samples to a few strategic players, sending examples to a few music shops but finally and most expediently depending on ‘word of mouth’ to reach the members of our unique community.
Once, a very long time ago, I decided to sell tubas. Short summary: I didn’t like it, I was not good at it, and it made me unhappy; I will not do it again. We have people that are good at it and who enjoy that aspect of the music business.
Why do I mention this? Very soon there will be a new mouthpiece, yet another new mouthpiece, with my name on it, it’s called The Volare. Having taken part in it’s development, having played and compared it with many other mouthpieces and having listened to many players playing it, I can say the results are all positive and impressive; The Volare has a focused, clear, and centered tone, the sound it produces very warm, dynamic response very efficient and sensitive, plus intonation is beautifully delineated yet flexible.
I promise this will be the end of my try at salesmanship; I’ll leave that to the businessmen and the promoters. Please watch for this new mouthpiece, The Volare, and audition it when you get the chance.
And the tuba evolution continues.
Roger Bobo
Tokyo, June 10, 2012
Ironically, this also presents a problem. For example, if there are ten new great mouthpieces available on the market, indorsed by highly respected players, what is the best way for a tubist to find and test these mouthpieces; buying ten new mouthpieces on the contingency that one might be the ‘right one’ isn’t an option. Mouthpieces are expensive! Personally, not being a business man and having no marketing experience, I can see only four possibilities: advertising, sending samples to a few strategic players, sending examples to a few music shops but finally and most expediently depending on ‘word of mouth’ to reach the members of our unique community.
Once, a very long time ago, I decided to sell tubas. Short summary: I didn’t like it, I was not good at it, and it made me unhappy; I will not do it again. We have people that are good at it and who enjoy that aspect of the music business.
Why do I mention this? Very soon there will be a new mouthpiece, yet another new mouthpiece, with my name on it, it’s called The Volare. Having taken part in it’s development, having played and compared it with many other mouthpieces and having listened to many players playing it, I can say the results are all positive and impressive; The Volare has a focused, clear, and centered tone, the sound it produces very warm, dynamic response very efficient and sensitive, plus intonation is beautifully delineated yet flexible.
I promise this will be the end of my try at salesmanship; I’ll leave that to the businessmen and the promoters. Please watch for this new mouthpiece, The Volare, and audition it when you get the chance.
And the tuba evolution continues.
Roger Bobo
Tokyo, June 10, 2012
