Does Doug Elliot practice voodoo?

[mark10450]

Title for attention, heh. I've played on a DE mouthpiece since 10th grade (2000) when my lesson teacher at the time and I underwent an extensive search for a mouthpiece that didn't either ring or sound airy. On anything Bach or clone, I get this metallic ringing sound and an airy tone. We went through Schilkes, Dennis Wicks, and some others that I don't even remember. Altogether we went through about 15 different mouthpieces. I stopped playing shortly after a year of college when I switched from performance to an IT related major. 20 years later I picked the horn back up and couldn't find my DE mouthpiece anywhere. The last I remembered was my kid used it, but it escaped the case somehow at some point. I ordered a new one and have been just as happy with it ever since.

Would could be causing this issue though? Today my computer desk in my office has 2 Laskey, 2 Griego, and a Dennis Wick Heritage mouthpiece on it all with similar results for me, either airy tone or a ringing sound. Picking up the DE and playing it the ringing goes away and the tone is so much more pure. Is my embouchure just screwed up and the DE mouthpiece just helps me that much?

[harrisonreed]

Impossible to really know without a video. If I had to guess, I bet it would be the super efficient DE backbore. But who knows. If you didn't record it, it never happened.

[OneTon]

Existentialists.

[Trav1s]

IYKYK

I went through a similar mouthpiece gauntlet in high school and landed on a Schilke 51B. Played that for 30+ years and accepted the sound behind the bell. I tried many and kept returning to the 51B. In my later years, those who know trombone suggested my sound was diffuse and lacked sparkle and focus. I couldn't hear it.

Soo... at ITF 2018, a friend encouraged me to talk with Doug and try out his line. The entire experience was an epiphany. I purchased the DE comb for the 79H and have not looked back.

Yeah, it was that big of a deal for me.

Fast forward to fall 2023 - I purchased a Benge 165F for a great price from a member of Trombonechat. Based on my experiences with the Benge line in the 90's during college, I had been avoiding them... until now. Intially, I was underwhelmed by the response and sound. After passing on the two mouthpieces that came with the horn, I eventually settled on an old 51B until I consulted with Doug. With a brief email exchange, I quickly had a cup/shank combo in hand. After the first note on the new combo, I knew something was different. After 10 minutes of playing I really began to appreciate the horn for what it is - neither Conn or Bach. Three months and many hours of practicing as well as playing at multiple Christmas eve services, I'm thrilled with the DE combo and the Benge.

The secret to Doug Elliott mouthpieces is:
A. voodoo
B. magic
C. art
D. science
E. all the above

[Kbiggs]

I think he just practices trombone. Probably the closest he gets to voodoo is the vuvuzela.

[Doug Elliott]

[Cmillar]

I think he just practices trombone. Probably the closest he gets to voodoo is the vuvuzela.

He's too busy teaching and making mouthpieces to even practice. It must be whatever brand of coffee he devours!