Legends Brass dealer James Eldreth got all three Legends Funkin mouthpieces into the hands of his friend, freelance trumpeter Max English. Max performed a thoughtful and thorough comparison of the three, and his comments are below.
Alright, so here’s what I think my findings are. As a general observation, I think the three exist on a spectrum with the Screamin’ having the thinnest, most direct tone, but also having the most flexibility, lowest effort required to “light up,” and easiest upper register. The Groovin’ is on the opposite end with the broadest tone, but takes more effort to cut and stay up high, and the Rockin’ is basically in the middle on both counts.
I think I trust the Rockin’ and Groovin’ more as far as stability, accuracy, and width of slots, but the Screamin’ feels like it provides the most aid with stamina and ease of range. I definitely feel that the Screamin’ has the smallest cup, and I prefer that feeling to the other two. I think my favorite rim is the Rockin’. The Screamin’ rim feels a little small, but I’ve gotten used to it after using it as my main piece for a while, and the Groovin’ rim just feels huge.
Ultimately, I think the Screamin’ remains my favorite, but that could also be due to using it regularly for months already. I think the Screamin’ is the extreme end where tone is most cutting, power and range are achieved most easily, and sliding between partials feels easiest, but at the expense of accuracy, whereas the other two have broader sounds and bigger slots, but take more effort to cut, get up high, and sustain over time. That said, I think if I had any of the three, they all function really well as lead pieces and I would be able to make do with any of the three.
Max English
Freelance Trumpet
State College, PA
Thank you, Max, for this helpful information!
Max’s findings line up with the intended use of each design. The Funkin Screamin is truly built for that commercial sound, at the highest end of the range. The Funkin Groovin is designed to support the upper register easily, but without sacrificing tone in the middle of the range. And, just as Max confirmed, the Funkin Rockin is able to do a little of everything.
Max English
Freelance Trumpet
State College, PA
