I am about to buy a Muramatsu EXB via
Fluteworld.com (no good stores around where I live). I am just playing for
leisure (intermediate level) and would like to buy myself a nice treat for all
the practice time I put in. The only thing that still puzzles me is the
option to choose a "wing lip head joint". What''s the advantage? I will
definitely go with the Split E mech. Thanks in advance for all your help! Monika
Well, my private teacher advised me against it. I
was going to get a wing-lip to correct my embachoure, but he told me that
you'll become accustomed to it, and if you play an English lip (normal
headjoint), you'll have to re-adjust again.
I had a chance to play a Muramatsu with wing-lip
headjoint at the convention a couple years ago, and it really didn't do much
for me. It felt a little strange having this protrusion on the lip plate, but I
don't think it did anything to the sound at all (and the woman at the Muramatsu
booth felt similarly, although aparently some people like them). Changes to the
riser or embouchure edge have much more effect on the sound I think. It's
certainly fun to get a chance to test out all these little gadgets..
You should try out as many styles as you can, and judge them by how YOU sound on them, not what your teacher speculates. Not everybody has the same lips, teeth, jaw, tongue...different styles can work great for different people. I've never heard something as silly in my life as not getting the style you want because you'd have to "re-adjust" to a regular headjoint later. Trust me, it's not a life-altering adjustment. Every headjoint is different, even if they're the same style, and all take time to adjust to. Get what makes you sound your best. Who cares what it is and what style? It's about your sound, your comfort. Your teacher sounds like someone who doesn't know enough about headjoints to really give you the proper answers and made a statement like that just to sound like they know what they're talking about.
I don't know what your embouchure is like, but, in my opinion it is best to work hard and learn to play a traditional style headjoint. It will be much more versatile in terms of the different timbres you can get from it. The more "fancy" they cut a headjoint, the more it tends to only produce one sound, but tends to lack flexibility. For example, the Powell "Signature" headjoint is really super easy to get a nice crisp sound on...but because of all the overcutting and undercutting it really just has one sound. With a Powell "Philharmonic" headjoint, your own embouchure does the work to make the sound more crisp and focused, or if you want it to sound more fat and "reedy" like when playing Bach to mimick a wooden flute, you can do that. But, if you have anomalies in your lips and mouth that make it just too darned hard even after months of long tones and tone exercises to get the sound you want, then, perhaps one of those specially crafted lip plate styles will benefit you.
Muramatsu wing lip head joint correct name: Tsubasa.
I have one and I am veeeery happy with it. I have two other flutes, and a number of different headjoints.
Never had any problem switching from one to another... You just get accustomed to the change and a few minutes of practice are enough to do the trick.
If you like a sweet and clean type of sound, this is the one you want. On the other hand, it does not allow you to make that hugely big sound like inside an enormous orchestra, that`s why I have the others
The Tsubasa feature generally tends to concentrate the sound if you're looking for a broad definition of what it does. The results however aren't conclusive across the board. It works for some people and for others it doesn't. I have tried it, and it just felt too directed for me. It didn't give me much room to play with tone color.
fluteguy18 wrote:The Tsubasa feature generally tends to concentrate the sound if you're looking for a broad definition of what it does. The results however aren't conclusive across the board. It works for some people and for others it doesn't. I have tried it, and it just felt too directed for me. It didn't give me much room to play with tone color.
Each to their own.
Indeed I forgot to mention it and I endorse completely your comment
"Muramatsu wing lip head joint correct name: Tsubasa"
To add further confusion, the Tsubasa is not a wing lip. Tsubasa is the Muramatsu version of Adler wings. As recently as the 80-90's Muramatsu did produce a true wing lip. Here's a link for reference.
Kaylyn wrote:Not the same thing of course, but I play on on a Sankyo "High Wave" headjoint and I really like it.
Hi Kaylyn, Could yolu give me more info about the highwave headjoint? I think my lower lip is thick so i cannot place it closely to the mouthplace. Do you think the hedjoint helps? Thanks.
The only thing that still puzzles me is the 
