Featured Artist of the Month — Vinnie Ciesielski

Vinnie Ciesielski leads Vinnie and the Hitmen, a powerhouse modern jazz ensemble featuring Wayne Bergeron and top-tier Los Angeles and Nashville session players. His new Christmas album showcases high-energy brass work and tight section writing. The gear below includes Vinnie’s preferred microphones, brass accessories, recording tools, travel items, and stage essentials.

Vinnie Ciesielski – Featured Picks (Top 10)

1. Main Lead Trumpet
   Bach Stradivarius with a 43 bell and a Blackburn-style leadpipe — the commercial lead setup he’s known for.
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2. Secondary Horn (Flugelhorn or C Trumpet)
   Used for ballads, color, or transposed cues. Vinnie rotates these for specific session or section needs.
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3. Commercial Mouthpiece (Primary)
   Dave Stahl–type C cup, wide/flat rim, gold-plated — the commercial lead piece he relies on for bite and comfort.
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4. Warm / Studio Mouthpiece
   Pickett Rex Omni 2 or similar between 1C–3C — deeper cup for smoother overdubs, classical edges, or stacked brass recording.
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5. Full Mute Kit
   Straight, cup, Harmon, bucket. Denis Wick or HEUI — the standard for any commercial brass section work.
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6. Studio Ribbon Mic
   Barkley Infinity Gen 2 — ribbon warmth and clean transient response, ideal for home studio brass tracking.
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7. Live Performance Mic
   Shure Beta 98H/C clip-on — durable and reliable for big-band settings, consistent stage feed.
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8. In-Ear Monitors
   Shure SE215 or Ultimate Ears — isolation for loud pits and click tracks; trusted by road pros.
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9. Gig Stand Setup
   K&M or Ultimate Support — stable home stand plus a folding stand for fly dates.
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10. Rolling Gear Case
    Gator or Hiscox — airline-tough, fits trumpet, mutes, and essential accessories without baggage-fee headaches.
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