What is LOTUS? Who are the people behind it?
Team LOTUS
We’re a pretty unconventional company, but that’s what makes us special.
LOTUS is an international team of partners committed to “creating the world’s finest and easiest-to-play instruments.”
HENRIK GRAHN ADAM RAPA
The way LOTUS operates is completely different from other companies.
Our team has no fixed headquarters; every member works remotely from their own location. We’ve been operating this way long before remote work became commonplace.
This allows us to adapt flexibly to changing times and produce trumpets and mouthpieces of impeccable quality.
NICOLÒ PERINA
The owners, Adam Rapa and Henrik Grahn, are an American living in the Netherlands and a Swede living in Sweden, respectively.
Engineer Nicolò Perina lives in Venice, and Sales Representative Charley Wagner is an American living in Switzerland.
They are our team members, spread across four countries.
CHARLEY WAGNER
LOTUS Trumpets
The first-generation trumpets were developed in collaboration with Andy Taylor and Matt Martin in the UK. In the early stages, aside from customizing the MAW valve blocks manufactured by Meinlschmidt in Germany, the instruments were handmade in Andy’s shop.
We are now producing the second-generation LOTUS trumpet, which is an entirely different instrument. By collaborating with specialized companies across Europe, we are able to provide the highest quality products and services.
Nicolò and I have re-engineered the trumpet’s design. While we still have Andy Taylor craft our magnificent bells, we now commission Marco Febbrari—a master machinist based in Brescia, Italy—to produce parts such as the leadpipe, receiver, and braces.
The parts machined by Marco have significantly transformed the playability of our trumpets. It’s been a wonderful upgrade.
Assembly is handled by Mateusz Zeszut and Mikołaj Durka at ZM Concept in Poland. Additionally, at Atelier Pfeiffer in The Hague, Netherlands, Heiko Ebner and Marcel Schott are constantly creating many interesting prototypes.
LOTUS also benefits from the collaboration of various European companies that provide services such as scanning and 3D printing, as well as Professor Gregor Widholm, an acoustical physicist based in Vienna. Furthermore, Mark Schwartz—an accountant and trumpet player—provides his expertise to meet our financial and legal needs from his home in Arizona.
In the 21st century, geographical barriers no longer exist. If anything, distance actually allows us to assemble an even more specialized team. And our network continues to expand every day thanks to new owners and dealers who have fallen in love with LOTUS instruments. Among them are those who provide us with new ideas and requests.
LOTUS Mouthpieces
We collaborated with the Swiss company Egger—specialists in historical brass instruments—on the design of our first-generation mouthpieces.
Rainer Egger, Gert Friedel, and Ralf Masurat formed a dream team, and it was a great honor to work with them. By combining our expertise, we achieved magical results.
Our colleague Nicolò is a skilled engineer and a trumpet player. From the moment we first met, I knew he was the perfect person to work with. Despite his youth, he possesses a wealth of knowledge, is full of questions and imagination, and excels at finding solutions.
2020 was a very busy year… Ever since LOTUS began, my partner Henrik Grahn has performed at an MVP-worthy level every single day, but there’s no doubt that Nicolò Perina is the clear winner of the 2020 MVP award.
The second-generation LOTUS mouthpieces are manufactured by Marco Febbrari in Italy.
Thanks to Marco’s outstanding work, we’ve been able to significantly reduce costs while improving manufacturing quality. This has allowed us to offer mouthpieces crafted with cutting-edge craftsmanship at a price students can afford, helping to nurture the best performers.
To ensure that everyone can have a mouthpiece that makes playing easier, there must be no barriers to entry.
The second generation of LOTUS mouthpieces is more than just a name change. We’ve invested a tremendous amount of time and resources into optimizing the design, introducing new models, and updating all existing models.
We’ve added material options and incorporated the many requests and feedback we’ve received. This mouthpiece has undoubtedly been upgraded, and we’re absolutely in love with it. We’ve also added a new model for the flugelhorn.
Yeah, it’s definitely been a busy year. (It’s a good thing all the live shows were canceled in 2020…)
The LOTUS Team
ADAM RAPA
CEO, Head Designer
Adam not only possesses skills as a trumpet player and educator but also plays a key role in the design of our trumpets and mouthpieces.
He holds the unique title of “super trumpeter leading a trumpet manufacturer,” and that is undoubtedly reflected in the quality of our products.
During playtests, Adam becomes the team’s cyborg. He can sense the effect of even the slightest adjustment and detect the tiniest issues with incredible precision.
Adam plays the 4-valve SOLO model as his primary instrument. Recently, his favorite mouthpieces have been the 2M (nickel silver), 2XL3 (Turbo Wood), 2XL3 (bronze), 3S (brass), and 7XS2 (brass).
HENRIK GRAHN
CFO, Head of Marketing
Henrik has served as Adam’s right-hand man since LOTUS’s inception. He is a jack-of-all-trades who handles whatever the company needs most, from financial management and strategic planning to video editing.
Henrik was Adam’s student for many years before they began working together toward the goal of “creating the world’s easiest-to-play trumpet.”
His dream is to “create a trumpet that allows beginners to express themselves most freely and share the joy of music as they start playing.”
He is a fan of the SOLO model and the 3M mouthpiece.
NICOLÒ PERINA
Head Engineer
Nicolò is the ideal partner for us as we strive to develop groundbreaking trumpets. As both a trumpet player and an engineer and designer, his insights are invaluable.
He was the one who insisted on moving our manufacturing base to Italy. It is thanks to his tireless efforts that we have been able to make our products even better than before and identify opportunities for future upgrades.
He is playing the Solo model. He favors the 2M mouthpiece.
CHARLEY WAGNER
Head of Customer Service
Charley joined the team shortly after meeting Adam on tour with the Youngblood Brass Band. He was hooked the moment Adam handed him a LOTUS trumpet and a prototype mouthpiece during their very first rehearsal!
He introduced Adam to Egger Brass Instruments, the company that created the first-generation LOTUS mouthpiece, and worked with Adam to conduct an enormous amount of testing at every stage of development.
Charley currently handles customer service and sales, and is the person to turn to for great advice.
He favors the LEAD/SOLO model prototypes, as well as the 3L2 (brass), 3M2 (nickel silver), 3S (brass), 3XS (brass), 3XS2 (brass), and FL-3L (brass) mouthpieces.
A Message from Adam Rapa
“It’s a dream come true to work with this amazing team, united by the goal of building the world’s best trumpets. It has been an immense pleasure to scrutinize every detail of the trumpets we have at our disposal and refine the design of LOTUS Trumpets to make them even better.
For decades, I have been meticulous about the finer details of my own equipment, and I have been fortunate enough to work with some of the brightest minds in the industry. And now, together with the LOTUS team, I am about to bring what I consider to be the ultimate trumpet to life.
For me, this adventure began as a musician who simply wanted “the trumpet of my dreams.” And that will never change. Every trumpet we manufacture and sell is one that I myself would be proud to own. I make all final design decisions, and I conduct thorough playtesting to arrive at a clear answer as to what is best for me and for others.
I guarantee that there is not a single difference between the LOTUS trumpet in my case and the LOTUS trumpet you will receive. And you won’t find a player with higher standards than mine. Rest assured, I promise to always provide the very best instruments.
FAQ
What happened to the first-generation Standard and Plus models?
The answer is simple. After observing players over a long period, we concluded that aiming for an intonation that falls between these two models is best for almost everyone. The new second-generation mouthpiece can best be described as a “forgiving Plus model.” I’m sure you’ll love it.
・More Detailed Explanation
If you’re familiar with the first-generation mouthpieces, you’ll know they were available in two types: Standard and Plus. This allowed players to choose their preferred intonation and approach to targeting the low and high registers.
This was an attempt to perfectly resolve the concerns of all players, regardless of their technique—and especially regardless of their level of physical tension.
After three years of customer feedback, as well as our own relentless performance testing and research, we identified the existence of a “sweet spot” that provides the optimal playing feel for almost everyone.
This “sweet spot” guides you to a point where the notes of the harmonic series (especially octaves) are in perfect harmony, while simultaneously giving you the freedom to easily shift the pitch up or down by ±7 cents.
• For example, when playing the third note of a chord, if it’s better to play it slightly lower…
• Or when playing in an ensemble and you need to match your fellow musicians’ (slightly off) intonation…
This flexibility is extremely important.
The Standard model mouthpiece included a slight “handicap” to make it feel familiar to players who are “accustomed to conventional, compressed intonation and don’t want to change their playing style.”
On the other hand, the Plus model is set up to aim for a significantly lower pitch in the high register (similar to the expression “holding back”). While this encourages an excellent approach regardless of physical tension or alignment, the trade-off is that, if you’re not careful, the sound will often come out “sharp.”
For the second-generation mouthpiece, we aimed for the perfect middle ground between these two designs and redesigned it—most simply described as a “forgiving Plus Model.” It’s easy to play and offers the flexibility to control the sound freely.
We conducted extensive playtesting of this new intonation setting with players of all skill levels, and the results were unmistakably clear.
Both beginners and advanced players were able to experience excellent intonation in actual performances using this mouthpiece. That is why we were able to confidently narrow it down to a single intonation setting. We are convinced that the second-generation LOTUS mouthpiece will enable performances with even better pitch balance than ever before.
Can I order a custom-made mouthpiece rim?
At this time, we do not offer custom rims or replicas. While this may be possible in the future, given the time and cost involved, we are unable to dedicate resources to it at this time.
Please try the mouthpiece as is. If you still feel that the rim shape should be changed, please feel free to let us know. If many customers have the same request, we believe we can propose a solution.
*Compared to the first generation, the rim contour of the XL and L cups has been modified to provide slightly better rim bite.
Can I order a custom throat size?
At this time, we do not offer custom throat sizes. Before concluding that the throat size might not be right for you, we recommend trying the default setting first. There are several parameters that determine how a mouthpiece feels when played, and the throat is just one of them.
・The shape of the front and back of the throat
・The length of the throat
・The overall shape of the backbore
・The gap between the mouthpiece and the instrument
and so on—all of these factors affect resistance and airflow.
We conducted an enormous number of playtests with a wide variety of players, from superstars to beginners. After confirming the best feel and sound for players of all levels, we determined the precise, calculated shape and exquisite balance for each cup.
Of course, there are always exceptions, but at this stage of our development, in order to maintain efficient production and affordable prices, we need to focus on the 99% of people who find the feel and performance of these designs absolutely appealing.
Rest assured: LOTUS mouthpieces do not have an extremely large throat, so you won’t feel like you’re running out of breath. Even if the throat size feels a bit unfamiliar at first, we’re confident that if you give it a try for a while, you’ll come to like it.
What is the taper of the flugelhorn shank?
Our flugelhorn mouthpieces use a large shank (Yamaha shank).
We plan to offer more shank options in the future. We are planning to introduce two types: small (back) shank and French (Kenon) shank, and we intend to prioritize production based on customer demand.
How can I get used to the RAPA-4 VALVE?
Using the fourth valve is very simple. The rotary valve feels more comfortable than the fourth piston, and you’ll quickly get used to using your left thumb naturally.
As for practice methods, start by playing your favorite scale studies. Be sure to play within the pedal range. Choose a simple pattern and repeat it many times to get used to it. Also, practice bridging the pedal range with other ranges. Try playing long scales and arpeggios from low to high and from high to low. This is an excellent exercise, and it should become more enjoyable as the number of notes increases.
As for your musical repertoire, you can draw endless inspiration from pieces written for instruments like the clarinet or cello. There are many wonderful concertos and sonatas among them. For jazz players, you can play every note in the alto saxophone’s range. Plus, you can cover much of the tenor saxophone’s range as well.
For jazz players, it’s a great idea to start with alto saxophone solos. Alto saxophone solos are usually within your standard range, aside from adding the pedal notes F, E, and Eb. The *Charlie Parker Omni-Book* is the perfect place to start. And don’t forget to check out tenor saxophone solos, too!
How to Get the Most Out of Your LOTUS Mouthpiece? (Video)
Our mouthpieces are just like a power outlet—just plug them in! You’ll immediately feel the difference. But there are tips not only for unlocking 100% of the mouthpiece’s potential but also for improving your playing.