Shofars used in Ashkenazic Jewish worship tend to have no carved mouthpiece, the player instead applying his lips directly to the irregular hole drilled in the tip of the horn. Sephardic Jewish shofars, on the other hand, usually do have a carved mouthpiece resembling that of a European trumpet or French horn, but smaller.
Shofar blasts are also used during penitential rituals such as Yom Kippur Katan and optional prayer services called during times of communal distress. The exact modes of sounding can vary from location to location.
Shofars do deteriorate with age. An old shofar can be pretty to look at but if it has cracks or holes it is not kosher, not fit to be used. Shofar tend to be quite loud. There are a number of set sounds on the shofar depending on the ceremony or occasion.
