Klarinet Archive - Posting 000073.txt from 1994/10

From: Lorne G Buick - Music TA <lgbuick@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: Lori Archer's comments on mouthpieces
Date: Sat, 8 Oct 1994 15:28:44 -0400

On Fri, 7 Oct 1994, John Dohrmann wrote:

> Dan replied that you don't outgrow a mouthpiece. In although basically=20
> that is true, at least for people just learning I think there is the=20
> possibility of maturing into a different mouthpiece. The idea is that as=
> you develop more control you can move to a mouthpiece that is capable of=20
> better things but, like a more powerful car, can also get you into=20
> trouble. It seems to me that one should start with a mouthpiece that is=20
> more conservative, more forgiving, and later try a wider range of designs=
> to pick one that matches your developed style. =20

Hear Hear- this certainly agrees with both my personal experience and my
(limited) exp. with students. I started out in high school on a B45 and at
the time it was capable of more than I was. As I developed and trained my
ears to hear more subtle differences, and my embouchure became both
stronger and more sensitive, I was able to appreciate mouthpieces with
more depth of tone, better articulation, etc. I think it's quite valid to
describe this as "growing out of" a mouthpiece. Later in my development/
career I have changed mouthpieces several times as I was exposed to
different models, had to play in different situations, etc., which is a
different process, but still part of growing as a musician.

On the other hand, there is a lot to be said for getting a superior
mouthpiece early on and "growing into it".... but my experience has been
that students often can't tell for themselves what the advantages are,
beyond obvious ones ("this one's chipped" ;-] ) and my choice might not
make sense for them in the long run.

Having said all this, I wonder now whether a teacher choosing a mouthpiece
for a student prejudices that student's later choices... ??? I suppose
everything we do as teachers influences students' later decisions.