Klarinet Archive - Posting 000636.txt from 1995/05

From: "Lorne G. Buick" <lgbuick@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: More on Mouthpieces
Date: Mon, 22 May 1995 22:49:14 -0400

>In regards to mouthpieces, I have a ancillary question as an
>avocational clarinetist: when should one give up their stock
>mouthpiece and start shopping around for a better one? As soon
>as one has more money? Has a clue about what kind of mouthpiece
>they want?
>
>I'm starting to get the impression that, besides good practice
>habits, the best thing you can do for your sound is to get a new
>mouthpiece.

Lisa:

I'll assume for a start that you mean a _better_ mouthpiece, not just a new
one. Given that, you can't assume that a stock mouthpiece is lousy- I've
always hated Buffet mouthpieces, for example, but I've heard recently that
they're making good ones now. I've always found Yamaha and Selmer mpieces
quite playable, I play a stock Leblanc alto mpiece on my basset horn... and
unless you're a complete newbie to this group you've heard many people say
the choice of a mouthpiece is highly individual, different people sound
different on the same mouthpiece, playing the same mpiece as [insert name
of famous clarinetist here] won't make you sound like him/her, etc.

So the closest I can come to advice is that you ask yourself: Do I have
reason to believe that I need a better mouthpiece? Since you live in San
Francisco (I'm assuming since your mail comes from SFSU) it should be
pretty easy to find a place where you can try out several different ones
and get a professional opinion. Then if you really want to spend some
money, call up Clark Fobes and make an appointment to have a custom
mouthpiece made specially for you! ;-)

Please note- I wrote the preceding before reading responses from DL and
RM... as you can see, I'm more inclined to give the manufacturer the
benefit of the doubt. But if you're playing one of those old Buffet
mouthpieces, I'll go along with Dan...

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LGB Lorne G Buick Draft III Music
lgbuick@-----.ca Wind Music
Arranging, Copying, Publishing
Have basset horn, will travel