Klarinet Archive - Posting 000571.txt from 1995/12

From: Michael D Moors - Alpena <mdmoors@-----.US>
Subj: Reply on Mouthpieces
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 1995 00:50:57 -0500

To Dan Leeson and Tammi Spencer,

I enjoyed your discussion on equipment because I can see both sides.

I teach elementary band, play professionally and do clinics with schools
in the area of elementary band and clarinet sections. I am also an
active adjudicator in the state of Michigan in the area of solo and
ensemble.

I agree with everything Dan has to say about the discrepancies in
mouthpieces. As a public school teacher I confess I have been guilty
of trying to fit everyone on the same equipment. I like the student
model Buffet clarinets because they have the same keys as the R-13
Buffets and have good intonation with a good mouthpiece.
We have the music stores include B45 mouthpieces on
all clarinets. They are not all consistent but have been the best
choice in the past (based on my experience).
We are somewhat limited by what music stores carry.
We select the same mouthpiece because most students will be playing
on this set up through high school. My more advanced private students are
playing on Gigilotti or Dave Knox mouthpieces. I recently have tried
Clark Fobes mouthpieces for the first time and was impressed with his
student line mouthpieces. I am looking forward to the
opportunity of "blowing in" a Fobes professional mouthpiece.

As a band director you are constantly looking for ways to improve
intonation. Playing on the same equipment tends to give you a better
"shot" at it, which is probably another reason many directors require the same
mouthpiece.

Getting to the point of this response: Dan points out that B45's are
very inconsistent. I personally went to my music store and played on
several Gigilotti (to select one for me) mouthpieces and they all played very
different. I have found the same results with B45's, HS*'s and many others.
That is a good reason to seek out another source such as Clark Fobes or Dave
Knox
to give you the consistency of intonation and darkness that you desire. We are
in the process of determining our schools direction in the future. There are
many good mouthpieces on the market. CONSISTENCY IS THE PROBLEM.

Off the subject: You wouldn't believe the number of students I judge
that are playing on good mouthpieces with the wrong size reed. I
have students coming to solo and ensemble playing on a Gigilotti P
facing with a size 2 reed. The mouthpiece has such a close lay it
befuddles me to figure out how the band director didn't realize the
reed was too soft. Combine the soft reed, close lay mouthpiece and
lack of air and you know what happens. The band director comes to me
and asks what he can do to stop his kids from playing the clarinet
flat.

Mike Moors
**************************************************
* Michael D. Moors *
* 125 W. White St. *
* Alpena, Michigan 49707 *
* 517 356-3769 *
* *
* mdmoors@-----.us *
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