Klarinet Archive - Posting 000074.txt from 1996/03

From: Bill Fogle <bfogle@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Vandoren mouthpieces
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 1996 10:56:34 -0500

Two questions, Christopher:

1. Why do you say any M13 would be better than any 5RV Lyre?
2. Can you give a little more info about the Johnston mouthpiece?
(Compare it to the commercial ones?)

Just curious, after reading your message. Thanks.
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Bill Fogle
Washington, DC
bfogle@-----.edu
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> I had been playing on a Vandoren B45 for about 2 years and then I
switched >to a Vandoren M13, which I heard was a better mouthpiece.
However, for the >last half a year that I've been playing, my tendancy is
to be really flat. > I've tried to adjust my embouchure and pushing in my
barrel, which can only >go in so far.

You are not alone; the M13 tends to be a little low in pitch. I've been
playing on one for over a year now, and I bought a shorter barrel to bring
the pitch up.

>I've also considered going back to the B45, which needs to be
>re-corked, or buying a crystal mouthpiece. What is the best mouthpiece to
buy? >Any suggestions or information is well appreciated. Thanks for your
time!

Unfortunately, since we are all anatomically different, there is no one
magic mouthpiece for everyone. The best advice I can give is to just try
lots of them, preferably with your teacher. Of course, some mouthpieces
tend to get better results. (For example any Vandoren M13 is probably
superior to a Vandoren 5RV Lyre.) The M13 was the best Vandoren mouthpiece
for me, but I'm switching to a Johnston hand-made mouthpiece now.

Christopher Rohrs

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*Christopher Rohrs * "The generation of random numbers is too important
*chrohrs@-----."
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