Klarinet Archive - Posting 000107.txt from 1996/03

From: "Christopher H. Rohrs" <chrohrs@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Vandoren mouthpieces
Date: Mon, 4 Mar 1996 23:22:23 -0500

Hello people. I am just writing to clarify some questions that people asked
of me.

> 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?)

1. I didn't say that. I said (and I quote verbatim), "For example any
Vandoren M13 is probably superior to a Vandoren 5RV Lyre." Yes, there may
be people out there who play better on a 5RV Lyre than on the M13. But in
general, most people will find that they sound and play better on the M13.
I certainly do. I--and many other players--find that the 5RV Lyre gives a
very uncontrolled, "tubby" sound. (Try playing your mouthpiece with little
embouchare pressure to hear the sound that I mean.) It is very easy to
play, and quite in tune, but the sound is not nearly as focused as the
M13's. Again, this is my personal experience, but other players that I know
say the same thing.

2. I fell in love with a Johnston "W" facing. I don't have any of the
equipment to compare its measurements with the M13, and truthfully, I don't
care. There is one noticeable physical difference though: the rails on the
Johnston are about twice as thick.

With the Johnston mouthpiece, I get a bigger (though not tubbier!) sound,
better intonation, easier response, and better staccato. I can also get
more playable reeds with it. What can I say? It's like heaven!

To avoid any confusion, let me summarize what I have said. Mouthpieces
*are* subjective matters (as I clearly stated in my first letter.) However,
because some mouthpieces work better for more people, we tend to say that
these are better mouthpieces.

But does anyone really care about the definition of a "good" mouthpiece? I
don't think so! Get something that you like (as long as you are listening
for the right things), but don't waste your time trying pieces of junk!

Sorry that I ramble,
Christopher Rohrs

>for me, but I'm switching to a Johnston hand-made mouthpiece now.
>
>Christopher Rohrs
>
>************************************************************************
>*Christopher Rohrs * "The generation of random numbers is too important
>*chrohrs@-----."
>************************************************************************
>
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*Christopher Rohrs * "The generation of random numbers is too important
*chrohrs@-----."
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