Klarinet Archive - Posting 000443.txt from 1996/05

From: Ian Dilley <imd@-----.UK>
Subj: Re: Mouthpiece pp (was VanDoren mouthpieces)
Date: Mon, 20 May 1996 08:58:53 -0400

Clark,
This percieved intonation stuff is very interesting. I started playing
clarinet again about a year ago after a very long break. Recently I have
been playing duets with a friend who is a much better player than me and I
have been having a lot of trouble keeping in tune with him. Sometimes I
can't even tell whether I'm sharp or flat. I put this down to my ears
getting lazy after many years of playing the piano and not having to worry
about tuning (very often delberately trying to ignore out of tuneness).
Now I'm wondering if a change of mouthpiece might help.

Strangely enough I am playing on a VanDoren 5RV that just happend to be on
my clarinet when I bought it. It's an old battered thing and has gone that
horrible green colour old mouthpieces go so I wouldn't mind getting a new
one that looks better. I had intended to look into mouthpieces when my
embochoure settles down a bit. At the moment it keeps getting stronger and
I have to go up to a harder reed every few months. I am currently using
VanDoren 3 1/2 but now most of the box feel a little on the soft side.

Any advice? Should I try some mouthpieces or persevere with what I've got?

Ian Dilley