Klarinet Archive - Posting 000078.txt from 1996/08

From: CLARK FOBES <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Mouthpiece Nomenclature
Date: Sat, 3 Aug 1996 23:41:37 -0400

Nomenclature describing the physical components of clarinet and
saxophone mouthpieces has always been a very uncertain and even
confusing subject. Even those of us who make mouthpieces do not use the
same terms to describe the complex interior and exterior shapes of the
mouthpiece. Far more individualized is the "system" of mouthpiece
facings. Any mouthpiece maker wants to set himself apart from the next
fellow. This is the nature of creative art, but I agree that in some
cases a facing name resembles a rune more than a systematic means of
information.

But let's start with the parts that can be more or less agreed
upon. The following nouns that describe the integral parts of the
mouthpiece are a part of the standard nomenclature used by mouthpiece
makers. I have indicated with an * the words that I use that may not be
a part of the common language, but that I have heard from some of the
masters such as David Hite, Everett Matsen and Glen Johnston.

Instead of using an alphabetical system, I will break the
mouthpiece down into four general areas. Within each group heading will
be the physical elements that pertain to that specific area.

I. Outside Shape

a. Tenon - Cylindrical portion fitted with cork that fits into
the barrel joint.
b. *Shoulder - area where the tenon meets the body
c. Body - The general conical shape that the ligature fits
around. This is always where the maker's stamp is located.
d. Beak - Tapered portion that fits into the mouth.
Descriptions of the beak include the angle or shape of the
taper to the body,(steep, shallow, duck billed) the width
where the corners of the mouth are displaced (narrow,wide)
and the amount of radial curvature (ranging from high to
flat) .
e. *Bite (also called the tip) - approximately .5mm of material
where the beak meets the radius of the tip rail. This is
most often described as thick, medium or thin.

The mouthpiece interior has two distinct sections. These are:

II. Bore - Tapered conical interior that starts at the tenon end
and comprises approximately 2/3 the overall length of
the mouthpiece.
a. *End bore or exit bore - round shape where the bore
meets the tenon end. This is a very critical dimension
b. Crown or *ball - this is the hemispherical section at
the top (tip end) of the bore. The relative position of
the highest point of the crown to the tip is critical
to the overall tuning of the mouthpiece as is
the minimum width of the bore where the radius of the
crown begins.
c. Bore Taper - angle created by the reduction of the bore
diameter from exit bore to the minimum width where the
crown radius starts.

III, Chamber - sometimes called the "Windway" - Area where the the
air enters the mouthpiece

a. Window (sometimes called the "slot") - the opening
described by the tip rail, side rails and squared
end.
b. Baffle - entire surface opposite from the window
c. Tip baffle - area about 1/8" below the tip rail
d. Side walls - the two surfaces that are roughly
perpendicular to the baffle. (Slightly angled on most
French style mouthpieces)
e. *Ramp - angled surface that opposes the baffle and
cuts in from the end of the window into the bore
f. *Throat - shape where the chamber meets the bore

IV. *Face - Surface that meets the reed

a. Table - entire area below the window that the reed is
clamped to. This surface can be flat or slightly
concave. Convexity occurs very often, but in my
opinion is a flaw.
b. Side rails - The two narrow surfaces between the window
edge and the point where the mouthpiece sides begin
c. Tip rail - the narrow arcing surface between the tip
and the window
d. Tip corners - the points where the side rails and tip
rail meet (inside corners)
e. Curve - most often referred to as "the facing"
This is the portion that arcs away from flat
and allows the reed to vibrate in interesting ways
It is not actually a full arc to the tip. The area
just below the tip is flat. The length of the curve
is measured from the tip to the point where the arc
breaks away from flat. Always decribed in milimeters
f. Tip opening - The distance between the flat surface of
the tip rail and the stationary reed.

Notes on Tip opening measurement:

In the US we have developed an odd system of measuring tip
openings in 100ths of a milimeter. For example, a typical Everett
Matsen facing is 102 (on his gauge!) which is 1.02mm. Some mouthpiece
makers use a the standard of 1000ths of an inch. One of David Hite's
standard facings is decribed as .41" There are approximately 2.5 100ths
of a mm to every 1000th of an inch. To convert Hites number into the
metric system multiply 41 x 2.5. The result is 102.5 or 1.025mm

I don't know when the system of 100ths of a mm was started, but
the standard gauges for American makers were made by Eric Brand for
years and are now made by J.J. Babbitt. Tip gauges are graduated in
100ths of a mm. This allows for more graduation and finer measurement,
but there is one huge drawback. None of these gauges is the same!! I
compared mine to Matsen,s and found that mine was exactly 5 points
larger. What he measures as 102, I measure 97. My good friend and
colleague, Greg Dufford has a gauge that is much smaller than mine. I
believe ours are off by as much as 10 points. So even mouthpiece makers
cannot talk to each other very intelligibly about tip openings!

Clark W Fobes

   
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