Klarinet Archive - Posting 000125.txt from 1996/10

From: thehat@-----.org
Subj: mouthpiece cleaning
Date: Sun, 6 Oct 1996 02:14:27 -0400

In a message dated 10-05-96 INTERNET: BradBehn@-----.CO wrote to ** ALL **:
IB> I sometimes soak the mouthpieces in lemon juice from concentrate.
IB> You klow, the stuff that sits on the top shelf at the grocery store
IB> and it comes in a green bottle with a yellow plastic cap.

As usual, Brad has given us some superior wisdom (not that all of it needs to
be reprinted). Interestingly, it occurred to me that if one were having a
problem curing oneself of the "smiling" embochure, the answer may lie in this
lemon solution. Simply neglecting to rinse the mouthpiece after the lemon
juice treatment and them immediately playing would cause a puckering of the
mouth somewhat similar to an appropriate "non smiling" clarinet embochure!

BTW Brad, I don't think you're harming the mouthpieces. I remember back when
I knew Bob Scott that he used to use Muriatic acid, which is an industrial
strength product. So I am assuming that acidic products do not affect hard
rubber. Plus, with your method, you get that oh-so-desirable lemony freshness!

Another aside, I was informed that after a recent solo performance, George
Silfies, principal clarinetist of the St. Louis Symphony and longtime player
of an O'Brien mouthpiece, was presented by his colleagues with an economy-
sized bottle of Windex as a gift!

David Hattner
clarinetist-at-large, NYC
-> Alice4Mac 2.5d3 E QWK Eval:04Feb96
Origin: Hat's Nut House