Klarinet Archive - Posting 000176.txt from 1996/12

From: Guillermo Octavio Prado <goprado@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: mouthpieces..
Date: Sat, 7 Dec 1996 23:54:41 -0500

On Fri, 6 Dec 1996, Megan Johnston wrote:

> I'm a first year music major and i play on a Gennusa mouthpiece with Vandoren
> #4 reeds and i am finding that all of my reeds are too soft. My teacher says
> it's time for me to get a new mouthpiece but right now i am financially
> challenged and i have to wait awhile before i get a new one, is there any way
i
> can make my reeds not so soft without changing mouthpieces? I'm not sure that
> i want to move up to 4 1/2 strength either.
> Right now i'm looking at mouthpieces and i'm not sure what kind to get, most
> people here play on Charles Bay, can anyone tell me something about his
> mouthpieces? I've heard something about Kaspar mouthpieces too, what's the
> difference?
> I also think cats are superior to dogs. My cats can't stand it when i play
> though, they run out of the room as fast as they can.
> Megan Johnston
> johnmc01@-----.ca
>

i had the same problem with vandorens. the tips are usually too soft. i've
tried clipping them, -not quite successful- and "feather tipping" them.
with 600 grit sandpaper, about 2" by 6", lightly stroke the tip from
side to side, trying
to keep the shape of the tip as close as possible to the original. make
sure you do it when the reed is dry. this is kind of hard to explain in
writing. maybe somebody in your school or your teacher knows of a similar
procedure and can give you a better hint. good luck!

Guillermo Prado
UM School of Music
goprado@-----.edu