Klarinet Archive - Posting 000982.txt from 1997/02

From: Christopher G Zello <czello@-----.edu>
Subj: C and D clarinets
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 20:16:53 -0500

I am wondering if it makes much sense that a C clarinet mouthpiece could
be _smaller_ than an E-flat mouthpiece. . . It seems that would be
"wrong" mechanically and acoustically?

Does anyone know at what point different mouthpieces are needed for
different instruments? Like we can easily play the same mouthpiece for
an A and B-flat clarinet. Arbitrarily, would it be possible for that
same mouthpiece to work on a clarinet in B-natural (Dan L. please
intervene. . .)? Would a B-flat clt mouthpiece not be able to work on an
A-flat clarinet (not the piccolo version, mind you), and therefore would
that same mouthpiece not work on a C clarinet?

Proportionally the dimensions would need to change from instrument to
instrument, bore diameter to bore diameter, but wouldn't there be a point
where the same mouthpieces would work between clarinets a half step
apart? What about E-flat and D clarinets. . .is it possible to play the
same mouthpiece for both while keeping some semblance of intonation which
everyone around you can tolerate. . .

I know that I have a million questions on this. And I'm curious of the
two schools of thought on this: a player's perspective and
technician's/engineer's perspective.

Maybe some symphony players here could explain their successes/failures with
using C clarinets and D clarinets, and those technicians here could
explain the mechanical difficulties this all. . .

Christopher Zello

czello@-----.edu
http://www.stritch.edu/~czello