Klarinet Archive - Posting 000994.txt from 1997/02

From: Martin Marks <mmarks@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: C and D clarinets
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 20:17:05 -0500

At 04:20 PM 2/27/97 -0600, you wrote:
>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
>
>I think someone was refering to a C clarinet that was a child's instrument.
Since the usual
C clarinet we were refering to is of course larger than an Eb(soprano of
course) the mpc can't
be smaller. I use the same mpc on Bb, A and C clarinets. Has anyone ever
seen an A or
C clarinet mpc.?
Marty