Klarinet Archive - Posting 000998.txt from 1997/03

From: Karl Krelove <kkrelove@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: ConcaveFacings
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 17:06:04 -0500

At 01:27 PM 3/31/97 -0500, you wrote:
>I know there is not a lot of knowledge out there about Clarinet mouthpiece
>facings, because my last posting asking about the subject was met with stony
>silence.
>
Maybe the question wasn't specific enough.

>But perhaps somebody has information on the benefits of concave facings (like
>the Vandoren mouthpieces of the late eighty's and 1990's).
>
>I seem to feel they add a little bit of instability by bowing the reed
>(placing the reed under continual stress).
>
>Any opinions?
>
The concave shape is supposed to provide some additional spring to the
reed. I've played on mouthpieces that are designed with concave facings for
most of my playing days and don't find them unstable. I suspect (but I
don't know) that the springiness that is added to the reed's response is
helpful in allowing those of us who like close facings to get even closer
without closing the reed.

>P.S. The sweet taste of some reeds is mentioned by Stubbins in his book as a
>measure of properly aged cane. A bitter taste means the cane has not been
>aged long enough. I am certain that the taste has nothing to do with
>digestion!
>
Gigliotti once told me (I haven't asked him recently) that the sugar
content (sweet taste) indicated more mature cane, which he had found
empirically to make better sounding reeds.

Karl Krelove