Klarinet Archive - Posting 000460.txt from 1997/06

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: Experiment
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 23:44:23 -0400

At least one music shop I have ventured into has replaced the mouthpieces
on plastic "student" instruments by VanDoren B45s as a ametter of routine,
before selling them.
Roger Shilcock

On Sun, 22 Jun 1997 deerich@-----.net wrote:

> Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 09:04:48 -0500
> From: deerich@-----.net
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Subject: Experiment
>
> I have always been interested in the development of student musicians
> and the quality of various levels of instruments. Often a student
> starts with a plastic instrument and uses the mouthpiece that came with
> it. Since this is a very inexpensive mouthpiece and the mouthpiece does
> have a major affect on the sound, has any one tried the following
> experiment:
>
> Step 1. Play the student plastic instrument with its original
> mouthpiece
> Step 2. Play that same instrument with a quality mouthpiece.
> Step 3. Note the differences.
>
> If you have or have access to the clarinets and mouthpieces to try this,
> I would be interested in the results. I don't have access to the
> plastic clarinets and student mouthpieces or I would try this myself.
>
> I have always believed that the mouthpiece makes a significant impact on
> the sound and that this would be true on student instruments as well.
> Also if this is true and documented, it would provide an avenue for
> serious junior high and high school students to get a better sound even
> though a better clarinet might too much for them or their family to pay
> for.
>