Klarinet Archive - Posting 000772.txt from 1997/09

From: Michael Norsworthy <mnorsworthy@-----.net>
Subj: RE: Let us settle this mouthpiece question
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 03:02:32 -0400

On Monday, September 15, 1997 11:20 AM, Diane Karius, Ph.D.
[SMTP:dikarius@-----.edu] wrote:
> I can work the stats on this one - but you'll need more
> mouthpieces
> to start (and their starting measurements). 10/group wouldn't
> be a
> bad place to start.
>
> > I believe it would be valuable (and fun) to try to settle
> > this question and
> > propose the following single blinded study:
> >
> > A high level clarinet technician who has the expertise to
> > accurately measure
> > mouthpieces needs to volunteer his/her time to perform
> > measurements..
> >
> > A supplier will need to lend 10 mouthpieces for the study..
> >
> > The mouthpieces will initially be sent to our technician,
who
> > will take an
> > average of several measurements of each mouthpiece..
> >
> > The mouthpieces are then sent to me (no measurements
> > attached).
> >
> > My daughter, Allegra, whose only reward will be name
> > recognition in the
> > clarinet world early in her clarinet career (she just
started
> > clarinet one
> > month ago) will randomly choose two mouthpieces. She will
> > pull a silk swab
> > through one mouthpiece and a cotton swab through another
5000
> > times
> > (equivalent to swabbing more than once daily for 10 years).
> > - the
> > mouthpieces, of course need an identifying mark..
> >
> > I will then send the mouthpieces back to the technician for
> > remeasurement
> > without informing him/her of which 2 mouthpieces were
> > swabbed.
> >
> > The numbers will then be sent to a statistician (list member
> > or perhaps
> > spouse) who will come up with p values for whether
> > differences are
> > significant or not..
> >
> > The results will then be presented with great fanfare to the
> > list (and
> > perhaps published in The Clarinet?
> >
> > What does everyone think?
> >
> > Needed:
> > Volunteer to temporarily donate 10 mouthpieces, identical
> > brand, hard rubber..
> > Volunteer clarinet technician to donate time and expertise..
> > If one of the supply houses would be willing to supply 2
free
> > cotton swabs
> > and 2 silk swabs, it would be greatly appreciated..
> > Volunteer statistician to crunch the numbers (and also to
> > provide input on
> > study design - eg., is 10 a good number?)
> > Input (serious - no jokes) from teachers/perfomers on list
> > concerning other
> > aspects of study design, eg., is it necessary to dip the
> > mouthpiece in water
> > between each swabbing to more approximate real conditions?
> > Is this a fair 10
> > year approximation? Is 10 years a reasonable goal or do
> > people think a
> > mouthpiece should last 30 years?
> >
> > Thanks in advance
> >
> > Steve Gordon, M.D..
> > Beaverton, OR
> >
> Diane R. Karius, Ph.D.
> Department of Physiology
> University of Health Sciences
> 2105 Independence Ave.
> Kansas City, MO 64124
> email: dikarius@-----.EDU
>
>

The mouthpieces would also have to be clearly marked so as not
to get confused when the second measuring comes about. I'd love
to see the results of this test myself. It's something I've
kind of "always" been "concerned" about. Keep us all posted.
Thanks.

Regards,
Michael Norsworthy
mnorsworthy@-----.net