Klarinet Archive - Posting 001408.txt from 1997/10

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: Reed Strengths and types
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 05:38:00 -0500

German mouthpieces (for German-type intruments)I have seen certainly look
longer and narrower in every
respect then the Anglo-French-American style used on "Boehms".
Roger Shilcock

On Thu, 30 Oct 1997 Jrykorten@-----.com wrote:

> Date: Thu, 30 Oct 1997 09:58:26 -0500 (EST)
> From: Jrykorten@-----.com
> Reply-To: klarinet@-----.us
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Subject: Re: Reed Strengths and types
>
> This is a very interesting thread that keeps coming up from listserv
> subscribers in Europe. They seem to use reeds that are a lot less strong than
> those we use. Are there any Europeans who are studying here in the states who
> can try a US student's setup to see if we are really playing harder setups?
> Or do we work our reeds down to an equivalent strength? Or are there any US
> subscribers over in Europe who can try a European clarinet player's setup and
> report back to us?
>
> I did hear someplace that, in France, a performer will come in to the
> Vandoren factory and chose a reed to play for a concert that night. This
> means it is not being broken in like we do here in the states. My reeds drop
> a full 1/2 strength (at least) after the third or fourth time I am playing
> them during the breaking period (I buy 3 - 4 depending on brand and make).
> Does this account for the difference in reed strengths? What do you Europeans
> do to reeds when you buy them? Do you stop playing them after 4 times?
>
> The other issue that is of interest to me is the assignment of a particular
> reed to a particular school (white master to German, black master to
> Austrian, French cut for the rest of us). I am currently playing white
> masters on a Hawkins mouthpiece (Zinner blank) and on an Vandoren M13.
> Perhaps it is because both of these have a closer facing that this works. I
> was always taught that a short vamp (as on the white master) would result in
> a sharper pitch. But I have not found that to be the case on my setup so far.
> I do like the sound of the white master reed though, a little more alive and
> resonant. By the way, the literature describes a german vamp as longer than a
> french vamp, yet the white master vamp is shorter. Any input?
>
> Is anybody else out there using white master reeds on non-german setups? Does
> the close and long facing of an M13 make it a german setup? Does a Zinner
> blank mouthpiece qualify it as a german setup?
>
> Jerry Korten
> NYC
>
>