Klarinet Archive - Posting 001385.txt from 1998/05

From: merlinw@-----.ca
Subj: Re: [kl] help with EEb contra-alto, please!
Date: Thu, 28 May 1998 17:43:49 -0400

On 05/28/98 15:10:47 you wrote:

>I also inherited a rather wimpy, Bundy #3 mouthpiece, and wonder
>whether this isn't part of the problem. I'm using Rico #3,
>one-size-fits-all contrabass reeds with this mouthpiece, and may
>try some #4 reeds, just to see if that makes a difference. Does
>anyone here use Marca reeds? Are they worth the expense?
>Also, has anyone tried a Selmer C** contra-alto mouthpiece?
>Since they are relatively inexpensive, trying one of these may be
>my next step. I am primarily a saxophone player, and used to
>fairly open mouthpieces. I realize that clarinet mouthpieces
>probably tend to be less open than sax mouthpieces, but the Bundy
>#3 strikes me as absurdly narrow, given the airstream one needs
>to generate to really get that contra-alto going.

I used to own a Bundy contra (fortunately marked Selmer U.S.A.). I used a Selmer Paris "D" m/p with Vandoren #3 contra reeds. You could shake the foundations with that.

I also had Steve Fox make a removable low D extension for the horn, which was very useful, given the number of concert band pieces written in Bb and F.

Merlin Williams
merlinw@-----.ca
http://www.netcom.ca/~merlinw
(A member of the Sax Ring!)

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