Klarinet Archive - Posting 000838.txt from 1998/06

From: "John Gates" <cadenza@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpiece shortening
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 03:45:15 -0400

I play on a vandoren 13 mouthpiece that was shortened about 1mm. So far I
am still playing on a Moennig Buffet 66mm barrel for the Bflat. The pitch
that I play at is pretty close to 440. I don't like a very hard reed maybe
thats why I always have to be concerned with flatness, at least if the room
temperature is less than 65 degrees (Fahrenheit). Throat notes are much
better now.
-----Original Message-----
From: Simon Aldrich <Simon_Aldrich@-----.ca>
Date: Wednesday, June 24, 1998 10:48 PM
Subject: [kl] Mouthpiece shortening

>In reading the postings to Klarinet I have become aware that not everyone
>realizes
>that mouthpieces can be shortened. People say they have had to abandon
>good mouthpieces because they played too low.
>
>When playing with les Vents de Montreal (the oboes, bassoons and horns of
>which are
>from the Montreal Symphony) I have to be able to leave the 441 of my
>two orchestras and go up to the pitch of the Montreal Symphony (442 on
paper,
>at least
>443 in reality). In fact at one point both the guys in the MSO were playing
>on shortened
>Vandoren 13 models.
>
>As a result I have had a lot of experience getting mouthpieces shortened so
>that they play
>at 440 or 441 with a longer barrel and up to 443 with a shorter barrel.
>The general rule with a shortened mouthpiece is that proportionally
>the throat tones rise more than the top of the clarion register (a, b,c).
>I f your throat tones sagged in proportion to everything else a shortening
>might
>actually improve the relational pitch of the mouthpiece.
>
>A competent repairman puts the mouthpiece on a lathe and with a cutter
takes
>the
>necessary material off the two areas that need to be shortened. Make sure
you
>cover the
>mouthpiece window with tape just in case.
>
>Bye for now,
>(Still looking for a good edition of the Crusell quartets.)
>
>----------------------------------------------------------
>
>Simon Aldrich
>
>Principal Clarinet - l'Orchestre de l'Opera de Montreal
>Principal Clarinet - l'Orchestre Metropolitain de Montreal
>Nouvel Ensemble Moderne
>Quintet Pentaedre
>Les Vents de Montreal
>
>tel/fax: (514) 843-7550
>simona@-----.org
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
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>For other problems, e-mail: klarinet-owner@-----.org
>

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