Klarinet Archive - Posting 000890.txt from 1998/06

From: Simon_Aldrich@-----.ca (Simon Aldrich)
Subj: [kl] Re: Mouthpiece shortening
Date: Sun, 28 Jun 1998 20:28:11 -0400

GrabnerWG@-----.com wrote:

>"Mouthpieces can be shortened"

>Thanks for the posting. This is something that NEVER occurred to me! What
are
>the relative merits of mouthpiece vs barrel shortening?

>I have at least 5 different barrels, two of which I use often. 66 mm and 64
>mm. The 66mm produces the best tone of any of them and I use it on both Bb
and
>A. (I play 20 year old Selmer 10 G's, although my efer and Bass are
Buffets).

In my experience if at 440 I have to use a 65 mm barrel on Bb
1) a cold A clarinet will sound bitterly flat with a 64mm barrel
2) if I play with people who play at 443 (Montreal Symphony players) I will
never be able to get up to pitch.

If I can get a mouthpiece to play at 440 with a 67 mm barrel that means it
will never be low on A clarinet and I will be able to get up to 443 or more
with
going to a 65 mm barrel.

It's not the sanest way of doing things perhaps but it's the paradigm in
which
I find myself at the moment.

----------------------------------------------------------

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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