Klarinet Archive - Posting 000264.txt from 1998/08

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Mouthpieces that lower the pitch
Date: Fri, 7 Aug 1998 12:14:24 -0400

The pitch will go up and down depending on the interior dimensions (i.e.,
volume) of the mouthpiece.

My advice would be to take the mouthpiece that gives you the best tone and
stick with it. Rufus Mont Arey (sp?), the ancient Eastman professor,
maintained that clarinet playing had 2 components--tone and articulation.
That's it. Stanley Hasty often noted that tone isn't everything, it's the
ONLY thing--it's what the audience hears.

If the cool new mouthpiece lowers the pitch--get a shorter barrel. They're
comparatively cheap and easy to get.

kjf

-----Original Message-----
From: Mitch Bassman [mailto:mbassman@-----.com]
Subject: Re: [kl] Mouthpieces that lower the pitch

Interesting thread. First, Jami Green mentioned her experience playing flat
on a Gennusa mouthpiece, but she didn't specify a model.

Then Chris Hoffman pointed out that he tried a GE* model that played sharp.

Next Shouryu Nohe mentioned that "My GE lowers the pitch for me - the GE*
is definitely sharper. ... Of course, he doesn't make GE's anymore."

My turn. I bought a Gennusa mouthpiece at ClarinetFest last month. I tried
all of his models intentionally without looking at the designations -- just
listening and feeling. I confess that I also tried them without checking
pitch with a tuner; but I wasn't planning to buy a new Bb mouthpiece; I was
just trying them for comparison with my primary mouthpiece. Well, I found
one that significantly improved my focus over the 31-year-old Cicero Kaspar
that I've been using. Significantly! Major improvement in sound! (Aside to
Jim Fay: you'd be amazed.)

Anyway, I bought it. More on the model later.

When I tested it later with a tuner, I found that I now play in tune with
the mouthpiece completely pushed in. I used to have to pull out about 1+
mm. (The choice of barrel and reed is irrelevant to this comparison if I
switch only the mouthpiece.) The point is that I agree that I play flatter
with the Gennusa mouthpiece.

Now back to the model. The letters "GE" are engraved on the mouthpiece;
there is no star. Mr. Gennusa wrote "GE*" on my receipt. I didn't notice
that until later. Shouryu claims that the GE's are no longer made. But, on
the ohter hand, mine lowers the pitch. My question is: which model did I
purchase?

Mitch Bassman
Burke, Virginia, USA

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