Klarinet Archive - Posting 000162.txt from 1998/09

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Short barrels
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 1998 18:21:57 -0400

Gary,

I am in agreement with you here. The curve, length, and lack of depth of
cut through the baffle of the Vandoren mouthpieces is what makes the pitch
higher. They are not flat. If, when using a Vandoren mouthpiece the
pitch is low, it can generally be tied to either too soft a reed, a weak
embouchure, or a horn that is either very cold or not correctly made.
There is always the possiblity that someone is using too long a barrel
too.

Also, I'm not sure what was meant by the "....trend toward rising pitch
standard in European orchestras...." Many of the European orchestras,
Berlin and Vienna included, have always maintained a 445-447 pitch
standard. I have recordings back to the 60's and earlier that are very
high in pitch. It hasn't been rising since then.........my understanding
is that they have played that way for a long time. Regardless, that has
nothing to do with sharp pitch in Vandoren mouthpieces.......or any other
mouthpieces for that matter. I have found David Hite's, Herb Blayman's,
Marcellus, Combs, and Vandoren to all play sharp......for the same reasons
- the baffle. Considering that the first four I list are not products of
European professional players, I seriously doubt that there is a
relationship between the pitch of those mouthpieces and any "trend."

Roger Garrett
IWU

Roger Garrett
IWU

On Sat, 5 Sep 1998, Gary Van Cott wrote:
> Gee, I thought Vandoren mouthpieces were on the sharp side, except for the
> M13 series. I had to get a shorter barrel when I switched to a Clark Fobes
> mouthpiece from a 5RV

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