Klarinet Archive - Posting 000970.txt from 1999/02

From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] CLARINETISTS AND MOUTHPIECES part 2
Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 14:49:45 -0500

Clarinetists and Mouthpieces by Gennaro Volpe

Then there are other players who believe that if you scoop the inside of
the mouthpiece at a particular spot, or that if you were to make the
slot so thin that only a dime could pass through it, the perfect
mouthpiece would be theirs.
I have had mouthpieces sent to me with elaborate instructions written on
them in white ink indicating where the alterations in the facing were to
be made.
Of course I know the alterations wouldn't work, but I made them anyway.

When young, I, too had ideas about mouthpiece facings and I set to
practice the art of refacing them.
Some 250 mouthpieces later, I was convinced that the "international"
facing was foolproof and by far the
best.
I call it the"international" facing because the majority of
clarinetists all over the world seem to like it.
It is what would be called a medium French lay--the facing being about
18 mm. long
If the facing is lengthened then the tip must be a little closer, and
vice versa.
I would say that about 75 percent of the players who came to me with
mouthpiece troubles end up with the"international" lay--- and love it.

A crooked mouthpiece facing doesn't necessarily mean poor playing
results.
There are excellent professionals whose mouthpieces are as crooked as a
machine-politician judge.
There are players that get used to their crooked facings and manage to
get good results--a procedure, however, that I would not recommend to
anyone.
Many facings are deliberately made uneven. Most players hold their
instruments slightly to the Right side due to the fact that the right
arm is extended farther than the left arm
Some players therefore make their reeds a little stronger on the left
side because the lip is higher on the reed on that side.
When I have the opportunity to observe such a player before making
facing, I make the facing sufficiently uneven to compensate for the
twisting of the instrument.
Making the left side closer than the right side permits the player to
get the best results from evenly balanced reeds.

I once explained this to a rather forceful character.
"Don't give me one of those crooked facings", he said. "See how straight
I hold the clarinet!" --and he demonstrated that he held it good 10
degrees to the right
I promised to cooperate with him a faced his mouthpiece.
"Great! Just fine. Just what the doctor ordered"he shouted as he
noodled away and stomped around the room.
He is still going strong and every now and then he will stop me on the
street to say how fine the mouthpiece is and he pleased he is with my
work.
The thing he doesn't know is that he has one of the crookedest facings
ever put on a mouthpiece!

Gennaro Volpe was a member of the San Carlo Opera Company orchestra for
many years and later became the Solo Clarinet of the Creatore's Band.
He had a large clientele of better players who consulted him on
mouthpiece problems.

Avrahm Galper
TONE TECHNIQUE AND STACCATO
THE UPBEAT BAERMANN MELODIC SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS
http://www.sneezy.org/avrahm_galper/index.html

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