Klarinet Archive - Posting 001097.txt from 1999/03

From: "Dee D. Hays" <deehays@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Of mouthpieces & reeds
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1999 20:49:22 -0500

-----Original Message-----
From: James <jparkin9@-----.net>
Date: Saturday, March 20, 1999 6:36 AM
Subject: [kl] Of mouthpieces & reeds

>Hi all:
>
>I have a 1962 Buffett R-13 with a Van Doren B 45 mouthpiece. I've used
>the Van Doren silver reeds with it almost exclusively (2 1/2 & 3) I've
>just purchased some Mitchell Lurie #3 which seem to give me more squeaks
>than I am usually able to produce.
>

Since you have only been playing a few months as you state below and using
one type of reed exclusively, it's just that you are not used to the
differences in these. That is probably the cause of your squeaks. The B45
is a good, general purpose mouthpiece (there are of course many others).
Vandoren also makes a group of mouthpieces designed specifically for the
R-13 to provide an even better match. I don't play an R-13 so can't tell
you if that is really true but many people do like them.

>I've been playing for nearly a year now. I have a teacher. She teaches
>flute, piano and clarinet, with clarinet being the instrument with which
>she is least familiar. When I needed a mouthpiece for the R-13 I was
>purchasing I asked her what to get. She told me to get whatever the
>music store told me to get. I did. I'm wondering if I made a mistake.

The B45 is good. Later as you progress, you might find a need to change.
However, what you may need later might not be good for you now. While this
teacher is probably ok for now, in a year or so, you might want to go with
someone whose primary instrument is clarinet.

>Clearly, I'm still developing my embouchure, along with everything else.
>This is my first woodwind instrument. I have been playing in the upper
>register for a couple of months now and still have difficulty going
>smoothly from upper to lower and back again. I'm still in Rubank's
>Elementary Method book with a few supplemental books from which to play.

Perfectly normal. Just keep working on it. A good drill is to do jumps.
Play the low note and keep blowing with plenty of air support. Without
changing anything, depress the register key. Don't tongue, let it be a
slur. You should get a smooth jump up. Down is harder. So here, tongue
the upper note and when you release the register key tongue the lower note.
Also in going from Bb to the notes above. make sure that all your fingers
completely cover the holes. It is very easy to miss a tiny bit, which
causes a major problem.

>
>My first instrument is classic guitar, which I've been studying for 13
>months. I practice about 4 or 5 times a week on clarinet, in case that
>matters about reeds and mouthpieces. If I play with a Van Doren #3 my
>embouchure fatigues rather quickly. Any suggestions?

Normal. The muscles have to build up to it just like an athlete does. So
play it a little each day and increase the time slowly. When you tire,
finish the practice session on a softer reed.

Dee Hays
Canton, SD

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