Klarinet Archive - Posting 000700.txt from 1999/10

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpieces and Tuning
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 1999 22:40:31 -0400

In a message dated 10/22/99 6:16:13 PM Central Daylight Time,
bhausman@-----.com writes:

<< have a question for the mouthpiece experts on the list. I just tried out
a Jewel Concert mouthpiece. It responds very well, and has a pleasing
tone. But throughout the range of the instrument, and I have tried it on 5
different brands so far, it plays consistently 5-10 cents flat for me. I
have some problems that way with Vandoren mouthpieces, too, but usually
only close to and in the altissimo register. My Selmer Series 10 is
generally right in tune when I play an O'Brien crystal, and even slightly
SHARP with the Selmer C85 115. I may just purchase a Jewel anyway for my A
clarinet, which otherwise plays quite sharp! Can anyone explain why the
tuning should vary so greatly with these mouthpieces? >>

Bill.....

Blanks, and therefore the mouthpieces made from them can vary greatly. I have
a mouthpiece that I made up from a blank that plays GREAT!!!!!!!!! But when I
check the throat tones, they are flat....consistently 5 to 10 cents each. (I
have another mouthpiece, made from the same batch, where the throat tones are
sharp!)

When I measured the "bore" of this particular mouthpiece....guess what? It's
about 2mm longer than the others in its batch. It was just plain drilled out
too deep! That's like adding 2 millimeters to your barrel.....and probably
worse, too much length in just the wrong place!

Now....incidently...this would be a great mouthpiece for someone whose
clarinet is consistently, unbearably SHARP in the throat tones!!!!!!!
(Time-out for a commercial message!)

You would think that there would be more consistency! But, it's a fact that
there is not.

Walter Grabner
who is.................just is.......

ClarinetXpress
Mouthpieces & More!!!!
991 Wildwood Lane
Highland Park, IL 60035
847.433.3309
http://www.clarinetxpress.com

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