Klarinet Archive - Posting 000743.txt from 1999/11

From: "Rien Stein" <rstein@-----.nl>
Subj: [kl] reeds and dynamics
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1999 18:48:06 -0500

At : Thu, 18 Nov 1999 11:43:56 -0600, "James Sclater" <Sclater@-----.edu>
wrote:

>>
Recently several events have brought home the fact that with my current
mouthpiece/reed set-up, I am not able to play as loudly as I need to at
times. I would be very interested in hearing views on what makes playing
a wide spectrum of dynamics possible. How much does the opening of the
mouthpiece and reed strength have to do with it? How much does the
shape of the oral cavity have to do with it?
Thanks in advance for your responses.
>>

I am having the same problem, both with my bass clarinet and my B-flat
soprano, but only partially so: when the notes get higher, from C3 on, the
strength to be reached progressively becomes less. On BC I can play F3 only
between mp and mf, on B-flat between p and mf. I have the following setups:

BC: Freres Martin (probably 1896) with B40 mpc (B44 and Selmer 6* had the
problem even more), reeds usually Vandoren 3 or 3.5

soprano: Buffet Crampon E11 (used to possess a BC20, but for financial
reasons had to sell it) with B45 and Vandoren 3 and 3.5, both the "normal"
reeds and the V-12 reeds. I have been playing it some time with a Vandoren
B44, gave a very nice sound, but at unpredictable times squeacked or
blocked, also with Rico 3.5 reeds. I tried the Vandoren Optimum ligature
with all three plates, but in the end decided my old plastic ligature gave
me a more satisfying sound.

Maybe it is me, who is the cause of the problem, but with my A-clarinet
(Boosey and Hawkes, over 40 years old) I did not have the problem (sold it,
too, some 15 years ago), and with the BC20 I never had any problem, except
for unsufficient technique - I am but an amateur, you know, happy when I
find the time to study more than three hours a week -.

Rien

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