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Klarinet Archive - Posting 000087.txt from 2000/01
From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Propriety mouthpiece info?
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2000 10:37:46 -0500
In a message dated 1/3/00 11:04:03 PM Central Standard Time,
100012.1302@-----.com - Keith - writes:
<< I worked quite a bit on the tip baffle to darken the sound.
I widened the area between the tip (side) rails to 11.8 mm.
Made sure that the window was 32 mm.
Smoothed the "ramp" area.
Narrowed the tip rails.
<
Keith writes again:
<< Interesting. Can you quantify the effects of the different
modifications, eg just what does narrowing the rails do>>
I narrow the side rails near the tip (from ca. 5 mm back from the tip). This
improves the sound of the throat tones. It allows the same clear tone quality
from ppp to FFF without embouchure gymnastics.
<< why is the window 32 mm>>
Most reeds have the cutoff point at 32 mm from the tip. It seems prudent to
match the window of the mouthpiece to the portion of the reed that vibrates.
<< and are these really independent effects or is there cross-
coupling between the dimensions?>>
Compare it to adjusting a reed. You adjust a little near the tip on the left
side. Then you scrape a little on the right side back near the shoulder. You
may do these things for completely different reasons, but can they ever be
considered independent?
<< Or is this all proprietary? (I wouldn't be surprised or
upset if it were!) >>
I personally think that the clarinet world demonstrates much ignorance about
what does and what does not make a good mouthpiece. Is this because
mouthpiece makers keep all their "goodies" proprietary, or is it because
clarinettists don't study the mouthpiece/reed/barrel/instrument equation?
Good question.
Nobody "taught" me what I currently know about mouthpieces. Maybe by next
year I will discover that half of what I think I know now is rubbish.
It is amazing, though, what you can learn through reading. Read the Eric
Brand text on re-facing mouthpieces, read Stubbins book "The Art of
Clarinetistry" for the mouthpiece section. Check out Clark Fobes' and Tom
Ridenour's websites.....
Also a tremendous amount can be learned through examining mouthpieces; both
those that work well and those that stink.
This is time consuming and expensive.
I have had to purchase a tip gauge, feeler gauges, millimeter ruler, glass
plate, different grades of sandpaper, a good caliper, millimeter ruler, etc.
I've also had to fashion some of my own tools, in order to do what I know (or
think I know).
Proprietary knowledge?
There is a big gap between knowing and doing. If I was somehow able to tell
you how or why I do all the things I do, you still wouldn't be able to do
them successfully without hours and hours of practise.
By the way, my hat is off to Roger Garrett, who has freely shared much of
what he has learned.
Walter Grabner
who is slowly climbing down from his soapbox.....
ClarinetXpress
Mouthpieces & More!!!!
http://www.clarinetxpress.com
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