Klarinet Archive - Posting 000443.txt from 2000/10

From: GSmithClarinet@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpieces (Was: Changes to Elite and other Buffets)
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2000 17:08:08 -0400

In a message dated 10/09/2000 1:30:34 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
AlanWaldo@-----.com writes:

<< In a message dated 10/09/2000 3:18:15 PM Central Daylight Time,
GSmithClarinet@-----.com writes:

> What does 'symmetrical' mean in this context?
>
> Thank you,
> Bill>>
> *********************************************
> Simply that the 2 side rails are even or are of the same curve. This
figures into all kinds of things about how a mouthpiece plays.
>
> Gregory Smith
>

A question from an amateur:
I would have thought "...that the 2 side rails would always be even or of
the
same curve." Are there mouthpiece's that are built with uneven side rails
on
purpose? Why?

Alan
>>
**************************************************
Dear Alan,

Here is an excerpt from Tom Ridenour's website explaining the phenomenon. It
is a somewhat controversial subject and although Tom and I differ in the
style of mouthpiece making in other areas, I personally believe that Tom has
gone a long way in enunciating the problem of asymmetry as I see it.

May I add that in every case that I have encountered, without exception,
straightening uneven rails has led to the improvement in the playing
qualities of the mouthpiece.

Gregory Smith
======================
Tom Ridenour writes about:

ASYMMETRICAL FACINGS

Some mouthpieces have side rails which do not share the same curve. We refer
to such facings as asymmetrical or crooked facings. Makers who make such
facings are usually seeking to achieve something specific in tone color.
While this feature might achieve the timberal goal in a limited area of the
clarinet, achieving such a goal by means of facing askewity creates other
problems, especially in the area response. Further, it should be understood
that askew rails extend into the tip rail, causing the most open part of the
tip to be off center. This profoundly affects tone color in the upper
register negatively (causing a tendency towards excessive thinness and
brightness), makes upper register response unpredictable, insecure and
undependable, as well as makes properly balancing reeds much more difficult
than it ought to be.

Askew or crooked facings are not recommended for they are commonly either a
major contributing factor to, or the root cause itself of the following
playing problems:

1. Force the habit of biting (upward jaw pressure) in order to begin,
control, center, or clarify the tone, especially at softer dynamics.

2.Cause difficulty in finding good reeds, make reed balance precarious and,
depending on the degree or severity of askewity, can totally frustrate the
reed balancing process altogether.

3.Cause insecurity and unevenness in slurring or playing attacks in the third
register or upper clarion, especially at softer dynamic levels.

4. Make playing the full dynamic range of the clarinet with an even tone
color difficult, causing breathiness in the tone to be a chronic tendency,
especially at softer dynamic levels.

5. Make the tone difficult to center, especially at softer dynamic levels.

6. Cause an inordinate degree of embouchure/air pressure exchange to achieve
the full dynamic and pitch range of the clarinet.

7.Cause a tendency for brightness and edge in upper register tones.

8.Cause a perpetual feeling of stuffiness in many cases even when softer
reeds are used.

For these and other reasons asymmetry in facings ought to be avoided. In this
authors opinion, asymmetry is a Lorelei that tempts many and shipwrecks not a
few. What it seeks to create in tone color can be achieved better in other
ways without the unacceptable sacrifice of response and "reed
friendliness." No essential musical phenomenon should ever be compromised or
sacrificed for the sake of another. The greatest opportunity the player or
the mouthpiece maker has to do selective damping to darken the tone is the
reed itself. Askew rails as a solution to tonal brightness is no solution at
all because of the whole array of other problems such a "solution" creates.
======================================

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