Klarinet Archive - Posting 000097.txt from 2001/03

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Jazz Mouthpieces
Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 19:41:09 -0500

OrionDJ12@-----.com asked:

<<<Whats the difference btween a normal mouthpeice and a jazz one?>>>

Depends on what you want to sound like.

Lots of players use the same mouthpiece for both, believing that a good
clarinet sound is a good clarinet sound. Put Eddie Daniels in this category
-- he uses the same setup for everything he does. (It's reported not to be
an "Eddie Daniels mouthpiece, though.) I'm told that Benny Goodman did not
switch equipment either, although some (not including me) might argue that
he should have. Pete Fountain plays on a Vandoren A1, which is very
suitable for the orchestra -- I used one in college, first as built and then
as refaced by Dan Johnston. Nice mouthpiece, but alas glass is not so good
for durability . . .

Others will tell you that playing in a jazz band requires more "projection"
-- undoubtedly to do battle with the rest of the band. To get that, you
might want to use a more open mouthpiece with a longer lay. Vandoren
markets a mouthpiece (the 5JB) reportedly designed in collaboration with Bob
Wilbur. It is indeed open and long. It's loud, but I do not produce a
sound that I like with it.

If you really want a tone resembling a chain saw but don't want to have to
fool around with a whole new set-up, you can buy these little baffle
supplements called "PowerTone" from the Woodwind. It's a little piece of
plastic that sticks on to the baffle. They're primarily designed for
saxophone mouthpieces; they will indeed change the sound of your concert
piece (say, a Selmer C*) to be suitable for rock 'n roll (like a Vandoren
Jumbo Java -- you know, the really loud blue one).

Just for grins, we tried one in my clarinet (a Greg Smith 1*). I suppose it
had the desired effect.

. . . wow, I won't do *that* again! Fortunately, they are easily removed.

kjf

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org