Klarinet Archive - Posting 000781.txt from 2001/05

From: "DClarinet" <DClarinet@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] New mouthpiece
Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 14:10:38 -0400

Tony, I just changed at age 65. I have been playing either a Kaspar Cicero
or a Chedeville for the past 30 years. I broke my Kaspar about 2 years ago
and, of course, the old ched's are not available. I just changed to a Pyne
JX and I find it most comfortable and redd friendly with #3 vandorens. Best
of luck with your new mpc. DClarinet

----- Original Message -----
From: Tony Wakefield <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subject: [kl] New mouthpiece

> I`ve changed my set up. Which means I`m going to have to do some regular
> practising. The last time I did some of that was nearly 3 years ago. I had
> been quite used to the Vandoren B45 spot. I liked my sound. It was dark. I
> tried the Vandoren Profile M/P`s last Friday, and felt quite comfortable.
I
> <was> conscious of my mouth not opening quite so far as before, but thru`
> the morning session I began to feel quite at home using them. Except one,
of
> which I`m told is designed for the Philadelphia "school", which I have to
> say I don`t know anything about, except that it`s students must have jaws
> built like Odd Job, the Bond movie guy - steel teeth? This was the
Vandoren
> M15, and I found that this M/P made me sound like a beginner. Using a 2
1/2
> Vandoren, I sounded as tho` I was playing on a 1. They are designed to be
> used with very hard reeds, and quite why some clarinettists are able to
blow
> on harder reeds, I fail to comprehend. I`m talking about strength 3 1/2,
4,
> and 5. I have never blown on anything harder than a 2 1/2.
>
> I was then introduced to the Anton Weinberg/Windcraft range of M/P`s, -
> there are four, (one of which is designed for jazz, which I didn`t try) by
> the gentleman who has the mouthpiece workshop within Dawkes Music. His
name
> is Anton Weinberg too. He explained all the differences which the
> AW/Windcraft M/P is able to offer, which Vandoren can`t. Well he would
> wouldn`t he - - - The material is a denser "ebonite" stuff, whereas the
> Vandoren is more "powdery". They are designed by A.W. specifically to
obtain
> a large sound with a softer reed. They are also the same price as the
> Vandoren, which to me was an attraction enough to persuade me to try them.
I
> couldn`t make them work fluently with my 2 1/2 reed, let alone get a fast
> enough, or even plain and simply <get> a staccato. Anton heard me blow and
> suggested a softer breathing approach. I eventually put a strength 2 on,
and
> gave it what Anton suggested, and after 1/2 - 3/4 hour I was feeling ever
> more comfortable, with staccato coming more fluently. Intonation was a
dream
> and quite soon afterwards I said "Yes Anton I`ll have it". I settled for
> the M1 Gold
> Mk11. The only slight problem which turned out to be not a problem, was
that
> it was not the
> profile shape of beak. Anton took a further 15 squid off me to do this
> re-shaping, (and to also undercut a little of the M/P bore to suit the
Opus
> (Leblanc).
> And now that I`ve had it at home for 2 1/2 days I`m (fingers
> crossed) thinking that this is going to be quite an enjoyable investment.
> The staccato is coming. The sound I will have to work on a little. With my
> not requiring any effort at all to make the sound appear, (I have to get
> used to not blowing quite so fully) I have found that my sound in not
quite
> so dark any more. It is more liquid, not wholly what I want, sort of
Gervase
> de
> Peyer, yet focused enough for me to be able to work at intensifying the
> "body" of sound.
> Does that make sense? At my age anyway, I am pleased at being able to
easily
> create a
> clarinet sound without the tiring efforts of the past. And what is of
> paramount importance
> to me is that my ears aren`t cringing anymore with what I perceived to be
> narrow twelfths
> due to Anton`s care with compatibility and measurements.
>
> I now have to take greater care also, as the build up of "plaque" deposits
> at the tip of the
> beak can also cause tuning problems.
>
> Anton Weinberg worked in the U.S. (for how long I don`t know), but I
wonder
> if any one from
> the list has come across his playing and teaching. He has been at Dawkes
> Music for nearly ten years,
> so I think we must be talking about the `eighties(?) Possibly even
earlier.
>
> Has anyone else changed at my age (59), and how did they overcome problems
> (if any)?
>
> Best,
>
> Tony W.
>
>
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