Klarinet Archive - Posting 000360.txt from 2001/10

From: "Robert Moody" <LetsReason@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Eb Reeds for Eb mouthpieces
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 01:46:59 -0400

Walter, you said, <<All else being equal, the facing of the mouthpiece will
have the major influence on the strength of reed necessary to produce
acceptable pitch, tone, and attack on the eb clarinet.>> In this case, you
had given a nice and lengthy (and I'm not complaining, I enjoyed the post)
post before your statement.

I'm afraid that we're miscommunicating here. I'm not sure if you're missing
what I'm saying or I'm missing your point. Just for the sake of clarity
(the issue for me now is that people don't get the idea that I'm ignorant
enough to "disagree" with such and simple and "of course" comment), let me
place our comments in a little conversation and see if it makes sense to
you.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
While walking through a park, I happened to pick up on a conversation of two
people sitting on a park bench. Finding it odd that I would happen across
two people talking about the clarinet on my walk, I stop to tie my shoe so I
can share in the conversation...inconspicuously.

"Listen, the facing on a mouthpiece is very important!" the older gentleman
insisted.
The younger man, obviously full of himself and speaking in an English
accent, questions, "How? Explain to me why the facing would make any
difference."
"Well..." starts the older, wiser, better looking man, "...we can start with
'all else being equal, the facing of the mouthpiece will have the major
influence on the strength of reed necessary to produce acceptable pitch,
tone, and attack on the eb clarinet.' "

Having just had this conversation with people on the Klarinet List, I decide
to chime in my LONG HELD OPINION, "Excuse me, but I play the clarinet
professionally and I would have to AGREE with him that 'all else being
equal, the facing of the mouthpiece will have the major influence on the
strength of reed necessary to produce acceptable pitch, tone, and attack on
the eb clarinet.'"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'm not sure how you're saying that this statement you have made disagrees
with mine that says that knowing the facing gives a general idea of the
strength reed you might use? I'm thinking maybe we are thinking in
different degrees of importance.

For example, I play a Borbeck with a medium (in all respects) facing.
Generally I play a V12 3.5 reed. With the coming of winter here, I am now
playing on V12 4s and am considering ordering some 4.5s. (I am in
Winchester, Virginia.) Joe Blow, over here, might have the same mouthpiece
and have felt comfortable with a V12 3 and only consider moving to a 3.5 or
4 at most.

My point was, knowing the facing of a mouthpiece, you cannot tell someone,
"Here. This is a V12 ?.? and it WILL work for you on that facing. That is
all I'm saying. The VAST majority of advanced players play reed strengths
from 3 to 4 or 4.5 in band and orchestra settings. They are the middle of
the road and they fit right into the "bell curve" of averaging/mean.

But the point of telling a person, who is asking what strength reed to use
because their V 3.5 seems too hard, to give their facing information is
really and truly moot. This person needs to come to understand some "other"
things first before worrying about "matching" a specific strength with a
facing. Their issues need to be addressed with a private instructor who can
sit and analyze what is going on.

I do, even though we "seem" to disagree (I don't think we are, actually),
appreciate your explanations and posts. I enjoy hearing others' ideas and
the experiences that create those ideas.

Robert

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