Klarinet Archive - Posting 000351.txt from 2002/04
From: "Buckman, Nancy" <nebuckman@-----.us>
Subj: RE: [kl] Mouthpiece mystery
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 14:49:53 -0400
Hi Jim,
Don't feel bad about not being able to get anything but squeaks from your
B45. I can't play them either and I've been playing for 35 years. Everyone
likes something different. Instead of buying the mouthpieces and then
trying them, why not take your clarinet to the shop with you and try the
mouthpiece out before you buy it. You could also get several mouthpieces on
approval from a catalog company and try them before you by them. One man's
bread is another man's poison. Go have some fun in your search for that
perfect mouthpiece. Just don't pay for it before you find it. Good luck.
Nancy
Nancy E. Buckman, Technical Assistant
School of Health Professions, Wellness and Physical Education
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold, MD 21012-1895 USA
Phone 410-777-2316 Fax 410-777-2233
E-mail nebuckman@-----.us
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Alguire [mailto:jalguire@-----.net]
Subject: [kl] Mouthpiece mystery
Sometime earlier this year there was a post that said, in effect, 'forget
the search for a perfect mouthpiece until you can play well enough to tell
the difference.' Ah, I should have listened.
I have a very nice Evette & Schaeffer I had my local music shop go through
as a Christmas present. I just had an excellent technician fix what the
local shop did, but that's another story. Since my mouthpiece was old and
not in very good shape, I purchased a very nice Buffet mouthpiece on E-bay.
It is working just fine.
Then I got to noticing that the radius of the tip was just a hair larger
than the radius of my reeds (I was using Rico and now I am using Vandoren
traditional). This appeared to be the case for the several other mouthpieces
I have. Since I was playing Vandoren reeds, I decided to purchase a Vandoren
mouthpiece (B45) and give it a try. Interestingly, the B45 radius also seems
a little larger than that of the reed.
I don't have the tools or enough hands to really measure the differences
between these mouthpieces, but the tip opening on the Buffet is just a hair
more open than the B45 and the facing 'looks' the same. The windway in the
facing also look the same, but I would swear the B45 flares out more at the
tip although they measure the same.
Well, here is my frustration. I can play a passage perfectly with the
Buffet, but when I use the same reed and ligature on the B45, I can get
nothing but squeaks. I can't help but feel I am missing something here, but
I can't quite pin it down.
Well, I don't see a question in there anywhere, but thanks for letting me do
a little venting.
Jim Alguire
J A Design Studio
Ketchikan, Alaska
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