Klarinet Archive - Posting 000359.txt from 2003/01

From: "CLARK FOBES " <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Mouthpiece tables
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 10:54:36 -0500

I wonder where the term "french curve" as applied to mouthpieces making
came about. I have heard it very infrequently. At any rate, there have
always been two camps regarding mouthpiece design and whether to use a
"flat" or slightly concave table.

I was fortunate to spend about 6 hours with Everret Matsen nearly 10 years
ago and this was an area that I was very interested in. He did feel that a
flat table produced more "power" in the sound and a "flat" table was one of
his signatures. He was perhaps the only person I have met that could come
close to achieving this by hand. Still, I have measured many of his
mouthpieces and although the craftsmanship is superb, most are not truly
flat. Most makers that purport to make "flat" tables in actuality produce
mouthpieces that have a rather pronounced "hump" or convex shape. This
spells disaster as far as I am concerned. When players come to me
complaining that they cannot find "ANY" reeds that work or that all of
their reeds play too soft after a few days I check the table of their
mouthpiece. Invariably, the table is humped.

I have always preferred a slight concave table and even my "Debut"
mouthpieces are made this way. The convex shape does several things.

1. It allows the reed to sit square on the table .
2. It provides a defined "fulcrum point" for the vibrating reed
3. It allows the reed to swell without "lifting" away from the fulcrum
point

My observations as a maker and performer are that the slight dip in the
table improves overall response, creates greater resonance and enhances
reed longevity.

The only way to check your mouthpiece for concavity is to use a glass
mouthpiece gage. Apply a very slight amount of saliva or water to the
table. Place the gage on the mouthpiece and apply pressure with your thumb
to the glass at the center of the table. The places where the glass meets
the moisture are "high points" and where it does not are "low points". If
the table is concave you will read the moisture on the side rails to a
point slightly above or below the end of the window and then again near the
butt of the mouthpiece table. If the table is convex the moisture will be
right under your thumb . If this is the case. roll your thumb around a bit
and you will see the moisture moving around. With convex tables the glass
always feels unstable under my thumb and it is difficult to make an
accurate reading of the measurements.

Imagine your reed trying to vibrate consistently on a surface like this!
Slight variations in reed placement and ligature tension make a big
difference in how the reed plays.

That said, I must admit that there can be too much of a good thing. Too
much dip will cause the reed to warp away from the tip over time also
reduce the necessary over tones for projection. In fact, I prefer to make
my bass clarinet mouthpieces with only enough dip to keep the glass from
moving around and not much more.

CLARK FOBES
reedman@-----.com
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