Klarinet Archive - Posting 000770.txt from 2003/05

From: Elgenubi@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Facing vs. reed strength
Date: Thu, 29 May 2003 12:24:34 -0400

Grabner wrote:
<A mouthpiece with a flat table, long facing, and very close tip cab
accomodate a 4 or 4 1/2 quite well. There is an entire school of American clarinet
playing that went in that direction.

One or more of the Gigliotti mouthpieces have such a facing, and on these I
could, and would have to play on at least a 4.

I prefer a setup that uses a slightly softer reed.

It really depends on where you want the resistane. Some people want a very
non-resistant mouthpieces, but then slap a board (in my opinion) on it.

I prefer a flexible reed and for the mouthpiece to control the resistance. I
think it makes reed selection easier and more controllable.

But it really comes down to the individual's choice. There are just a limited
number or permutations on a basic acoustic design. (Single reed/mouthpiece).
The resistance just has to be balanced somewhere.>

Walter,
Every once in a while you summarize some of the basic principles of
mouthpiece design, and I appreciate that. What do you consider the physical
characteristic of a mouthpiece that makes it resistant or not? Would you say that a B45
with a 3 or 3 1/2 reed is a resistant mouthpiece and flexible reed
combination?

Wayne Thompson

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