Klarinet Archive - Posting 000053.txt from 2003/08

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpiece Patches Revisited
Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2003 12:01:48 -0400

At 12:15 AM 8/3/2003 -0400, John J. O'Neill wrote:
>Thanks to all who responded to my patch dilemma. Some of the responses I
>already knew; others were new to me. Does the fact that a patch provides a
>more secure embouchure (i.e., your teeth don't slide all over the place)
>automatically bolster your confidence that the sound is better? Isn't it
>true that using the patch only makes you think that your tone is
>better? As advised by some, I shall record with and without a patch, and
>examine the results. If I happen to do this on a day when I am really
>depressed, there's no telling what I shall experience.

I think you have misunderstood some of the posts on this. The apparent
improvement in sound that SEEMS to be created upon REMOVING the patch is
caused by the increase in the conduction of sound through the teeth and
bones to your ears. The difference is unlikely to be noted by anyone else
(or the recorder), except for the possible improvement WITH the patch due
to the more secure embouchure. Personally, once I tried a patch, I could
not bear the thought of playing WITHOUT one! The comfort and security they
offer outweighs any bone conduction loss by far. I have put patches on
mouthpieces I do not even play anymore, just in case! They are
particularly useful on crystal mouthpieces, which have really NO grip of
their own, and can feel cold on the teeth, too. By the way, I use the
thin, clear vinyl type of patch, rather than the thick black rubber
variety, although I can see those as possibly being more useful for
marching band applications where the extra cushioning might be desirable.

>One last thing: clarinetists frequently talk about setups. What is your
>mouthpiece, ligature, reed, etc.? Shouldn't we include the patch as part
>of our setup? Why can't mouthpiece designers create a built-in patch,
>thereby reducing the extra trouble of installing patches. What we need is
>a universal built-in patch that satisfies the individual!

We probably SHOULD include the information, although I don't think it
affects the overall sound anywhere NEAR as much as the comfort and security
of the embouchure. Actually, some mouthpieces, in effect, DO include
patches of a sort. Metal sax mouthpieces universally have hard rubber
inserts where the upper teeth go, providing at least a LITTLE softer
surface for them. Also, the old Brilhart mouthpieces (and some newer ones)
had an insert of contrasting color rubber, probably softer, on the bite
area. Of course, the patches are much softer, and, beings softer, wear out
much more quickly, so having them be easily replaceable is preferable to
having to scrap whole mouthpieces every few months.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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