Klarinet Archive - Posting 000239.txt from 2003/08

From: Erik Tkal <bbtkal@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpiece questions
Date: Sun, 10 Aug 2003 00:05:58 -0400

At 11:20 PM 8/9/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Erik,
>
>I would recommend that if you haven't already bought some mouthpieces and if you're set on Vandoren, try ordering mouthpieces for trial from both Woodwind and Brasswind and International Music Suppliers. Stock mouthpieces vary so much in quality that you need a bunch to try out, and if you're on top of everything, you can usually send the mouthpieces back before it ends up on your credit card. You can also mix in a couple different models this way. I find that the M15 (13 or regular) works well for stiff reeds. I don't know the physical differences, but it's close to the M13, although some people seriously prefer one to the other.
>
>I may have missed at some point how old or advanced a player you are. If you're not a serious player, in college or older, then Vandorens are an excellent and affordable choice (in my opinion). If you consider yourself more advanced or serious, I would go the route of a handmade mouthpiece from a quality blank. Of course, different makers are better than others, but that's a different story. I have plenty to say about this off-list
>
>Hope this helps, for what it's worth.
>
>-James

-----------------------------------

This morning I went to Rayburn's and tried quite a few. They only had Vandorens in stock, but I am not a serious player - in answer to your second paragraph, I am 40 and have been playing trombone (as a very capable amateur) for 30 years; 5 months ago I bought a Buffet R-13 from Woodwind and Brasswind and have been getting coached by a friend who has been playing clarinet for 20 years.

Like I said earlier, my current search was prompted by my having tried her M13 Lyre and finding that I had a far better sound on that with the stiffer reeds than on the B45 I had bought shortly after getting the horn. I played for a couple of hours on several Vandoren blue box #3 reeds on my B45 and then on an M13 Lyre, 5RV Lyre, M30 and M15. The M13 Lyre and M15 made it to the finals, but I ended up buying the M15 (series 13, profile 88). I found that for me it had fairly consistent intonation throughout the entire range (ok, I can really only get up to altissimo F or so for now). The others I had to fight a little to maintain consistent tuning, and the M30 was most like my B45 (raspier with stiffer reeds).

Tomorrow I will take it out and play for a while fresh on the M15 and make sure that it's still agreeable, but I think I've found a mouthpiece that for now works very well. Of course as I improve over time I may find that my embouchure will change more and that some other mouthpiece might serve my needs better. Since I play jazz on trombone I bet that I would end up using the B45 again some time in the future. We'll see... :-)

Erik

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