Klarinet Archive - Posting 000422.txt from 2004/07

From: "Forest Aten" <forestaten@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpiece pitch
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 2004 12:30:06 -0400

> Some time ago, I asked whether mouthpiece makers listen to their
> mouthpieces (off the instrument) while they are making them. I think
> it was Walter Grabner who replied "No, playing a mouthpiece by itself
> doesn't tell me what I need to know."
>
> I'd like to ask a slightly different question:
>
> Since the same mouthpiece doesn't work for everyone, does anyone here
> feel that listening to yourself play (and/or measuring your pitch while
> playing) a particular mouthpiece off-the-instrument is a useful tool in
> choosing a mouthpiece?
>
> At the moment, I'm asking primarily about pitch and the tendency (or
> lack thereof) of a particular mouthpiece to 'squeak' when played
> off-the-instrument. A week or so ago, someone cited a web page which
> says that the ideal Bb clarinet mouthpiece pitch is concert B natural,
> and at least one person agreed that his/her teacher stressed the same
> idea.
>
> I've been working to bring my 'mouthpiece pitch' down to an even B
> natural, and I'm wondering why you don't hear/read more about this idea
> as learning tool, and also as an aid in selecting a mouthpiece?
>
>

The fundamental pitch of the mouthpiece alone....won't tell much of the
story.

I have found that most of the mouthpieces that I perform on (almost all
Kaspars) produce a concert C. This is the same pitch produced by the Bb
instrument when overblowing the open instrument.

The relationship between the mouthpiece and the barrel is critical.

I wouldn't work too hard on bringing that pitch down unless you have other
kinds of problems that would/could be served by that effort.

Forest Aten

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