 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sonic12040
Date: 2005-09-23 04:48
I use a Buffet 1193 Prestige Bass Clarinet with range to low C with a custom faced Selmer C* mouthpiece and I have been looking to change away from the Vandoren Optimum I currently use. When I replaced the mouthpiece (my Hawkins mouthpiece was fuzzy and had a bad tone) I noticed that though the fuzziness in my sound was gone due to the closed facing of my C*, that the Vandoren Optimum gave my bass clarinet a really bright sound. I was wondering if anyone had a suggestion for a different ligature to try for my bass clarinet.
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-09-23 05:50
"my hawkins mouthpiece was fuzzy and had a bad tone... the fuzziness in my sound was gone due to the closed facing of my C star".....
sounds rather like you were using reeds that were too hard, and it wasn't at all the mouthpieces fault that you were "fuzzy".
"the vandoren optimum gave my bass clarinet a really bright sound"
well, the Selmer C star is quite a bright mouthpiece blank... and if your new setup gives you less resistance (thus a clearer "less fuzzy" sound) then it's quite likely that that would be brighter than what you are used to hearing (ie it was nothing to do with the ligature)
there are so many factors at play, i really doubt it's your ligature that's making you sound "bright", but if you really want to spend money on something that may make you sound "dark" then your best option is either a Rovenor or BG fabric ligature.
OR you could try STRING and see if that makes a difference (before going out and spending more money)
donald
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Author: graham
Date: 2005-09-23 08:04
The rovner without the little window will sound warmer, but as Donald says, that might just take away the very essence of what a C* can give. Have you asked others to comment on the tone with the C*. Could be it works better than your ears are telling you. That said, I abondoned my C* after a while.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-23 12:11
I use the Rovner light (with the window) on my Vandoren B46, also on a Buffet Prestige to low C bass - this has a much bigger and warmer sound than the Selmer C* I once used, I felt the C* was a bit too close though it was easy to get on with, but didn't have anywhere near the power or tone that the B46 has.
And Vandoren Java 2.5 tenor sax reeds - or a Carbon Toptone Fiberreed MS depending what mood I'm in.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2005-09-23 15:44)
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2005-09-23 14:47
Let's see...if the best ligature for a (soprano) clarinet is a thumb, as discussed in another thread, then the best ligature for a bass clarinet would be...a big toe! And this would be more practical than the thumb thing as, unlike your hands, your foot is free when you are playing. ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-09-23 14:47
I've posted on my bass cl mp-lig-reed "setup" before, but with our current interests, and my patent searching [in a large "field"] mostly for sop Bb cl, will repeat ?briefly? . For bass cls, I'm very pleased using 2 Pomarico glass-crystal mps refaced to quite open-long by Dave S [one of several VG refacers IMHO], with soft [l l/2 - 2 - 2 1/2 ] reeds] {in comm. band I'm seldom playing above the staff}. My lig is a Mitchell Lurie, "Springboard" , contacting the reed by 2 horizontal bands on top and bottom of the reed's "bark", which I prefer to Rovner-types, either with regular or inverted positioning, and sim. use of "traditional" types. My refaced C* and Bundy 3's are OK, just not as good, to me. I've concluded, from reading the older patents, and my experience on sop, alto, and bass that minimizing lig-reedbark contact via Bonade, Luyben, Lurie and numerous others is quite desireable for tonality reasons [today's contributions to discussions]. 'Nuff for now, time for computer-upgrade. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: pewd
Date: 2005-09-23 14:54
i use a rovner dark on a bass with a C* and get good results, fwiw
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: William
Date: 2005-09-23 15:40
I play a Buffet Prestige low C bass and my set up is: Grabner CXBS (Selmer C*), Vandy Optimum/parallel rails with a Legere #3 reed. And I like the sound--and get a lot of compliments on it. Perhaps your reed is too stiff--as was already suggested but I'm just reinforcing............(my two cents)
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Author: BelgianClarinet
Date: 2005-09-23 16:26
I prefer my Selmer E (don't know how it compares to the C*) and a BG.
Everyone seems to like my 'sound' ,myself included :-)
Standard advised setup here is Selmer F, but as a starter last year I couldn't handle it (too much power needed)
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2005-09-23 16:43
You know, it's funny. I work with quite a few of the bass clarinet players in the major US orchestras. The most consistent advice they give to their students is to use a re-faced Selmer C* and to use a Vandoren Optimum ligature.
Now that certainly doesn't mean that there aren't other very good options - there are. But reading the above posts would lead me away from the very recommendation that people who play bass clarinet for a living give to their students, who then go out and win auditions.
The C* mouthpiece is recommended for its projection. If you are playing in a big orchestra - the Chicago SYmphony - or an opera pit, you need to be able to project.
Certain C* mouthpieces ARE too bright out of the box. The current shipment I received had facings that were too close and far too short. However, after re-facing, and a deepening of the lower baffle, you can acheive a mouthpiece that's as good as anything available on the market.
I do, however, know of one bass clarinet player in a major orchestra who plays his C* in the LOUD pieces and plays a very old Woodwind mouthpiece for the deep dark quiet stuff. (I was able to put the same facing on both, so he can use the same reeds).
In terms of ligatures, I personally go back and forth between a metal ligature (similar to the Optimum) and a Rovner, to "brighten" or "darken" my sound as I feel appropriate to the music I am playing.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
clarinet stuff!
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
847-266-8644
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-09-23 20:04
On bass clarinet I like the Vandoren Optimum inverted metal ligature (the simple design, not the Optimum) and the Bonade inverted. Just personal preferences.
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-09-23 20:19
Kia ora Mr Grabner- i am in agreement with your post (and had in fact wondered if the C* mentioned was one of yours). i actually play on a C* that Brad Behn refaced for me some years ago, last time i lent it to a friend who used it in NZSO he commented that it was the best bass clarinet mouthpiece he'd ever played!
at the same time, the original posting from Sonic12040 seemed a little... illogical.... in its premise- it suggested to me that he/she needed to learn about reed selection rather than buy a new mouthpiece and ligature.
one important point Mr Grabner brings up is the projection that's often desirable when playing Bass in and orchestra. i wonder if, in the concert band setting (maybe with TWO bass clarinets?) is "blending" isn't more often required? just a thought...
keep playing the good tunes
donald
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-23 20:50
Maybe I should have kept my C* and had it refaced.
Any thoughts or experiences with Pomarico No. 3 crystals? I'm thinking of trying/buying one.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-09-24 01:59
I've been playing Pomarico crystals (or their 'stencils', Mitchell Lurie Premiums) on bass and soprano clarinets (Bb and Eb) for a number of years. Just like all the hard-rubber Selmer C*'s I've tried, every Pomarico needed refacing to play the way I like. The downside is that crystal is much more work to reface than hard rubber!
Maybe more to the point regarding your thought, Chris, the Pomarico crystals are as likely as the Selmers to REQUIRE refacing, but having been so modified, are as likely to work well! Clear as mud, eh?
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Author: BelgianClarinet
Date: 2005-09-24 07:37
Probably a very old question answered somewhere in the BB, but can't find it.
I've found on the Selmer site that the difference between the C* you all seem to be using (and that is indicated as 'reference mouthpiece') and the one I was advised (and the professional base players I know are using) the E or F is the tip opening.
So, the logical question : what is the most obvious difference in feel and play ? How would the C* most likely relate to mine ?
Post Edited (2005-09-24 08:10)
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Author: Sonic12040
Date: 2005-09-24 14:34
Thanks. The setup of our band if you were wondering is:
Tuba x2
Baritone x3
Trombone x7
Trumpet x7
Alto Sax x2
Tenor Sax x2
Bari Sax x1
Bassoon x3
Contrabassoon x1
Oboe x2
English Horn x1
French Horn x4
Contrabass Clarinet x2
Contra-alto Clarinet x1
Bass Clarinet x2
Bb Soprano Clarinet x6
Eb Soprano Clarinet x1
Flute x 6
Piccolo x 1
As for reeds, I use Vandoren 4's on the mouthpiece, and have sanded them where I needed to. So you think that my C* may just be a little bright on it's own? And as for the big toe, I'm sorry, but I didn't have any spares.
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