 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: AnnieMatilda
Date: 2007-11-17 13:12
I started to learn to play in March and, knowing nothing about clarinets, purchased a student instrument from an Internet site. I am now well and truly hooked and would be grateful for some advice.
The instrument I have is an Academy. With my limited ability and inexperience it seems ok. However Christmas is coming and I was wondering whether I would gain anything from asking Father Christmas for what might be a better instrument. I tried a Buffet 12 and a Jupiter today at a local music store and there did not seem much difference (except for price, the Buffet being 50GBP more expensive). Alternatively, would it be better just to buy a decent mouthpiece for the instrument that I have already (obviously a cheaper option). Or should I just stick with what I have got until I am ready to do a really big upgrade.
I have learnt quite a lot by lurking and reading the posts on this board and would value your opinions.
Thanks
Annie
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Author: D
Date: 2007-11-17 19:30
If you can find a shop with a large selection of new and second hand instruments you could do a blind test. Make an appointment for a day when the shop is not busy. Ask them to set out a range of instruments in your price range, new and used but all in good repair. Take someone with you if you can who knows enough to advise you which instruments sound better than others. Take some music with you that you can play. Try them all. Don't look at what any of them are until you pick a favourite. If you don't find any that you like more than what you have already, then spend the money on something else...or save it for another 6 months or a year....or pay for lessons for the next year....or buy an awful lot of chocolate!
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-11-17 21:29
What mouthpiece are you using? I'd suggest if you feel that you're mouthpiece might be limiting you (which you probably won't know till you try other mouthpieces) start out with getting a better quality mouthpiece. A 'professional level mouthpiece' (boy is THAT a term that can spark some debate) can run probably anywhere from 50 - 600 dollars. Those are the extremes, but a vandoren mouthpiece (of which I really like the M-series mouthpieces) are on the cheaper side. Then on the more expensive side you have OTHER factory produced mouthpieces (take a look on http://www.wwbw.com just to see how MANY options there are) and more custom mouthpieces, with hand finishing typically cost around $200.
It's a LOT to look in, but the Vandoren M-series are very easy to find around, and very cheap to replace should you break or lose one. And if you can use a shop to test them, or order them from woodwind and brasswind, you can try a few at once and pick from there. I'd recommend trying a few different models of mouthpieces (for instance M13, M14, M15, M30, and any other Ms you see out there), and if you find one that you like, order a few of THAT exact mouthpiece and select from there.
The only reason I'm stressing the M-series is because it's cheap, and (IMHO) pretty good quality. And it'll be an affordable way to see if your mouthpiece could use upgrading. if you can gauge a significant difference in ANY mouthpiece over your own, maybe yours isn't that great. If you can't really hear/feel a big difference, then either your mouthpiece is a good one to keep for a while, or you just need a little more practicing to be able to hear/feel the subtleties that a mouthpiece can offer you.
Alexi
PS - A great mouthpiece is definitely worth buying. And it's usually much cheaper than a great clarinet. I say start there.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: bahamutofskycon
Date: 2007-11-17 22:40
If you choose to go the mouthpiece trial route keep in mind that different mouthpieces require different strength reeds. You can usually find the suggested strength on the mouthpiece maker's website.
Trying an M13 mouthpiece with a #2 reed isn't going to do much good because the M13 requires a stiffer reed (somewhere between 3.5 and 4.5 according to the Vandoren website, depending on what kind of reed you're using).
Steve
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Author: eefer ★2017
Date: 2007-11-18 00:46
Annie,
If your clarinet seems to work fine, then I would go with a mouthpiece first.
Even cheaper than the Vandoren mouthpieces and every bit as good (even better, in my opinion) is the Clark Fobes "DEBUT" (@ 17 GBP) or the Gennusa "EXCELLENTE" (@ 13 GBP). Either of these will take you to the time when you really want to upgrade big-time. They aren't availabile on the Howarth site. If you can't get them in the UK, let me know and I will help you get one or both. If you feel that you want to order on-line, go to <www.wwbw.com>. The Woodwind and Brasswind is based in the US, but will ship.
Nancy
Nancy Buckman
AACC Symphony Orchestra
Opera AACC
Early Music Society of Northern MD
(and a lot of other ensembles, too)
nebuckman@gmail.com
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Author: bahamutofskycon
Date: 2007-11-18 01:15
The Hite Premiere is also an inexpensive but excellent mouthpiece upgrade for beginning students. My private high school students still use the Hite Premiere and do very well with it.
Steve
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Author: AnnieMatilda
Date: 2007-11-18 14:44
Thank you for all your advice.
This probably sounds like a silly question (and hoping not to try your patience too much) could someone please explain how different mouthpieces actually affect the clarinet? Do they make it easier to get a note or improve the tone or what?
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2007-11-18 17:12
<<could someone please explain how different mouthpieces actually affect the clarinet? Do they make it easier to get a note or improve the tone or what?>>
All of the above, in my experience. Of course, it depends on the mouthpiece, the instrument, and the player's level of expertise. Some mouthpieces, like the Fobes Debut and the Hite Premiere (mentioned above) do make it easier, all things considered, to get a nice tone, and a more even tone across the compass of the instrument. A well-designed mouthpiece can help improve your intonation and your ability to articulate (tongue), as well. I also would say that different mouthpieces work better with different clarinets. What I liked on my R-13 was different that what I liked on my Opus.
Some mouthpieces offer more resistance, some less -- and some players need/want more resistance, or less. Some mouthpieces are "reed friendly," meaning that even less-than-wonderful reeds will be playable. Other mouthpieces are more demanding of reed quality.
When I was getting back into playing, the Fobes Debut was a godsend. It was easy to play, very reed-friendly, and sounded good. Later, I liked the Fobes San Francisco and the M13, for different reasons. Last Christmas, I got my husband (also a clarinetist) a Greg Smith custom mouthpiece (which is really not a beginner's mouthpiece) and he experienced an instantaneous and marked improvement in his intonation and tone color. (He had been using the Fobes SF up until then).
One might also use different mouthpieces for different applications, depending on the kind of tone you want in a particular situation. Once you start listening for the nuances of playing, there's almost no end to the improvements you desire and seek.
Susan
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-11-18 17:16
Mouthpieces with a close tip opening will be much easier to play than ones with a wide tip opening, and also the lay length which is the point where the side rails and reed meet.
The lay is the distance between the tip of the mouthpiece and where the reed and side rails meet, and a long lay mouthpiece will play much easier than a short lay.
The combination of tip opening, length of lay and reed strength is different with everyone and you will need to find the combination that suits you so you have good control and response over the entire range of the clarinet.
Generally speaking, a close tip opening and long lay will be much easier to play in the top registers and a wide tip opening is what a lot of Jazz players use to get volume and pitch flexibility.
Even though a close tip opening will offer greater stability of pitch, it is just as possible to bend notes as much or as little as you want with a close mouthpiece.
So the main measurements of mouthpieces you need to know at this stage are the tip opening and lay length. I'd suggest to go for a 1.05-1.10 (mm) tip opening and a medium to long lay. You will have to decide which reed strength suits you so it speaks cleanly and easily in the lower register with just the right amount of breath resistance.
There are other factors that will influence tone and pitch, though you needn't worry about these at the moment.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: AnnieMatilda
Date: 2007-11-19 17:09
Thanks again for your responses. There is certainly a lot more to this clarinet playing than first meets the eye.
Annie
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-11-20 01:13
Now just click on THIS LINK to see what you should be looking for IN a mouthpiece after you've chosen some to try out. Keep in mind the PERFECT mouthpiece for some of us just doesn't exist. I myself am always searching for that "perfect" one. I have a few EXCELLENT ones that I would no problem whatsoever playing or performing on. But I haven't yet found the mouthpiece that plays itself (my primary mpc is probably the closest I'll ever find however.)
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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