 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mike
Date: 2002-02-06 17:18
What are different about crystal mouthpieces? I thnik they look quite gross when moisture condenses inside them.
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-02-06 20:24
This has been discussed often, here - try doing a search on crystal. As to moisture - I've never really noticed and seeing as it's under your nose when you play, who cares if it looks dribbly? :-)
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-02-06 21:00
I've been playing crystal mouthpieces (refaced Pomaricos) on both bass and soprano clarinets for a couple of years now, and it seems to me that you can't really see anything gross like saliva inside while playing, because the inside of the mouthpiece fogs up almost immediately and becomes rather translucent, nearly opaque. I like crystal for the feel, the ease of cleaning (soap and water, just like washing drinking glasses), and most of all their dimensional stability -- no changes in dimensions or warping of the facing with changes in temperature or humidity. But certainly they are fragile --- they chip and break easily.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-02-06 21:15
David is exactly right.
My primary mouthpiece for at least 30 years has been a beautiful Vandoren crystal (selected from at least 20 -30). I love the way it sounds, and feels. My back up is a Fobes.
I've never even thought about the condensation issue. No one has ever commented on it to me - perhaps they were just in awe at my clarinet playing -( I wish)
With a Rovner or BG ligature very little is visible anyway...GBK
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-02-06 21:40
GBK - Do you stick something on the top of the mouthpiece to rest your front teeth on? (on your crystal that is)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-02-06 21:55
diz...No, I don't. My teeth are not that sensitive (thank goodness)
I once (only once) tried a mouthpiece patch to see the difference. It wasn't for me. I like the close contact with the mouthpiece.
Maybe that's why I drive a compact car...closer to the road...GBK
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-02-07 13:41
diz,
For years I've been using the Charles Bay thin clear mouthpiece patches (available from WW&BW) on top of all my clarinet and sax mouthpieces --- I find them to be especially necessary on crystal, because not only is crystal slippery, but without a patch the clarinet vibrations transmitted directly to my teeth are downright painful (not to mention the fact that more of my own sound is conducted right up into my head, and hearing my own sound is DEFINITELY painful...)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-02-07 14:03
Re: mp patches, I'm with Dave. After trying my bass mp with double lip, which I still use, alternatingly, depending on what music I'm playing , I quickly found a patch [white rubber] which I plan to replace with clear plastic shortly. For me, the vibrations are minor as compared to the "feeling" of embouchure security, when playing softly to accompany our comm band pro clist on the Adagio of M's Concerto, one of the most [non-technical, but difficult] lengthy passages I've encountered !!! I do similarly on my sop mps, and have never paid attention to the "moisture problem", just shake or wipe. Interesting comments , tho..Don
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-02-08 03:00
Some people I know use bite pads. (I personally can give or take them.) One girl I know wore hers down to less than one rubber sheet. I told her she might want to replace it on her crystal mouthpeice. She took a look at it, laughed, and said: "No, it's still got a little of it left."
That bite pad had been on her crystal mouthpeice for a little over two years.
Of course, she's a better player than I am. Why should I judge her? Basically I have trouble even feeling a difference on crystal mouthpeices. (I don't own one personally; I tried hers.) Bite pad or not, I wouldn't mind one.
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