 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Martin
Date: 2002-03-30 02:45
Which clarinets have you found to be easy blowing, offering the least resistance?
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Author: Gerald
Date: 2002-03-30 03:35
Hi Martin,
I have much less experience than most on this board, but from my limited experience, mouthpiece selection, reed, and to a lesser extent ligature, have more to do with blowing resistance than the horn. And, the mouthpiece should definitely be matched to the horn.
That said, my Buffet Prestige has a little less blowing resistance than my relatively antique Leblanc Symphonie - original version. But the sound of each is quite different from the other. I can be more expressive with the Leblanc, but the bore configuration is different, the mouthpiece I use is different, and frankly I suspect I play it a bit different as well. With the Buffet I can put out enough volume to want ear plugs - and the sound has a bit more of an edge to it. It cuts, and commands your attention. The Leblanc is softer, but you want to hear it. If I swap mouthpieces between them, neither is quite as good.
I've seen nearly that much difference between horns of the same make and model.
Take a couple of mouthpieces you like, and a selection of reeds, and test play horns until you find the one you don't want to part with. At that point, who cares if it is resistive or not? It'll be the one you want, and you'll know why. If you can con someone else along to listen, that's a good thing. Also take a tuner.
Best of luck! Test playing is fun!
Gerald
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Author: Ken Lustgarten
Date: 2002-03-30 16:32
On Vandorens web site http://www.vandoren.com Go to the products section and check out clarinet mouthpieces. They have a nice chart there showing the different mouthpiece characteristics and dimmentions with blowing ease as well as reed strength.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-03-31 16:47
I believe that larger bore horns are freer blowing than small bore horns (everthing else being the same--mouthpiece, reed, etc.). My Leblanc LL (14.80 mm bore) is freer blowing than my Leblanc LX (14.60 mm bore). The Leblanc Pete Fountain model (now called the Big Easy model I believe) at 15.00 mm should be more free blowing still. Some of the older model Selmers such as the Balanced Tone are large bore horns and are popular with jazz players.
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Author: Jean Adler
Date: 2002-03-31 23:05
My Rossi is an easy instrument to get a great sound, given you have the right mouthpiece. But, I suppose you could say that about a lot of instruments.
Enjoy the selection process and be patient in your choices.
Jean
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Author: David Dow symphony NB
Date: 2002-04-24 14:59
I tend to play on a resistant type set up on a free blowing clarinet and think that the mouthpiece can do much in making the choice of clarinet easier.c The buffets can be really quirky and some really resistant...base your choice on reed and matching it to the mouthpiece, and strive for what you like best in terms of feel and tone!
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