 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: ClariBone
Date: 2004-12-30 02:39
HeyI was playin' around and stuck a lttle more mouthpiece in my mouth and got a better sound. So my question is, how much should you use?? Is there an exact length, or do I find whats best for me?? Thanks!!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-12-30 12:43
Igloo Bob wrote:
> Go as far as you can until you start squeaking, then pull back
> just far enough to make the squeaking stop. I originally heard
> this from a clinician for bass clarinet, but I've heard the
> same for soprano as well.
>
Sounds like good advice. You'll hear a ton of advice (from as little as possible to what Igloo Bob here has heard), but why worry about a right or wrong amount? How about "As much as you need in order to play all the notes."
If you can get away with just the tip, ok. If you follow Igloo Bob's advice (which actually sounds better to me because it basically is helping you to make sure you can hit those altissimo notes with less effort), awesome.
It all depends on the mouthpiece too. On the length of the table and curve. A long table, short curve, you can get away with very little since the reed meets the mouthpiece table more towards the tip opening and you don't need your bottom lip that far down the reed. Short table, long curve (or is sharp curve?) means you probably have to take in more.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Vytas
Date: 2004-12-30 17:16
Carl Fobes in his article 'Mouthpiece Nomenclature' wrote:
"Nomenclature describing the physical components of clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces has always been a very uncertain and even confusing subject. Even those of us who make mouthpieces do not use the same terms to describe the complex interior and exterior shapes of the mouthpiece".
After reading Alexi's post I realized that this might be the case. So before continue we have to clear any misunderstanding.
1. Window (sometimes called the "slot") - the opening described by the tip rail, side rails and squared end.
2. Table - entire area below the window that the reed is clamped to.
3. Side rails - The two narrow surfaces between the window edge and the point where the mouthpiece sides begin.
4. Curve - most often referred to as "the facing" This is the portion that arcs away from flat and allows the reed to vibrate
5. Tip rail - the narrow arcing surface between the tip and the window.
These are some of Mr. Fobes terms. I personally prefer term 'the facing' instead of 'Curve'.
Now, when we cleared this part, it's pretty obvious that the facing length and the table length have no relationship to each other as far as the facing length is concern. Facing is applied to the rails and has no affect to the table length in any way.
You have people with Jay Leno chin and you have some people that have their upper teeth sticking out. So it would be wrong if someone tried to come up with the magic number for everybody how deep in your mouth the mouthpiece should go.
The facing allows the reed to vibrate. So it would be simply smart thing for a player to do is not to interrupt with this process. Let's say your mouthpiece has 17.00mm (medium) long facing. You do not want to muffle this vibrating area with your lower lip by placing it for instance 14.00 mm from the tip. So basically on the 17.00 mm long facing 17.00mm is the place (from the tip) where your lower lip should be and then you just bite up without worrying where your upper teeth will end up, because it's the best place for them to be. (Believe me Jay Leno would end up in the different place. Ha-ha!)
Of course this is not ideal recipe for everybody but in rather a reference point where you want to begin looking for how deep in your mouth the mouthpiece should go.
Vytas Krass
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-12-30 19:17
Vytas,
Do you mean that the lower lip should basically hit the spot where the curves stop curving and become flat?
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2004-12-30 19:42
From my experience on soprano sax I think that the amount of mouthpiece can affect how you play the range of the instrument. With too little in your mouth slurring up to high note might be more difficult. Obviously your reed selection should suit your bite. The bite decision should probably be an aural decision rather than a theoretically based decision. Whatever works. Whatever you get used to. Wherever your ear leads you....Play some exercises.....record them....listen to them back.
Freelance woodwind performer
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2005-01-03 15:03
The standard advice, and what works best for me, is to have my lower teeth right underneath the point where the reed separates from the mouthpiece rails.
This results in having a little more of the mouthpiece and reed inside your mouth than most people do, and you need to build up the embouchure muscles to control the reed, but it's worth doing, since it lets the reed vibrate. It also gives you more possible tone colors by rolling your lower lip in and out and varying the position of your tongue and soft palate.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
