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Chart Designed Mp

Author: JackOrion
Date: 2002-09-15 09:48

What does this mean? I was checking out Ralph Morgan's site. Where is the line drawn between vintage design and a modern mouthpiece?

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RE: Chart Designed Mp

Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-09-16 14:29

Jack -

Please give the address for Ralph Morgan's site. Google doesn't turn up anything, and Mark's "Retail Trade" list doesn't give one.

Thanks.

Ken Shaw

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RE: Chart Designed Mp

Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-09-16 14:31

I found this: http://www.junkdude.com/saxes/morgan_who_is.htm. Is that the one? If so, I have no idea what it means. I have one of his mouthpieces and have talked with him at some length, but never heard him use the phrase.

Ken Shaw

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RE: Chart Designed Mp

Author: JackOrion
Date: 2002-09-16 19:17

Yup Ken thats the one. "Chart designed" I'm curious if the facings are that much different from the so called "Vintage" and todays "Modern" mouthpiece.

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RE: Chart Designed Mp

Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-09-17 14:45

Jack -

Ralph Morgan's facings are symmetrical and pretty much standard. There are two differences between his clarinet mouthpieces and others: (1) his have a "duck bill" shape, like a sax mouthpiece; and (2) his have the side walls of the chamber rounded rather than angled or straight.

He also says he machines his mouthpieces from scratch out of solid cylinders of hard rubber, whereas other makers work from unfinished blanks made by other suppliers.

As others have said, the facing is the least important element of how a mouthpiece sounds. The shape of the baffle has the most effect, followed by the shape of the side walls and the width of the rails and tip. The duck bill shape has some effect, because your jaw is less open.

In general, his mouthpieces are free-blowing and have a smooth, "round" sound. I played one for several years, and it sounded very good to me as I played. However, when I listened to a recording of the quintet I was playing in at the time, I heard a lack of color, and I eventually switched.

Best regards.

Ken Shaw

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RE: Chart Designed Mp

Author: JackOrion
Date: 2002-09-18 07:03

I had know idea he used a duck bill for clarinet. The pics on his site did't show that. The photos I viewed could have been his Benny Goodman replicas.

Are there other Makers out there using rounded walls?

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