 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: martin
Date: 2004-03-20 02:27
Do any of you who play relatively closed mouthpieces switch to an open one when you play jazz? Should one stick to one mouthpiece for all styles of playing?
Martin Shapiro
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-03-20 13:15
I think the length of the facing (which defines the reed motion) is more important than the tip opening for overall play-ability.
For example, I can't play a short facing without strain.
Same tip opening with a longer facing is near effortless.
Hard enough to widdle all the keys without a blue face...
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-03-20 17:29
Quote:
You should have several mouthpieces. Why? I can only use one at a time. And if I choose to use the SAME one every time, I can't see the harm.
US Army Japan Band
Post Edited (2004-03-20 17:31)
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-03-20 17:52
Alexi has a very good point, in my opinion. You play the mouthpiece, the mouthpiece doesn't play you.
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-03-20 18:13
Last I knew, Eddie Daniels used the same mouthpiece for classical and jazz. It is a fairly close classical style facing.
Ed
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-03-21 02:59
I use a David Hite D facing at about 1.05 mm which makes it med-close.
As to whether you will sound one way or the other depending on tip opening is doubtful..a finely made mouthpiece with a good design can improve anyones playing.
I have seen so many players over the years worry about whether a mouthpiece may be to open distract from the general thought--
its about how you want to sound. The means of getting there are personal taste in feel and the effort of making the tone!
I have heard numerous colleagues play on tip openings so much smaller than mine, who have a more open and less focused sound you would normally associate with the facing designation they play on.
Again...it is approach.
Most classical players probably on average play somewhere in the middle of a rather delicate set of numbers...usually between 1.06 to around 1.19 being the majority...not a great variance. The leagnth of the window and baffle decide a tremendous amount...and with gifted people like Mr. Walter Grabner and Greg Smith on the board they can tell you alot more than I about the subject.
Normally with tips around 1.00 mm which is closed to about 1.19 or 1.27 which is medium open....the baffle is actually the area which decides so much how you are going to sound...and of course the shape of the players oral cavity and physical makeup. In fact even the language and chest cavity I feel has an awful low to do with how you sound.
More to the point it may be alot harder to play comfortably on an incredibly open piece unless you prefer the sound and colour of the way the maker has designed the piece. Quite few people realize jazz clarinet is as much about approach and concept than equipment. ....
Music is about about approach, and especially in the clarinet realm...sound comes down to your own mental concept a great deal!
If it isn't broke...don't fix it!!!
David Dow
Post Edited (2004-03-21 03:05)
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Author: john gibson
Date: 2004-03-21 22:24
I've found that It makes no difference whether the tip is open or close as far as Jazz playing is concerned....I have a wooden Buffet MPC with a close tip and use an Olivieri 4 1/2. I can still gliss....and "bend the notes" on it as I can on my Pomarico Jazz** with a big tip opening of 1.48mm and a Mitchell Lurie Premium 2. Only difference I notice is "fullness" of sound.
Not that the Pomarico doesn't sound good(it does), but maybe it's the wooden MPC and stronger reed strength that gives my R-13 a richness.
I'm pretty sure once you find the right MPC and reed....you can make your clarinet sing.....just depends on what you decide to do.
I have (thanks to Riccardo Clerici at Pomarico) 3 crystals....and an ebony MPC....plus a wooden Buffet and 4 Brilharts. (ebolin, tonalin, personaline, and Nilo Hovey) I find I can use any of the MPCs (with appropriate reed) to great satisfaction. It's your lips....embouchure....and practice that make the sound....
John Gibson.....the clarinator
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