 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: kellyjellibellibean
Date: 2004-06-13 22:32
hello....there is this girl in my band and her tone is more serious and in my opinion prettier than mine. I use a hite premiere mouthpiece that produces a bouncy, fun tone but i want a more professional sound....any suggestions???
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Author: RAMman
Date: 2004-06-13 22:38
I'm on a crusade, as some BB posters will have noticed, to stop this constant 'something's wrong, I need a new mouthpiece' philosophy.
If you have a fundamentally sound setup (never heard of a Hite premiere mind) then it is probably worth looking at your technique in some way.
If there is a fundamental problem however....
I play on a James Pyne (have done for 6 years) mouthpiece....but that doesn't mean you should. You need to try a huge range of mouthpieces, and check so many things.
This has been done to death on this board though, I suggest a search.
Good luck!!
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-13 22:44
>"I'm on a crusade, as some BB posters will have noticed, to stop this constant 'something's wrong, I need a new mouthpiece' philosophy.
If you have a fundamentally sound setup (never heard of a Hite premiere mind) then it is probably worth looking at your technique in some way."<
While I agree somewhat what what you're saying, I can't say that I do completely. After all, in some cases, the mouthpiece can indeed be a huge problem. Is there anyone outside of a few pros who are going to sound the same on say example, a Bass with a buffet stock mouthpiece and a Clark Fobes San Francisco? While a mouthpiece shouldn't be a fix to all problems, it can certainly help someone who needs a bit of a boost.
Post Edited (2004-06-13 22:48)
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2004-06-14 00:03
Mouthpieces, in my experience can affect your tone quite a bit, but I would suggest just working on your sound in other ways. I personally spent the better part of my high school time in band trying different mouthpieces and ligatures, when what I really needed was a good teacher (which I got in college).
Even if you did determine that your mouthpiece is the problem, the phrase "professional sound" isn't very exact. Many professionals have different sounds. If you decide that a new mouthpiece is actually what you want, try making a list of specific qualities you want: "darker, brighter, improved intonation, ease of response, ringiness/projection... etc" (I don't know if these are the proper terms for certain sound aspects. Once you know which qualities you are looking for, it will be easier to find a mouthpiece that provides them (without trying every single one on the market).
DH
theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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Author: John_May
Date: 2004-06-14 01:59
Well, I personally sound much darker and richer on my m13 than on my usual 5rv Lyre or my B45... I find the mouthpiece makes a difference. Try out a broad array of Vandorens and see how that works. It might help, it might not.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-06-14 02:17
Discuss this with your teacher, first.
There are so many choices, and variations in manufacture, that it could become a never-ending search.
Something that allows you to play a nicely made, medium strength reed for a few hours every day will generally improve your tone.
The Hite Premier mouthpiece is suitable for a medium-soft reed, and may not respond well to something in the #3 to #3.5 range.
Mouthpieces are like shoes; one size does not fit all.
I like the Vandoren line, as they're not too expensive.
You really must play a few to find out for yourself - it's YOUR mouthpiece.
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Author: Clarinetist
Date: 2004-06-14 08:41
In some cases, It might be better to get a new mouthpiece if you think you are in need for one. (IMO) If you think you have a better sound when playing on some specific mouthpiece than your old one, then you should consider about changing to a new one. It might be, however that your audience doesn´t hear any difference in your sound, but if you feel comfortable with it, then you should keep it.
But you will have to do some practising, if you want to have that professional sound! A good mouthpiece can just help you to achieve that.
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Author: Brad
Date: 2004-06-14 17:23
Before going down the "I want to sound like ______, I need a new mouthpiece" road. You may want to discuss with you teacher what you want to sound like and see if there is something that can be done without changing equipment. I would also recommend having someone record you with a somewhat decent recording setup and let you hear what you really sound like to an audience. I know my sound is very different (for the better) from in front of the clarinet than it is from my perspective as the one playing.
Brad Cohen
Clarinetist
la_brad@yahoo.com
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