 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LeOpus1190s
Date: 2004-08-19 03:46
Weiner Music sent me the A clarinets that were at the convention. There is one A clarinet that I am particularly fond of. Not my dream horn yet, but I think after a chadash barrel and being brannenized it will be pretty damn close .
About a year and a half ago I switched over to the M30 13 mouthpiece from my Hawkins B series which i had played on since before they were released to everyone. The M30 brought the pitch down on my Bb clarinet to a very comfortable point but now I am seeing with these A clarinets that the horns are playing really really flat.
Now I took out the Hawkins for old times sake and I found that the A clarinets all felt much better with the Hawkins and at a comfortable pitch. But when I played the hawkins with my Bb clarinet, well there wasn't much love, I was once agian playing sharp and my sound was slightly not me.
Now I can fix this situation. Here are my two options i think unless you can give me more. I can use the M30 and find a chadash 64mm barrel for my future A clarinet or I can use the hawkins and try to find a barrel that would make my Bb compatable.
just thinking
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2004-08-19 08:20
I use a 13-series mouthpiece (a 5RVLyre) on my YCL26. When I selected a wooden instrument late last year, it played way flat on every instrument I tried: even the R13 which it is supposed to be built for.
I therefore bought an M15 (not 13-series) which is fine on the Leblanc I chose, but way sharp on the Yamaha.
Maybe you should try a non-13-series M30?
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2004-08-19 10:11
Isn't a 64mm barrel on the A the 'normal' length? Which doesn't make sense since most come with a 65 and a 66.
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Author: msloss
Date: 2004-08-19 13:44
Changing mouthpieces is not going to help you. You've already established that, as you play the instruments, the same mouthpiece yields different pitch results on different horns, meaning it ain't the 'piece.
Two suggestions:
Practice for a while on the A, then switch back to the Bb and try to get the same deeper more sonorous quality from the sound. You may find that your Bb pitch centers better with the A. It is easier than you might believe (and easier than on the A) to choke the pitch high on the Bb. If you strive for that "A" sound from your Bb, your timbre might open up and pitch will come down a touch.
Second -- get an array of barrels to try on both horns to get some pitch agreement after you settle on which mouthpiece you are going to commit to. The horns aren't flat -- you play them flat. As you say, perhaps a 64mm Chadash or Moennig with your setup and playing approach will kick it in line. Or perhaps you decide to play on the Hawkins and try a 67mm on Bb to bring it down to the A's reference.
Good luck. Sounds like you are getting close.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-08-19 14:25
The solution seems simple to me (simpleton that I may be)--play the mouthpiece that helps you produce the sound that you like and then select a barrel that will allow you to play in tune. If you still like the mouthpiece, but do not like the way it plays on a particular clarinet, find a new clarinet that it does play on. I think that we overly sensitive and tecnically obsessed clarinetists sometimes get too concerned with mechanical details--custom this and tweeked that--and fail to see the trees because the forest is blocking our view. Like the good doctor says, "If it hurts, don't do that". If you like the mouthpiece, play it. If the clarinet is flat, push the barrel in or get a shorter one. If one clarinet plays well and the other doesn't, find a new one that does. And then the real probelm will surface--learn how to play them and not let them play you.
Please understand, Le-9o's, I am not trying to assult your ability as a musician nor make light of your technical concerns and your "pursuit of excellance". I am only suggesting that the solution to your delemia may be less complex than you think. Have a great day!!!!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-08-19 14:30
"just thinking" Le: did you ever think about changing careers? just kidding, but your frustration just seems overwhelming.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-08-19 16:00
If your reed set up is a bit light this may be a factor in lowering the pitch..most of my students have no trouble on a normal series M30 or B40 playing at 440...give some thought to whether or not the reed you are using factors in as well. Softer can will play lower with some people!
David Dow
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2004-08-19 16:57
I guess I must be even more simple-minded than William because my solution is even simpler. Why not use the (ugh!) Vandoren on your Bb and the Hawkins on the A. There is no law against using two different mouthpieces. Differences between your Bb clarinet and the A you have become fond of may dictate that a mouthpiece that is optimized for one may not work well with the other -- and compromises may not work well with either. I have wondered in the past whether, perhaps in at least some cases, you dissatisfaction with the A clarinets you were trying was more due to mouthpiece incompatibility than an inherent problem with the instrument, itself.
Changing barrels is probably worth a try but it might not solve the problem. As has often been pointed out, changing the length of the tube has a different effect on the "long" notes than it does on the "short" notes. Working with a barrel maker such as Chadash or Backun, who can adjust the barrel as you try it, might increase your chances of success.
A side benefit to using two different mouthpieces (especially if they feel similar) is that you are not tied to a "compromise" reed and you should be able to make faster changes. The most frequently-cited cost of this approach appears to be having to pick up an instrument whose reed has dried out. Personally, I find this complaint somewhat overstated. Folks who play in pit orchestras who have to switch between varying sizes of clarinet, saxophone, flute, and perhaps double reeds seem to be able to manage just fine.
In the long run, if you really insist on using the same mouthpiece with both instruments, your best success may come working with someone who can tailor a mouthpiece and/or barrel to meet your needs while you are sitting there with them.
While I usually agree with William, choosing a clarinet because it works with a particular mouthpiece (unless that mouthpiece happens to be a Chicago Kaspar 14 ) seems like the tail wagging the dog to me.
Best regards,
jnk
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