 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: cKaSully16
Date: 2004-12-06 02:30
Hey everyone. My name's Kyle and it's my first time posting on this board. I'm a junior in high school.
I've searched on the topic of the 13 series mouthpieces and tuning to A=440 but I'm still not sure what to do.
I play on a Vandoren M15 13 mouthpiece and use V12's (3.5/4) or Rue Lepics (3.5+/4). I use a Buffet R-13 clarinet. My problem is my intonation isn't constant. My low F is always 10-15 cents flat and then everything is pretty much in tune until I get up to thumb F and it too is about 10-20 cents flat. My open G is in tune but sometimes goes a few cents flat. The C above that is 5-10 cents sharp, but above that everything else is nicely in tune--including in the altissimo register. So what do I do? With such varying pitch tendencies, I don't know if I should stick with the 13 series or not or if it's something totally unrelated to the mouthpiece. I also have one other question..I'm also considering switching to another Vandoren mouthpiece. I was thinking about the 5RV or the M13. What kind of differences in sound and tone quality would I experience if I switched to one of these mouthpieces from the M15? I intently plan on play testing both of these mouthpieces but any heads-up info would be great.
Thanks!
-Kyle
"Music is the silence between the notes."
-Claude Debussy
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-12-06 03:44
I would investigate the rest of the clarinet first. That, and make sure you aren't tensing up on particular notes.
Also, when you tune these supposedly in-tune notes, are you looking at the tuner? I know from experience that a note quickly becomes in tune if I'm looking at the tuner when I play it, as I've inadvertently trained myself to fix it.
Do you only pull out at the barrel, or also at the middle and bell, to tune?
As someone who plays in both an A=438 and an A=440+ ensemble, I've learned that such matters are highly relative and require constant adjustment.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2004-12-06 04:46
It has been my experience that the 13 series mouthpieces generally play very flat in the throat tones. The M15 is a fine mouthpiece; I suggest you try one that is not a series 13.
Your low F will always be a little low. If you don't have one already, a Chadash or Moennig type barrel will help the throat tones and the upper clarion register. You might also consider a 67mm barrel for your B flat rather than the standard 66mm. The only drawback with the 67mm is that your band probably does not play as low as A440, but in the long run, a 67mm may better suit your needs.
AND, Welcome to the Board!!
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Author: JTS
Date: 2004-12-06 05:06
If those are the only bad notes and every thing else is pretty well intune, then I would say you are not doing to bad. The low F and the C are out of tune becuase of your clarinet most likely. That is a very wide 12th, and most often it seems they just split the difference. The others could be fixed by a barrel or some tone hole work...
JTS
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2004-12-06 09:00
I used to play a 13-series 5RVLyre on my plastic Yamaha. When I went to choose a wooden clarinet, just a year ago, I found that every instrument I tried was flat and out of tune, much as you describe. The shop blamed the 13-series mouthpiece. They were right. I now play a non-13-series M15 on a Leblanc Concerto, and its intonation is impeccable. (My intonation is frequently awful, but that's not the fault of the equipment!)
I find it puzzling that my 13-series wouldn't work even on an R13, but that was the case.
If you like the M15, I suggest you buy, steal or borrow a non-13 series one, and see whether that improves matters.
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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: BobD
Date: 2004-12-06 16:39
Are slightly flat E and even F really a significant issue?
Bob Draznik
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-12-06 18:54
Dear Kyle...I suspect the issue of playing a slightly low E and F may be magnified by how sharp the groups you are with play...this is quite a small matter. IN orchestra I generally find my oboe, flutes and bassoons all tend to play these notes slightly lower then the average clarinet...I would not worry so much and if the problem spreads to other notes then I would maybe check into looking at barrels..
Not too big a problem...
David Dow
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