 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Natalie
Date: 2006-04-06 00:09
I teach private clarinet and I'm wanting to experiment with some new mouthpieces with my students. Most of me advanced students play on a Richard Hawkins "B" model, as do I. I find that it works well for most of my students. I have 2 in particular that I would be interested in trying something new with. One of them gets a nice dark sound, but it's too dull on the Hawkins. The other gets too bright of a sound for my liking. Her high notes are often shrill sounding. She almost sounds like she is playing on really soft reeds, but she isn't. Both play R13's with bonade ligatures. I'm not looking for anything super pricey, but not student mouthpieces either. Both students are 2X All- state students.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2006-04-06 12:50
Each player will have a mental concept of what he personally considers to be a "good" sound. When they play, the sound they hear is not the same as other listeners will hear. The player hears vibrations through teeth and bone structure that other listeners do not.
Players of this level will tend to adjust until they sound like themselves no matter what mouthpiece or reeds they use.
Have the players listen frequently to recordings containing what you (and hopefully they) consider to be a "good" sound. If possible, have them record themselves playing some of the same music. If they are not satisfied with the way others(and the recorder) hear them, then they will have incentive to change their sound.
It is pretty much impossible to predict which mouthpiece is best for each individual. That is why I have drawers full of the things.
The player must try them out before buying, and preferably several of each model.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2006-04-06 14:52
Everyone has their own particular sound, mostly in spite of the specific mouthpiece on which they play. It is also important to remember that a clarinets sound "up close" that may be percieved to be too brght or shrill will mellow as it carries to the audience "out there". A couple of years ago I subbed (for two selections) in an orchestra whose principal clarinetist had what I considered to be a rather bright, shrill sound. But later, as I listened to the rest of the concert from the hall, his sould was rich, vibrant and full of expression. Asked what mouthpiece he was using, he replied, "I have a Kaspar". Up close--not the best, but far away--supurb.
Another aspect, the wind ensemble conductor of our local university often says, "A good sound is an in-tune sound". The resulting "blend" of ones clarinet sound is not so much a result of "dark" or "chocolate" but more of how well it resonates harmonically with the total ensemble. And that is a matter of matching pitch vibrations (A=440, etc) and amplitudes (mp, ff, etc) rather than a tones "quality".
So, Natalie, I would recommend not worrying so much about your students individual tone qualities but rather zone in on developing their abilities to play expressivley with appropriate dynamics and play impeccalby in tune via critical listening. And like Mr Bonade said (paraphrased), almost any mouthpiece will do--you just have to learn how to play it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2006-04-06 14:58
I have to disagree with William on his last sentence: "...almost any mouthpiece will do --- you just have to learn how to play it."
A poor mouthpiece will be nearly unplayable by even an advanced player, and will completely stifle the progress of a more junior player. I would bet that many potential clarinetists have left clarinet-playing behind forever because of struggles with bad mouthpieces. A GOOD MOUTHPIECE IS ESSENTIAL to all players, regardless of their skill level. To a certain extent a player can adjust to a bad mouthpiece -- but at significant cost in fatigue, tension, reduced dynamic range, reed-fussiness, tuning problems, etc. etc. Why should a student have to fight all that in addition to the other challenges presented to him/her?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2006-04-06 20:24
I agree with Dave on this one. I have almost 30 clarinets in my house at any time and even more mouthpieces. Some mouthpieces "work" with some horns and some don't. Sometimes I can rework some that don't so that they do but I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination. Why some work and some don't is for the experts to know. In any event it behooves players and teachers to realize the situation and not continue to struggle with a mouthpiece that makes practice a dreaded chore.
Bob Draznik
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2006-04-07 04:41
Yes, David S, you are indeed correct. Mr Bonandes paraphrase should have read, "Almost any *well made* mouthpiece will do--you just have to learn how to play it". And a "well made" mouthpiece need not be overly expensive. In fact, I have two LeBlanc stock Woodwind G8s that my old University of Wisconsin clarinet professor, Dr. Glenn Bowen customized and refaced. Each one plays as good--if not better--than any other mouthpiece I've played on over the years and they only cost about $45.00 each.
You do need a mouthpiece that is free from defects and well made, but aside from that, almost any one will do as long as you take the time to learn how to play it well. At least, that is what David Bonade is reported to have said. Bernard Pornoy, another great clarinetist and mouthpiece maker also offered that same theory at a Chicago Mid-West B & O Clinc which I attended many years ago. He said, "No matter what mouthpiece you use, you will always return to your old sound within two weeks". But he did go on to say that the particular mpc had to be "good" and he was selling his own brand of Portnoy models as "good". I'm sorry that I did not buy one of his products, but I had already been by the Bay display booth and--after buying two custom thumb rests and custom mouthpieces--I didn't have any money left.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2006-04-07 15:57
Walter Grabner has come out with a new student/intermediate mouthpiece that I have play-tested and found to be quite nice. He's a sponsor. Ask him what he suggests.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Natalie
Date: 2006-04-10 03:03
Thanks for all the replies. I don't think a different mouthpiece would change either of their sounds dramatically, but I definitely believe it could help. I just don't know very much about mouthpieces and thought other clarinet teachers out there might have some suggestions of mouthpieces that work very well for their students. They are both such good players and it's fun to experiment with different sounds. Both have complained that they don't feel comfortable with their current mouthpiece. By comfortable I think they mean they don't feel like they have complete control in all registers. Of course maybe that is not the mouthpiece but the player.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Yellowhornblower
Date: 2006-04-11 06:39
Dear Natalie,
Enough has been said through this exchange about how an individual player has to come to a point where s/he has developed his or her own voice - no matter what horn, mouthpiece, or reed. It is important, of course, that a player choose a mouthpiece with which s/he is most comfortable - regardless of what brand it is.
There is, however, one device that allows a player to choose a tone that s/he likes best from three different ones. This device is the Vandoren Optimum ligature. This great invention comes in the three plates that one can choose to put between the ligature and a reed, and each will produce quite an audible different tone on the same horn, mouthpiece, and reed.
So, perhaps, you may want to have your students try it and get a tone that suits them most. (I use the Optimum ligature on a Pomarico (crystal) jazz* mouthpiece and with a 1 1/2 Rico reed and cannot be happier with this set-up.
My profile can be viewed at www.thangthecolumnist.blogspot.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leblanc Sonata clarinet and a Yamaha YSS-475 soprano sax
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JessKateDD
Date: 2006-04-11 07:12
Natalie,
Congrats on your excellent teaching! As far as the equipment is concerned, I know that Richard makes excellent mouthpieces. Maybe they should try some different reeds. Also, it's always useful to have them listen to recordings of clarinetists you admire. Having a good idea of how you want to sound establishes your tone just as much as equipment.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2006-04-11 08:18
Alexander Wilscher mouthpieces are not so expensive and no tax is necessary to pay. I use their 40B.Works well with thinner reeds.
http://www.aw-reeds.de/en/index.html
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
