 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: KellyA
Date: 2006-11-07 18:50
I was recently asked from a co-worker of mine what type of mouthpiece she should get her daughter for christmas. She is 12, a player of 2 years, and plays the latest model of Buffet B12 with the factory mouthpiece. (I recommended the B12 as well). I am quite sure that she will continue playing into college because she is really into it and is one of the top players in her section. My college lesson teacher had all of her students playing on the Vandoren M13 Lyre with a profile 88 beak in recent years. Is this mouthpiece choice a wise decision at this point? Anyone have suggestions on a good mouthpiece that may be better suited? I was suggesting the M13 so that she would be comfortable with it when she goes on to college playing. It is very likely that she will attend the same college that plays on the M13's.
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2006-11-07 20:09
First of all, beware of any teacher who requires all of his/her students to play on the same mouthpiece -- fails to take into account individual physical differences between the various students, not to mention the fact that they are probably not all playing on the the same model clarinet. I have no personal experience with the M13 Lyre and don't know to what extent it differs from the simple M13. However , IMHO, the M13 was a monumental flop on the part of Vandoren. Because of the very close facing there was an incredible amount of non-consistency between individual mouthpieces. The best of them required very strong reeds (#5) to get decent results, and too many of them were stuffy and unresponsive with any kind of reed!. In any case the M13 was not intended as a beginning student mouthpiece, and is ill suited to that use. The pro players I knew who used them for a while have all long since abandoned them! It was pretty much supplanted by the M15 which can be a very good mouthpiece, but not for young players usually.
There have been on this website many discussions of recommended mouthpieces for young players -- Hite Premier and Fobes Debut always seem to get good reviews.
Larry Bocaner
National Symphony Orchestra (retired)
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Author: BobD
Date: 2006-11-07 20:53
....and according to advertising vd specifically designed this mp for the R-13 horn.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Fontalvo
Date: 2006-11-08 01:46
Some of the M13 that I have played are a little flat. However, I've heard that Mark Jacobi in Philadelphia, fixes them and they come out perfect.
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Author: joeyscl
Date: 2006-11-08 04:25
My first teacher (whose teaching skills were that of a donkey) told me to switch to M13 Lyre... I didn't notice any significant change at that time, since i've only played the clarinet for an year or so back then. But in the recent years in which I dug out my old Yamaha mouth piece that came with my first clarinet... BOY, what a big different it makes. Overall, i think its a superb mouth piece.
I also tried the popular B45 (well, half an year ago), I thought they were Terrible :/ ...perhaps its because im so accustomed to my M13 lyre
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Author: mnorswor
Date: 2006-11-08 05:18
I would agree with Larry on this one.
Also, the younger players who have come to me with these mouthpieces have had significant problems with them. Because of the very close and more importantly the very LONG facing put on these mpcs, they require reeds which are too un-necessarily hard. Couple the problem of having to play harder reeds with an underdeveloped embochure and this presents a real issue. By underdeveloped, I do not mean properly formed but rather that younger players lack some of the necessary muscle structure and muscular control that only comes with the maturation of one's body through aging and growth.
What I would recommend is that the student be given a selection of mouthpieces to try. For my own students, I have them try mouthpieces from Brad Behn, Clark Fobes and Vandoren. I can tell them what I think of the sound but only they can tell me what it feels like. If it feels too difficult to play, then I have them try until we find something that is both comfortable for them to play on and produces a good quality of sound (both to my ears and theirs).
This is only my method and not meant in any way to undermine the methods of other teachers. Everyone has their own approach, however, for me, I find the best approach is to go with the students needs and wants and use my role as teacher to GUIDE them, not force them into a particular way of doing something. I hope this helps!!
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Author: KellyA
Date: 2006-11-08 14:04
All of this advice helps greatly, I really appreciate it. She is a very talented young musician at this point. I would just like to see her take the next step and get away from the buffet factory mouthpiece and into something higher quality. I know the buffet factory mouthpieces are a joke, I have a few of them around. The one that came with my tosca doesn't match the horn's ability at all, and sounds very stuffy and difficult to articulate in the upper notes. Thanks again.
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Author: bufclar
Date: 2006-11-08 16:22
Maybe Vandoren mouthpieces are not always the best choice for young students but I will say that some very good players play Vandoren mouthpieces. Todd Levy, John Bruce Yeh, Anthony Mcgill to name a few. After trying every mouthpiece on the block over the last year and a half I now play a Vandoren M13 Lyre and am very happy with it. I went to Dansr in Chicago and tried maybe 8 and found one that I thought was very nice. I did a little bit of work on the baffle (tricks I learned from Clark Fobes) and I must say it is as fine a mouthpiece as I have ever played. It has a even quality in all registers, fantastic intonation, a very nice ring to the sound, superb articulation in all registers and it is a very fun, easy piece to play.
I will say that only 2 out of the 8 were even playable and the one I chose did need sme light work on the baffle to get it the way I liked it but it is possible to find a good Vandoren mouthpiece. Got the mouthpiece and a new optimum ligature and both were cheaper than any makers mouthpiece alone. I also happen to be one of the only people I know that does not like the sound of Zinner blanks. If I could afford it, I would deffinetly play a Behn Vintage. I tried them last year and loved them but I just cant justify spending that much on a mouthpiece right now.
It so confusing to hear how many people dislike Vandoren mouthpieces when I am so happy with mine. Maybe I happened to stumble on 1 in 50 that is a great player.
Post Edited (2006-11-08 16:49)
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