 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ryan K
Date: 2008-08-06 03:57
I currently play a Clark Fobes Cicero 13, and I am continually unhappy with the strength of reed I find.
For discussion sake, I'm going to stick within the Vandoren brand, and stay away from sound quality of the reeds.
The reeds that I've tried on this piece so far are V12 3.5, V56 3.5+, and VTraditional 3.5.
The V12's felt the closest, but something I couldn't identify try felt off. I then tried the 56's, which felt closer, but still not perfect. Continuing, as par the Vandoren reed comparison chart, I tried the VTraditional reeds, and found them much to hard.
All of these reeds were given proper break through periods, and I used at least a box of each.
So my question is thus: When selecting reeds, should I air on ones that are softer or harder. By softer I don't mean too soft, but simply a softer read within the mouthpieces acceptable range.
If this question needs clarification, please just ask.
Ryan Karr
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-08-06 12:05
First check Mr. Fobes's website and find the tip opening, then check the vandoren comparison chart for the mouthpiece with similar tip opening. use that to determine the reed strength you need.
When I got my Fobes, I went through the same battle with vandoren, so tried many other brands and finally settled on Zonda.
____________________
Ryder Naymik
San Antonio, Texas
"We pracice the way we want to perform, that way when we perform it's just like we practiced"
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Author: Ed
Date: 2008-08-06 13:02
You might even drop Clark a quick note to ask him what reed he might suggest for this mouthpiece.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-08-06 13:10
As far as I remember Fobes mouthpieces are made to fit Vandoren reeds, which of course doesn't mean you will prefer Vandoren reeds with them. You weren't exactly clear if the V12 and 56 you tried were too hard. If the V12 3.5 were closest and the regular 3.5 too hard, then maybe regular 3 will work. Some prefer the regular better than the V12. Other than tip opening there are a few more big factors on reed strength. One of them is the facing, and on my mouthpiece, which is more open than my previous mouthpiece, I use the same or even harder reeds.
>> When selecting reeds, should I air on ones that are softer
>> or harder. By softer I don't mean too soft, but simply a softer
>> read within the mouthpieces acceptable range.
The answer is another big factor on reed strength, the player. Occasionally I try other clarinetists' setups, and although those players are able to make a good sound with their setup, when I try them I feel they vary from a reed so soft almost like thin paper to a reed so hard that I can only make a very airy sound if at all. This shows that different players, using similar mouthpieces, can choose very different strength reeds depending on how they like the feel of the entire setup.
Nitai
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2008-08-06 15:13
Clarinetists always seem to focus on tip opening and forget facing length. Facing length has as much to do with the "correct" strength of reed as does tip opening, maybe more.
A short facing will have to have a softer, more flexible reed. That same reed will flatten out and hardly play on a very long facing.
Mouthpiece craftsmen balance out these parameters trying to make a mouthpiece with 1. great tone, 2. just enough response, 3. just enough resistance, and 4. excellent intonation, etc. Sometimes we win, somtimes we don't.
Another factor, which varies from player to player, and is seldom considered, is the angle of the players bite. Generally the more the overbite, the longer the faing that is "comfortable", and vice versa. People with an underbite might even require a completely custom mouthpiece. Then, think about adding the factors of reed strength preference and you can have quite the complicated situation.
I suggest that we all focus less on "just tip opening" in discussions like these.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
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Author: MichaelR
Date: 2008-08-06 15:32
Another factor, which varies from player to player, and is seldom considered, is the angle of the players bite. Generally the more the overbite, the longer the faing that is "comfortable", and vice versa. People with an underbite might even require a completely custom mouthpiece. Then, think about adding the factors of reed strength preference and you can have quite the complicated situation.
Does this also imply the usual angle the player holds the clarinet is also a factor?
--
Michael of Portland, OR
Be Appropriate and Follow Your Curiosity
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Author: Ryan K
Date: 2008-08-07 02:58
Very interesting about the mentions of under and overbite.
Alas, yet again, the problem lies with the player, I'll keep experimenting on both ends of the spectrum, and report back later.
Ryan Karr
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-08-07 03:57
I had emailed Mr. Fobes a while back about what he reccomended i use with the San Fransisco CF+. He told me V12s or Rico Reserve i believe.
Mr. Grabner,
I had heard about facing length, but never looked at it that closely, or was able to connect it to reed strength. Thank you
Also, what does the length of the reed vamp in comparison to the table length have to do with tone production?
____________________
Ryder Naymik
San Antonio, Texas
"We pracice the way we want to perform, that way when we perform it's just like we practiced"
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2008-08-11 03:21
The Vamp of the reed, in theory anyway, should correspond exactly with the length of the window of your mouthpiece.
On many mouthpieces, the length of the window from the cut off point to the end of the tip rail is 32 mm.
Many reeds have the cut off point 32 mm or longer from the tip. You don't want bark on the reed less than 32 mm from the tip of the reed.
One of the problems associated with refacing of mouthpiece, is that the window length gets shortened. Think about it............
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
New and Restored Buffet Clarinets
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