 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ashley
Date: 2000-10-25 01:33
just a quick question - I'm starting to play Bb clar again, I'm playing a really old Henkin clarinet that belongs to my school.. it works, sort of. I'll be buying my own as soon as I get enough money. Thats not my problem. I'm thinking I need to get a different mouthpiece like NOW. I'm still using the Selmer Goldentone one they gave me in 5th grade. Yeah, the 11 dollar mouthpiece. I get a decent sound out of it I guess... but I just basically need a new one. What should I try? I'm just barely getting into playing Bb again, so my embouchure (sp?) isnt the best - well, its ok but it could be better. I'm used to a lot bigger reed, playing bass clar most of the time. I want a good mpc, but as cheap as possible, I still need to get that clarinet, and a different mouthpiece for my bass also. Need lots of $$$, and I dont have very much :( Thanx a lot
-ashley-
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Author: jbutler
Date: 2000-10-25 02:08
Ashley,
Try the Hite "Premier" or the Fobes "Debut". They are good mouthpieces that won't put you out a lot of money. I think both of them can be bought for less than $30, maybe $35 with shipping.
J. Butler
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Author: tb0b
Date: 2000-10-25 02:28
J. Butler,
How would you compare those two mouthpieces ("Premier" and the Fobes "Debut") to the Vandoren B54 and the Vandoren (5RVLyre) 13 Series (Profile 88) ?
Which ones would you prefer?
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Author: jbutler
Date: 2000-10-25 03:42
The B45 and 5RV Lyre, et al. are more expensive than I think Ashley is wanting to spend at the moment. I like both the '45 and 'Lyre....had little experience with the M13...didn't really thrill me. I haven't tried the other "88's" and 13 series. The VanDoren mthpc I tried once and really liked was the 11.6. I think both the Fobes and Hite are good bargains for the money. Would I prefer them over the VanDoren mouthpieces? I don't know. I would have to sit down and play on them for awhile in order to decide. I do know that they (Premier and Debut) work well with my beginners. I really haven't been in the mouthpiece hunting, searching or whatever you want to call it arena for quite awhile. I believe in finding something that works and sticking with it. There for awhile in college I bought a quite a few mouthpieces. One day I got the new mtpc "wonder" and took it to my clarinet lesson. I was very excited. After the lesson the prof looked up and stated, "..it would make a good paperweight!". Without saying anything further he got up and excused himself.....and I got the message!
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Author: Mark Charette, Webmaster
Date: 2000-10-25 04:11
One other fine student mouthpiece is the Pyne Polycrystal. I've recommended those three (Hite, Fobes, and Pyne) to a number of beginning students, and all of them (and their teachers) have been pleased with the result.
My youngest plays on a Fobes Debut alto sa ... sa ... saxo ... oh, you know, that thing with a single reed and curved bell made of metal, and it's of the same fine quality.
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Author: Daniel Bouwmeester
Date: 2000-10-25 09:18
My solution is that you go to a specialized shop, and you try everything they have and buy the one you find the easiest to play / that produces the nicest tone / that is best for staccato....
Otherwise, I'm a Vandoren B45 dot and B45 lyre fanatic.... you could try those....... Vandoren recommends to begginers to play the 5RV lyre...
I find Charles Bay mouthpieces very good too, but they cost a fortune.... (~200 $) They have a lot of different models......
I still think the only way is to try them yourself... with the help of a good dealer..
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-10-25 11:14
IMHO, the advice to "try everything" works better for an experienced, advanced player than for someone who's getting the embouchure back. IMHO this student is wise to ask for some recommendations and narrow down the choices a bit before going into the store to try things. Trying out too many things all at once can be confusing and exhausting. In fact, that still happens to me as an advanced amateur. I do better to compare no more than three or four new things in one visit, so I can remember clearly from one thing to the next.
I think the recommendations for the moderately priced Hite, Fobes and Pyne mouthpieces are very good ones and any of them would be a big improvement on a Goldentone. I have a Hite Premiere along with a whole lot of other mpcs, most of which I acquired haphazardly because they were in the cases with clarinets I bought used. That Hite is a lot of value for the money, IMHO, much better than just a beginner mpc, although the retail price makes it reasonable for a student.
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Author: Brent
Date: 2000-10-25 14:09
Okay, i'll join the bandwagon...I have the Hite, the Fobes and the Pyne all three. I also have a B45. All three student mouthpieces are very good--nice sound, easy to play, easy to control. I'd pick any of 'em over the B45 for most playing. Now, i'm sure that my B45 is not exactly like *your* B45 (even moreso, my embouchure is not like your embouchure!) so it may not be the case for you. Still, for any student you cannot go wrong with any one of those three. Please note i'm not knocking the Vandoren--it's not bad at all. The others are simply (for me) better.
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Author: Susan L.
Date: 2000-10-25 14:53
I purchased a Hite Premier for my daughter to learn to play on. I can't believe how easy it plays. She was able to start playing right away without much trouble. Woodwind & Brass has it for $19.95, so the price was right. I picked this one because of all the recomendation here on the board. I have just ordered a Pyne Poly Crystal for her. I'm anxious to she how she plays with this mouthpiece.
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Author: Joe Spencer
Date: 2000-10-25 18:26
I also would recommend the Hite Premier. I bought it for around $20 per Mark's suggestion several months ago and have been very happy with it.
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Author: jerry
Date: 2000-10-25 23:37
MY 2 Cents -- on the advice here on the BB, I started my clarinet career (several weeks now) with the CF "Debut" and it has performed fine for all I know. However, with my used Vito, came a used MP (Bundy, marked with a #3). Last night I decided to see what the diference might be. Although I have not graduated out of the chalemeau (sp) yet, I have experimented (of course) with the register key. With the Debut I cannot seem to get very high (left hand - index, ring, pinky fingers and thumb) with the register key. Seems like someone just plugged'er up.
However, with the Bundy MP (and same 2.5 reed) I am able to get higher with only the thumb and index finger (sometimes even without the index finger) -- I'm sure I'll learn what these notes are when I get there. It just seems to take less effort with Bundy MP, although control of the embachure seems to suffer -- get more "squeeks" and that might be explained by not being used to the Bundy. Can anyone explain why it might be easier to reach higher with the Bundy?
Thanks ~
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2000-10-25 23:57
The Bundy probably has a more open facing than the Debut, which makes the reed seem harder. As a result, the upper register speaks more easily. To get the Debut to work as easily in the upper register, you might need to try a #3 reed. I once had two mouthpieces, one with a long, close facing, and one with an open one. On the first one, I needed a #4 1/2, which was actually a little easier to play than a #3 on the second one. The more open the tip opening, the softer the reed necessary to play on it.
BTW, some of those old Bundy mouthpieces are pretty good. I refaced one last week, and was pleasantly surprised that it turned out to be an excellent mouthpiece.
Chris
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Author: Fred
Date: 2000-10-26 00:09
Jerry, reeds and mouthpieces really need to be considered as a team. This is one of the things that makes comparing mp's difficult. We may be used to playing a #3 reed on our mp, and someone hands us the world's greatest mp that really needs a 2 1/2 or a 3 1/2 reed. We slap one of our #3 reeds on there, it doesn't play right, and we proclaim the world's greatest mp a dud. So you've got to be careful and experiment around with different strength reeds when you are checking out mp's.
You didn't say what your problem was when using your Debut, and I'm not familiar with the openings on your two mp's. But trust me . . . you've always got to find the right reed to play with your mouthpiece. And don't forget that as you progress, you will probably gravitate to a bit harder reed anyway UP TO A POINT! A young player can start softer than recommended for a mp, but rarely is benefit gained by playing harder than recommended.
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Author: jerry
Date: 2000-10-26 01:27
>"You didn't say what your problem was when using your Debut, and I'm not familiar with the openings on your two mp's."
Don't believe there is anything wrong with the Debut. Just when experimenting with the register key I feel like I'm blowing into the end of my thumb when I have any of the holes of the left hand open -- more so on the Debut than on the Bundy. It appears that there is more taper to the Debut than on the Bundy -- leaving a longer distance of reed/MP separation on the Debut. The reed size seems to make sense - I think I'll try a #3 on the Debut, just for grins.
I just happened to be reading about diferent MPS here on the BB and thought I would try the Bundy MP that came with the used CL I bought, because I had been using the *new* Debut I had purchased while I was searching for a CL and had never tried the Bundy - no problems here that about 5 years of practice won't cure. COUNT - COUNT - COUNT, one, two, three, four -- if I could only COUNT while playing.
Thanks ~
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Author: Fred
Date: 2000-10-26 03:18
Jerry, if by blowing on your thumb you mean the air has no place to go, then it is entirely possible that your reed is too soft for the Debut in that register. However, it also indicates that you may be biting down harder in that register than in your lower range. You will need to watch that. Develop good strength from the sides of your mouth; that will help keep your jaw down and keep you from biting too hard. One of my teachers had the habit of holding the barrel as I played and would try to wiggle the horn from side to side. It was rude and crude, but I did get that support stronger!
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Author: Ashley
Date: 2000-11-01 02:30
I've been playing Bb a little recently, on the Hite mouthpiece my director has.. so far I like it, she's going to pick another one up for me soon, what she said my problem is is that my reed is waaay too soft.. i've been using a lavoz medium, i have to go get a couple medium-hards and michell lurie 3 1/2s... i was playing a duet w/ our first clarinet today (Pepperino, its a legacy we started in 8th grade when 3 of us played the top part for middle school solo festival, we're playing the duet this year [5 years later] for small group contest.. just cuz its fun , and i was sooo flat it wasnt even funny. Angie had everything pulled out a long way (barrel, middle, bell) and we still sounded really bad....i ended up having to use a shorter barrel... which sort of worked. i was still flat though.
So anyway, thats that, dont blame me for being stupid when I play Bb, its just I havent played it very much in a long time... It'll get better with time..i hope!!!!!!!!!! I hate thinking that i'm really bad!
laters,
*ashley*
(3 days till my birthday! woo hoo!)
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