 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Amanda Rose
Date: 2000-11-27 03:06
Hi! I am just bored and curious. What strength reeds do you use? I always wonder.
I'm 16, a junior, and have been playing since I was ten. I use a Vandoren 3 1/2. I like the gray box too... V-12's I think they're called.
(I used to use Mitchell Luries but stopped and am very glad.)
Amanda Rose
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Author: spencer prewitt
Date: 2000-11-27 03:34
i am a sophmore in high school and i am currently using vandoren v.12 strength 4
i was using a lavoz hard but i have switched and am glad
spencer
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Author: William
Date: 2000-11-27 14:48
Pete Fountain (world famous New Orleans clarinetist) says he uses anything that is available and "doesn't get VaDorens much anymore." When he was the guest soloist with our local symphony orchestra, he gave a box of VD #2 to each member of the clarinet section as a gift. I am using VanDoren V-12s, #4, which I work down to about a #3.5. ( Hint--learn to balance reeds to you mp and more reeds will work for you). As far as more info for you, my symphony college uses Glotin #5s and she sounds great. Good luck.
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Author: Doug P
Date: 2000-11-27 18:08
Vandoren Classic or V12 3-1/2. I tried some Grand Select 4's, but they were too hard.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-11-28 00:32
I use Alexander Superial Classic 3.5 for my Greg Smith Mp/Selmer 10SII.
As to reed thickness, I read two very interesting interviews with two Japanese
professionals in a magazine for wood and brass winds.
1.With a clarinettist Fujii: He met with Karl Leister before a concert, and found he
tried a thin German reed, looking like 3, with a mouthpiece without strings. It
sounded queer. But after he set strings around, he sounded that Leister tone.
Fujii was so impressed to find such a world famous clarinettist used such thin
reed that next day he recommended his own students to use 3 reeds.
2.With a younger Japanese clarinettist who came back from studying in Germany:
The famous German professor found his 4-thick reed and told 'This is not a reed
but just a plate of timbre. Use 2.5. Then the Japanese student continued to use
2.5 reeds during stay in Germany. Now as a professional, he steps up
the reed thickness but only to 3 or 3.5.
I think this tells the important thing is whether you can control reed satisfactorily
and that the thickness itself does not mean anything.
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Author: Jodi
Date: 2000-11-29 02:09
I agree with Hiroshi. I currently use Vandoren V12, Blackmaster and Zonda all strength 4,which works really well for me.
I had some students that seemed to think that the higher the number equalled how good they were. They INSISTED on using Vandoren 3 1/2 and sounded TERRIBLE. I told them so and forced them to switch to 3. They sound great now. It all depends on your mouthpiece, the strength in your mouth (that was my students' problems- they were only in 5/7 grade) and what your own preference is!
Best of luck,
Jo
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Author: Evan
Date: 2000-12-01 04:42
Listen to Pete, have you ever heard a fatter clarinet sound than Mr. Fountain. He gave #2 reeds to clarinet players for a reason. Most great sounding clarinet players use a medium reed strength, at least one that matches their mouthpiece. A hard reed on a mouthpiece that was designed for a soft reed, with a long face and very open, will sound less appealing than a reed that will allow vast tonal variations because a several embouchers can be used to produce in-tune, good sounding notes. Pete knows this, just listen to his playing. Don't ever start to believe that all good players play on hard reeds, that you should always be playing a harder reed, or that soft reeds are always inferior to hard ones.
To play music, the stuff that actually comes from inside, you need to sound the way you want to sound, and most sounds that are often mimicked are not produced by #8 strength reeds, pros settle into a groove that makes them comfortable with their sound, you should do the same to keep the clarinet a loved instrument. Sadly, when most people think of the sound of a clarinet, they think of the quiet, flat, airy sound of students from high school that try to play on #4 reeds because they think it makes them sound better.
Listen to yourself, don't ever be afraid to try different reed brands and strengths. When doing this, remember to listen to yourself and pick the product that makes you feel good about your playing. Don't try to impress people by playing on hard reeds.
Remember, what is more important: touching the hearts of countless audience members with a clarinet sound that os gorgeous because it is contolled by you, or impressing the second chair player below you with your extremely high numbered reads.
Thankyou for listening, it just bothers me to see everyone on this board playing 3 1/2-5 and no one playing 2-2 1/2, and I am sure someone on this board has a mouthpiece that would be best with a medium strength reed.
By the way, I play vandoren v-12 3's on all my mouthpieces (b45, b45., selmer crystal, charles bay) except my pete fountain, on which I play a med. soft la voz, because it makes me sing.
Evan Weigel
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Author: john gibson
Date: 2000-12-02 00:07
evan....
what opening is your selmer crystal? I'm using 3s on mine adn it's a 3 opening.
sometimes it sounds good and other times not? How does the selmer compare with the leblanc pete fountain? Ever play a portnoy? guy at the local music store keeps trying to sell me one.....
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