The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Hummingbird
Date: 2012-01-29 02:48
I have several mouthpieces for trial, among them is a m13 lyre. I've chosen a v12 3.5 for this mouthpiece. The m13 lyre is my favourite of the bunch, however, for some odd reason, the clarion B responds oddly, and is EXTREMELY hard to play and resistant, therefore keeping me from fully committing to it. It only consistently responds if slurred to from a C or something. Trying to play the B tongued, slurred from any lower note, or note higher than a D usually results in either an overtone, or just silence. I do not experience this problem with my old fobes debut, or any of the other mouthpieces such as the b45 and m15.
Can anyone shed some light on this? Is this just the nature of the facing/tip of this mouthpiece?
Thanks!
Post Edited (2012-01-29 02:49)
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-01-29 03:47
Well the M-13 is a tad longer then a lot of mouthpieces on the market today. You may want to have it looked at regarding the facing and maybe try different barrels. I would first start by having it refaced. I never liked the factory facing, because the MP is just a bit too long. If that still doen't help much it's probably time to look into a barrel change.You could also try the same model, but a different MP.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-01-29 05:24
Gee, the best solution to an M13 Lyre is an M13 NON Lyre.
But seriously there is NO facing that will cause an issue with one note. I think you may have some erratic issue with a pad or the ring being adjusted too low or too high on the left middle finger........why you only pick that up on that mouthpiece is beyond me, but makes no sense at all.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: rmk54
Date: 2012-01-29 12:54
Paul Aviles wrote:
> Gee, the best solution to an M13 Lyre is an M13 NON Lyre.
>
Really?? The Non-lyre is an even closer facing than the lyre.
I think the problem here is that the OP is biting, and a closer facing won't do anything to fix that.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-01-29 13:14
Have you tried a different reed? Reeds often warp on the bottom, and if the window on a new mouthpiece is different from your old one, there will be leaks. As I often advise, put the bottom of the reed on a piece of 400 or 600 grit sandpaper over a flat surface, press hard on the bark (and not at all over the vamp) and sand the bottom until flat and shiny.
Close-lay mouthpieces are pickier about reeds than the more open ones, so you have to experiment to find (or adjust) a reed that works.
Machine-made mouthpieces (such as Vandorens) have substantial variations from one example to the next, so you need to try several.
It might also be a hardware problem with the register key. Take the key off and clean any crud out of the tube. I use a pipe cleaner dampened with water or rubbing alcohol. Then adjust the key so that you can just slide a nickel between the pad and the register tube. (It's usually set too high.) A repair tech can also bevel the (usually cork) pad to increase venting.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-01-29 13:59
Dear rmk54,
Thanks for making me reread the whole scenario. I think I assumed a first ledger line 'B' but now it could well be third line 'B.' In this scenario Hummingbird should try holding the RH 'C' key down when playing 'B.'
As for the whole size thing, I go by feel and I FEEL that the M13 Lyre is just a bit too LONG. I personally can't get the same sound out of an M13 Lyre that I can with a NON Lyre (of course Hummingbird may find this to be the opposite case). I still think GLOBAL solutions to this problem are wrong. Whichever 'B' is in question there is NO mouthpiece that only affects just that note.
..................Paul Aviles
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-01-29 14:09
Right, Paul. Middle-line B.
This changes things. The trouble is 99% sure to be a misadjusted crow's foot, the piece connecting the F/C key for the right little finger to the two keys below. Try the B with your right little finger pressing on the F/C key as well as your left little finger on the E/B key.
Fixing the problem is an easy adjustment. I've done it myself for years, but I defer to Chris P.'s advice to have it done by a repair tech.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Hummingbird
Date: 2012-01-29 16:09
Thanks everyone for the responses. I was tired at the time of posting, i forgot clarion B could refer to two different B's. The one in question is the long, 3rd line B. The thing that is odd is that the problem doesn't show on any other mouthpiece...but I shall give what you listed a try, Ken!
Thanks alot everyone!
EDIT: As a followup, I think this is the problem! The F/C to E/B link. However, I'm still puzzled as to why this problem doesn't present itself on other mouthpieces.
Post Edited (2012-01-29 17:09)
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