 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brother Joe
Date: 2013-04-17 15:29
Hello all,
My name is Joe Faith, a woodwinds teacher in Indiana. I've been playing and teaching for many years now and have been playing for the past 25 on a Gigliotti P34 with Mitchell Lurie 5's. I have played on many others for experimentation and have always been able to make most mouthpieces sound good, but I've been "muscling" my sound for a long time. My breath support is , well, severe. I can play an unstopped staccato like a Sumo wrestler!
I have felt for some time that a change is in order and have read so many great things about Behn mouthpieces that I ordered one. Brad seems like an awfully nice man and used to play with a former teacher of mine-so we're practically related! I ordered the model A from his Vintage collection. It should be here in the next couple of days. I think it's time to stop working so hard.
I'll Keep you posted on the mouthpiece.
brother joe
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2013-04-18 15:23
I'm looking forward to hearing about your mouthpiece trial! The model A is an excellent mouthpiece, witch a material and design that are superior to most anything available, past or present!
If you're ready for the mouthpiece to do more of the work and allow you to play with much greater ease, Brad's mouthpieces are the best choice out there. Best of luck!
DISCLAIMER: I have studied mouthpiece refacing with Mr. Behn and use his mouthpieces, but have no business affiliation with him nor anything to gain from promoting his product.
Post Edited (2013-04-18 18:36)
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2013-04-18 18:05
Yes, there should be such a note, and Mr. Beatty has been notified.
As per all of our posters, their affiliations should be noted in their signatures so we can assign proper weight to their comments.
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2013-04-18 18:29
Thank you for noting my affiliation with Mr. Behn. I should have clarified that I have no business affiliation with Mr. Behn and have nothing financially or otherwise to gain from people trying or purchasing his product.
As for my Texas A&M Commerce presentation. That was of my own doing and creation. Including Mr. Behn as a teacher and mentor is a courtesy to which he is due.
Naturally, I'm encouraging to those seeking a better playing experience through an easier and less forceful approach to be of importance. This is something these mouthpieces have allowed me to do.
Again, I appreciate the reminder of having a disclaimer to clarify why I support his product, and that I have no business affiliation with Behn Mouthpieces. Original post has been updated with that disclaimer.
Post Edited (2013-04-18 18:37)
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2013-04-18 18:51
I have one of Brad's Artist Eb mouthpieces and love the results I am getting with it.
per above: no affiliation whatsoever, except being a satisfied customer!
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2013-04-18 20:50
NBeaty wrote:
> Thank you for noting my affiliation with Mr. Behn.
Actually, my email to you bounced; please update your email record.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2013-04-19 14:40
We are very fortunate to have a number of very talented makers out there today. There is no one size fits all and it is important to find what works best for you. Enjoy.
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Author: Brother Joe
Date: 2013-04-24 00:20
Well, the Behn Vintage model A mouthpiece arrived a few day ago and I couldn't be happier. Every angle and corner is absolutely perfect.
It has been a joy to play and given me a new outlook on playing. My fear was that a mouthpiece that was supposed to have a large sound and speak easily would equate to a lack of core and sound thin and reedy. It actually has more core than anything I've ever played. There is not a hint of readiness even on strength 3 reeds. Mr. Behn was kind enough to send several different reeds that all work well with the piece. The best, however seems to be Vandoren 3 or 3 1/2. Another concern was that if the ring was too much, the sound may be offensive. The ring is very, very alive but well balanced with a beautiful warmth. I have an evenness that I've never had as well. My altissimo register is absolutely beautiful, carrying the chalameau sound with it. My low range has a beautiful focus that projects like a lazer beam at pianissimo. My wife, also a clarinetist and painfully honest, says that I've finally got "the sound". I've always had a good sound but now it's great.
Mr Behn has truly gone out of his way in his customer service. We have had lengthy conversations about playing and he seems truly interested in me as a person and a musician. I think I have a very acute sense of people and I think that his business is truly birthed from a love for his art. I'm really not being melodramatic, but we all know what it's like to be talked "at" rather than truly respected. I never detected a hint of not being valued because I'm not famous.
I played it in our church orchestra Sunday morning and we ended one piece on a soft, beautifully orchestrated chord, and a single sunbeam shined through a stained glass windows anointing my brow as I played the mediant of the key up high. A hush fell over the room, and somewhere, off in the distance, a Methodist spoke in tongues.
I play a Buffet Festival from the mid 90's. BA in performance from Oral Roberts University and MA in performance from Indiana State University.
brother joe
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2013-04-24 20:13
My apologies for the thread distraction!. Glad you are enjoying the mouthpiece and thanks for posting detailed feedback! When I first tried the Model A I was a bit surprised (like someone snuck up on me!) by the response and amount of dense sound that it produced. At the time I was coming from a Kaspar that was fairly mellow and resistant and it was too large of a leap for me, so I purchased two model D's instead. The D just suited the way I blow a bit better, but still had an incredible density of sound and resonance that I had never experienced before (far better than the kaspars and chedevilles I have).
I won't distract the new thread, but had a few thoughts:
"To each their own, everyone has different preferences, what's right for one is not right for the other, etc etc". Having played through Brad's entire stock of mouthpieces (every model A, every Model B, and so on and so on) on several occasions, I'm CONVINCED that most people would be amazed as to how many different embouchure styles, sound preferences, feel preferences, are accommodated for through the various models. As you know, talking with him about your current setup, playing style, and needs allows him to send you something that suits very well!
Something which has been on my mind as far as people trying different mouthpiece makers lately is how to get a good idea of what their concepts are and what they do. I've done it many times myself, just sending a mouthpiece in to be REFACED will give you a good indication of their ability to accommodate the requests of the customer and to see the quality of their craftsmanship and artistry. I would encourage who has any interest in a mouthpiece by ANY maker to take this step first. It's cheap, relatively, usually from $50-$80 US.
I have sent mouthpieces to most every major maker to reface and every time I've gone to try their new mouthpieces, I have been satisfied that their refacing was on par with their normal work in sound, feel, concept, etc.
Disclaimer: I play Brad Behn mouthpieces and have studied with him, but have no business affiliation.
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