 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bruno
Date: 2014-02-04 08:06
Soliciting opinions on the factors that influence blowing resistance. It's my impression that most blowing resistance is in the mouthpiece. I have some MPs that blow easily and others that are hard. My impression is that the tip opening and facing are the two biggest factors.
Am I wrong?
B>
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-02-04 03:39
I would say there are a lot of instrument factors as well. I recall trying out some of the earlier Backuns at a conference in Texas. Initially I played my horn to get the base line and then plopped my mouthpiece on the Backuns. They played far too (let me be careful here) loose. I just couldn't get enough "oomph" out of the sound. So I clearly feel the instrument is also a major factor.
As for the mouthpieces, I would suggest reading the verbiage on the Brad Behn website (you have to dig a little under sub heading to get there), but I'll give my understanding of it. The tip opening and length of lay (the distance from the tip of the reed to where the reed and mouthpiece come together) are important and obvious factors but these are only parts of the equation. Another big factor the contour of the baffle (roof of interior that leads down to the bore). If this is rather flat or even convex in some respects, the air pressure will push back against the reed, and this bounce makes the system much less resistant. If on the other hand the baffle is concave (scooped out going down into the bore or even side to side) then there is no "bounce back" (or less) causing the system to be more resistant.
There are also similar effects caused by the size and shape of the tone chamber (the total volume between the walls side to side and the baffle and reed up and down). Also differences in the shapes leading into the bore and the size of the bore itself are contributors.
Making a mouthpiece needs to be approached from the standpoint of the final result you are looking for. Any of these factors can be varied together or against one another to produce the end result. So mouthpiece making is still quite a high art and CANNOT be reduced to any simple combination of measurements. This explains why even with Vandorens where the consistent manufacture is about as accurate as you can get, there is still a variability that can be detected pretty easily from one mouthpiece to the other with exactly the same specs.
......................Paul Aviles
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2014-02-04 09:43
I've found that the width of the tip rail and the shape immediately after it have a lot of effect. I've made several very resistant mouthpieces more easy to play by slightly thinning the tip rail.
Tony F.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2014-02-04 11:45
"Tony, which part exactly did you thin down?"
The curved section under the tip of the reed. I thinned it from the outside, a little at a time, testing as I went. If it's already thin, proceed at your own risk or look elsewhere for the problem.
Tony F.
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Author: CarlT
Date: 2014-02-04 23:43
Brad Behn's link that Dan Shusta referred to above has 20 or more references to the word "resistance" and appears to give much information on the subject.
CarlT
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