Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2014-11-24 02:43
Hi all:
A recent bboard thread where contributors seek to find the right mouthpiece for someone in need of a new model lead me to try to find a single thread on the bboard dedicated to all the attributes that affect how a mouthpiece plays, barring the player themselves (probably the most important factor.)
In what I concede was a quick search, no such listing could be found. So I’d like to create one, for those to comment on, correct, and add attributes to.
AOTC: all other things constant
**: may elicit fanatical disagreement
1) Tip opening. The distance between the reed and the mouthpiece at its tip. AOTC, the smaller the opening, the stronger the reed a player will desire and vice versa. Small tip openings facilitate articulation.** Those performing classical music will likely opt for mouthpiece no wider in opening than medium in size, while those operating in jazz settings will likely seek medium to open tip mouthpieces.**
2) Lay length. The longer the distance in which the mouthpieces rails and table maintain contact with the reed, AOTC, the stronger the reed will appear to the player. Other attributes of lay length’s affect on play require discussion.
3) Rail width. The wider the rails, AOTC, the stronger the reed will appear to be to the player. The width of the rails at the point where they separate from the reed, and their affect on play, require discussion, perhaps falling under the “Window” attribute below.
4) Materials and Creation Methods. Whether it’s hard rubber, core rubber rods, plastic, crystal, or something else, what a mouthpiece is made of, and how it’s created, either by processes like injection molding or shaping, affect the mouthpiece in ways that require discussion.
5) Reed. Good luck with this one. Perhaps we should just concede that reeds affect play, and leave it at that.
6) Ligature. Good luck with this one too. Although most of us could probably agree on what’s a bad ligature (e.g. one with mechanical defects like screws that strip) and what’s a basically adequate one. Perhaps we should just concede that ligatures affect play by different amounts for different people and leave it at that.
7) Beak. The angle and length of the part of the mouthpiece that single lip embouchure players bite affects the mouthpiece in ways that require discussion.
8) Window. The portion of the mouthpiece where the reed is (partially) suspended affects performance, and perhaps is subsumed by tip opening, lay length, and rail width.
9) Chamber. The shape(s) inside the mouthpiece affects play in a manner that requires discussion.
10 Other attributes not considered.
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Oops, already thought of another I think....barrel?
Post Edited (2014-11-24 05:30)
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The Clarinet BBoard
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