 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: fuehrcol
Date: 2015-11-21 02:52
Hello fellow clarinetists. I am planning on getting a new bass clarinet mouthpiece because the one I am using currently at school sucks. Also, middle school and high school bass clarinetists are kind of known to sound pretty bad, and my friend sounds awful and NEVER counts. I don't know how to tell him. Our whole section (low woodwinds) are completely dependent on the low brass (who also our awful), my friend Conner (bari) , Bri (bassoon), and me. What do I do??
-Cole Fuehrer
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: locke9342
Date: 2015-11-21 05:42
Do you want mouthpiece suggestions or section suggestions or... what?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iwnsEtU2_w
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Kinder
Date: 2015-11-21 06:16
If you don't have a good name brand mouthpiece now... then ANYTHING you get will be an improvement.
Way back in my senior year of high school, I also played at my local community college and used THEIR Selmer wood bass clarinet & setup. It was a Selmer C* mouthpiece. It was SO much better than the bundy setup and unknown mouthpiece I had used previously.
I remember there was one piece of music in HS wind ensemble that had an exposed bass clarinet part (a string of descending 8th notes), but I couldn't play it. After having played the pro Selmer bass, I can tell you that it was the Bundy instrument, not me.
With my clarinet, I originally had a Vandoren B45, then I got the Vandoren B45 profile 88 "two tone" mouthpiece, then I got a Vandoren M13. Today, I have a Vandoren M13 Lyre. The longer you play, the more you figure out what you want and you'll upgrade and switch out your equipment on a somewhat regular basis.
Just get a mouthpiece, and then you can get another new one later. Your first professional quality mouthpiece won't be your last.
If you're playing on school equipment, you may want to keep a copy of the receipt just to prove that it's YOUR equipment and that it doesn't belong to the school.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: fuehrcol
Date: 2015-11-21 06:54
I was also wondering if ligatures made a big difference or not and which one to get. I know its kind of a personal thing, like reeds, mouthpieces, brand of the actual instrument, etc., but just a couple of different ligature ideas would be great.
-Cole Fuehrer
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2015-11-21 07:11
The best ligature is one that works for you. Try out some mouthpieces at a local music store if you can, and then try some ligatures. If you like it, it's a good one.
Reeds are dependent on mouthpieces to a large extent so once you have a mouthpiece, find what works best.
My first non-student bass mouthpiece was a Vandoren B44 with Legere Classic 3 reed and a reverse Bonade ligature. I'd say that might be a decent starting point if you're looking for something specific.
Post Edited (2015-11-21 07:36)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2015-11-21 07:30
You're worrYing about too many things at once! A new bass clarinet is going to be a huge change, as well as a decent mouthpiece. Once you know how to control those (in a year or two or three) then little changes will mean more. You have plenty of time ...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Agomongo
Date: 2015-11-22 04:43
Well I play bass clarinet, but not as well as someone who mainly player it.
I have the Clark Fobes San Francisco and I LOVE IT. Though I find it easier to squeak, because the CF SF produce a lot more overtones than most other mouthpieces (it's also because I'm not the worlds most knowledgeable and good bass clarinet player.) Though thanks to the overtones when I play I sound a lot darker, rounder, and bigger. Once you learn how to play with it you'll learn to learn to love the mouthpiece. I've tried the MOBA and Grabner and I like both of them those are good choices too.
The Clark Fobes SF was able to turn a horrible 200 year old Selmer sounding like a million dollar instrument.
By the way the mouthpieces I just suggested are pretty expensive.
Now as to the other players playing not well I just wouldn't do anything. It's not really your job to criticize others. Just learn to deal with it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
