 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Slowoldman
Date: 2017-07-05 22:53
From what I have read in this forum and others, it seems like most people just swap their "go-to" mouthpiece from one clarinet to the other. For those of you who prefer different mouthpieces on your A and Bb clarinets, what do you use on each? And why?
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Author: zhangray4
Date: 2017-07-06 01:52
I, unfortunately, do not have the financial capabilities to own an A clarinet, but I've played on many before. From my personal experience as well as what most people say, the A clarinet has a darker, fuller sound. My hypothesis is that people have different mouthpieces for the A and Bb Clarinet because they want the two sounds on the two instruments to match, or at least be very similar to each other. This may be due to blending purposes in an orchestral setting, or simply a personal preference.
Again I am not an expert on this topic. I thought I would just share my knowledge and my answer to the question.
-- Ray Zhang
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Author: Klose ★2017
Date: 2017-07-06 01:55
Does anyone do this? I sometimes use the two mouthpieces of same model (with same legere reeds) on Bb and A for quick change.
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Author: Johan H Nilsson
Date: 2017-07-06 02:02
One clarinet can tune considerable better with a different mouthpiece. The A and Bb clarinet are very different creatures.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-07-06 02:29
I've used two mouthpieces for only one purpose - to make the changes in the 1st movement of Brahms 3rd and avoid the transposition that you have to do with only one mouthpiece (and I only did it once). If I were going to use different mouthpieces in any other situation, it would be to enable me to use a slightly softer reed on the A clarinet. A clarinets *in general* can be a little more resistant than Bbs.
But, I don't think you can make hard and fast general rules about what goes well with what - you always have to deal with the specific instruments in question.
I suppose if you have two very different-feeling clarinets, there might be an advantage. In that case you'd have to pick the mouthpieces for each the same way you pick one for a Bb clarinet - trial and error. The reason why you'd pick a specific one for the A clarinet ought to be that that mouthpiece feels better on it than any other mouthpiece does.
Karl
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2017-07-07 02:14
Same as Karl...the rare time has been quick swaps, done with same brand of mouthpiece.
IMHO, the goal here is to acquire relatively matching instruments (a so called matching pair that play similarly with the same mouthpiece) and some really slick cork grease for the player to have the mouthpiece effect quick swaps.
I think this is what most pros do, which is not to say that you shouldn't do what's best for you, but rather, consider that pros have asked themselves this question and have formed somewhat of a consensus in their approach.
Of course there's the dropping a string down the middle of your Beefer to make it a cheap player's "A." Although that probably would take the most time ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif) .
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=157945&t=157945
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-07-07 12:48
Classical Saxophonist wrote:
> The A clarinet is not a real instrument.
That's right, they don't even exist - no-one even makes them. No-one ever wrote anything to be actually played on an A clarinet. To be a real clarinettist you have to play a Bb clarinet and play fluently in keys of B and F# Major as there is no place for an A clarinet anywhere in the entire repertoire. A clarinets have a completely different sound which doesn't go with anything, so of no practical use at all. All the big solos and pieces that say A clarinet are never, ever played on A clarinets. Not by anyone in the entire history of the world. Ever.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Klose ★2017
Date: 2017-07-07 13:35
If only one of these two (A/B flat) can exist in the world, I will choose A because Mozart, Brahms, Nielsen and Schumann...
Post Edited (2017-07-07 13:37)
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2017-07-07 17:04
As a retired orchestra player I believe that would be a nightmare and unnecessary. There are a few times when there's a quick change and one has to be concerned about switching the MP from one to the other. In my experiences and observations we either make sure the mouthpiece is well greased so as to come off easily, use the same barrel on both if possible for that passage, or in most cases, transpose one of the passages. The example of Brahm's 3rd often used as an example, I've done it both ways. Less stressful to transpose it. If you're an orchestra player transposing is part of the job, or should be anyway.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-07-07 17:23
Never...
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-07-08 00:15
Ed Palanker wrote:
> The
> example of Brahm's 3rd often used as an example, I've done it
> both ways. Less stressful to transpose it. If you're an
> orchestra player transposing is part of the job, or should be
> anyway.
>
But which way did you transpose? Most players I know transpose the Bb music in the first movement to A clarinet since the solos are in good keys on A clarinet.
As an aside, this past season I heard Ricardo Morales play the whole movement (and the rest of the symphony, of course) on Bb clarinet. When I asked him via Facebook why, he said (apart from not having to change instruments) that Brahms originally wrote those solos for Bb clarinet but was convinced by a clarinetist (Mühlfeld?) to put them on A clarinet to make the fingerings more graceful.
Karl
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