 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Yador
Date: 2017-10-30 04:44
Hello everybody. I am currently playing with vandoren bd5 and reserve classic reeds number 4. My clarinets are buffet rc prestige but I play few days with yamaha custom csg III L and a like more than my prestiges, sound darker and better tunning.
I am happy with the warm and dark sound it has but I want to try something new.
Is there any mouthpiece with darker sound inside vandoren?
How about the b40D?
Are vandoren v12 reeds darker than d’addario reserve classic?
Regards, and thank you very much.
tukaram2000@hotmail.com
Post Edited (2017-10-30 14:55)
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-10-30 05:31
Plenty! The BD5 has a very shallow chamber/baffle, which produces a bright sound. It does project well in large halls. If does not have the best sound quality. It is not a warm sounding mouthpiece. But I like it for orchestra playing. However I am not in an orchestra. So I kind of prefer other mouthpieces with a tad warmer sound, not to be mixed up with a darker sound.
Try pretty much anything else. I like the Behn mouthpieces a lot. A nice selection. A very nice man. I think the Rico mouthpieces will have issues with the throat tones, because the bore is so small. The notes will play very sharp. The 12's might be out of tune, but I haven't played on your horn.
The D'addario reeds, all of the brands made there have pesticides on every reed, so stay away from them. I don't think you want that. I went through 3 very nasty surgeries and I will suffer from the side effects for life.
Just call up a few custom mouthpiece makers. You don't have to spend a lot of money. You will surely find that perfect match to your horn. Don't go over $225. No mouthpiece is worth too much more than that. You can get stuck with some mouthpieces costing $300 to $2000. 99.999 percent of them play worse than something around the $200 range.
This reminds me of that ligature that costs $1300. No it won't make your reed vibrate better or sound better! You will sound better on a rubber band for a ligature. Ask for free trials. Some stores will charge you a restocking fee up to 40 percent. So make sure they don't do this. Often it is best to work with a private mouthpiece maker and not a store.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2017-10-30 07:28)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-10-30 06:00
Bob Bernardo wrote:
> Plenty! The BD5 has a very shallow chamber/baffle, which
> produces a bright sound. It does project well in large halls.
> If does not have the best sound quality. It is not a warm
> sounding mouthpiece.
>
> Try pretty much anything else.
The Series 13 Vandorens were designed with more scooped baffles specifically to produce a "darker" sound than the traditional Vandorens. One consequence of this is that the Series 13s are lower in pitch (supposedly tune at A=440, but that depends entirely on what clarinet you use it with). Another is that the Series 13s *can* sound duller, which is what some people mistakenly (IMO) call "darker." Of course, you can modify characteristics of any mouthpiece by adjusting reeds to compensate.
BTW, in Bob's list of possible custom makers to contact, he leaves himself out. His Vintage 1940 Cicero is well worth considering with the others he mentions.
Karl
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Author: zhangray4
Date: 2017-10-30 06:27
I agree Bob's mouthpieces are amazing. Too bad my teacher wants me to use Vandorens. And right now, he doesn't want me to try any other mouthpiece, even Vandorens, because he says I have college auditions coming up and he doesn't want me to change last second.
-- Ray Zhang
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-10-30 07:30
Thank you folks for the kind words.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: Yador
Date: 2017-10-30 15:16
kdk: dark for me is the opposite of bright. I like a covered, warp, sweet, round and dark sound.
I hate narrow sound in the high notes.
For example, for me buffet r13 is brighter than rc prestige, yamaha custom csg III is darker than prestige, m13 is brighter than b40...
Bob Bernardo: Thanks for your post!
What is your opininion about b40D? is darker than bd5?
tukaram2000@hotmail.com
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-11-01 18:13
Warm and clear is Clark Fobes description of a good sound ... power and clarity, but wearing a light woolen sweater, is mine ...
Continue to use the Vandoren MP, if your teacher insists ... try something other than Vandoren V12s ... the 56 Rue Lepic are "darker", but less responsive (?)
Pilgerstorfer makes a good reed and very nice out of the box ...
I'd try some of the reeds that Brad Behn, Clark Fobes and Bob Bernardo imports for a starter. Many reeds out there that are "better" than the Vandorens, I think.
Tom
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2017-11-01 18:58
The B40D and M30D are also very dark sounding mouthpieces. Just give them a try.
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Author: Yador
Date: 2017-11-01 19:12
Hello Toms, thanks you very much.
The problem is that I live in Spain and here it is more difficult to get material other than Vandoren.
I played with richard Hawkins mouthpieces, the S model and the R model. I love the sound of R model but when you play loud and sharp the sound is narrow.
It's similar to what happens to the R13 buffet, sounds very good but when you play loud and sharp...
I guess that's the standard of American sound.
I am worried about what Bob Bernardo says about the pesticides of the d'Addario reeds. I love the reserve classic reeds.
56 Rue Lepic are darker than V12?
I will try Pilgerstorfer reeds.
Bob Bernardo: How can I buy your reeds? Can you send me information about your reeds?
Of all vandoren mouthpieces, which is the one that produces a warmer sound?
Regards for all!
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Author: gatto
Date: 2017-11-01 20:15
I also play the BD5 with my RC Prestige, and I like this mouthpiece very much. It is my current favorite. Before that my favorites were the B45dot and the B40 (why B40d??). I find the sound of the BD5 quite similar to the B40, that is, quite "warm" (and *not* bright). But for me the BD5 is easier to play than the B40, in particular in the altissimo, and I wanted to use stronger reeds. (I now use V.12 and V21 3.0 to 3.5.) Sometimes I would like to have some more brightness or brilliance, like with the B45dot. But since I have the BD5 I cannot play the B4** any longer, since now they feel too open for me. For me it seems that the BD5 also has the tendency (with some stronger reeds) to make reed-noise.
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Author: Yador
Date: 2017-11-01 21:20
Hello gatto!
We played and we play with a very similar material.
Testing the b40d is because they say it has a darker sound than the b40.
When I play with BD5 I use vandoren V12 3 1/2+
Thanks for your post.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-11-02 01:30
IMHO, the 56s are darker/warmer ... especially less edge in the upper clarion register ... the tip is thicker than the V12s or blue box ...
Honestly, an M13-lyre with a 56 Rue Lepic should please most people that like a warm sound ... try also taking in more MP ...
I have several M13-lyres and they vary a bit in resistance and timbre ... the more resistant one is "darker" and the less resistant one more centered and sprightly ...
Yes, living in the USA has some advantages in equipment cost and availability ... but other items are difficult to acquire and expensive ...
Tom
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-11-02 06:01
Yador - email me for information on the reeds and mouthpieces. I cannot advertise on the site as it is against the boards rules. Just click on my name if interested.
I think the B40 is a shade warmer, not darker than the BD5. Some symphony pros like the BD5 because the sound carries in the larger halls such as Orchestra Hall in Chicago. This hall is one of the bigger halls I've played in. You may not need a mouthpiece like this. It depends on where you are playing. Also some larger halls have very good acoustics so you may not need a brighter mouthpiece. Another hall which I hate, because the sound bounces all over the place is the Kennedy Center. Here you need a bigger sound. You have to project well. The late Loren Kitt used a Kaspar and Yamaha clarinets to feel comfortable in this place. Loren used the same Kaspar for 50 plus years with the National Sym. My friend Steve Barta with the Baltimore pretty much used the same Kaspar too with the Baltimore Sym for his whole 50 year career. Some Kaspar mouthpieces are far from mellow. They can be on the brighter side. Players like them because they project.
But in a large hall these brighter mouthpieces mellow out. This is so important to know. You can sound so beautiful on a bright setup.
At the same time dark mouthpieces die and the sound doesn't carry. So I tend to be very careful with my wording. The B40 is warmer, not darker and you should be fine with this for normal everyday playing. A lot of pros use this too for symphony use. It will fit pretty much most music halls. The baffle and chamber is a shade deeper compared to the BD5. Hope this helps.
I've played a lot of concerts. Well over 450. From gyms to major halls. So find the right mouthpiece for most of your playing.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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