Author: zhangray4
Date: 2017-12-12 23:56
Hi all, I'm sorry for starting another discussion even I just started one a few days ago. So I've always been having issues with tuning ever since I got my R13 about 2 years ago. Last lesson, the teacher whom I just started studying with over the summer decided to address the problem. As he is a Vandoren artist, he made me try some B40s, B40 lyres, and one BD5 he happened to have. None of them really suited me. The closest was the BD5, but it gave me a very airy sound. He tried to give me some shorter Moening barrels to try, but they none of them fit on my R13. I think I read somewhere on the Bboard that they don't fit the new Buffets?
Anyways...after realizing I was playing on a series 13 M30, he told me that was the problem. He said my flat open G and left thumb F would be fixed. Told me to try as many M30s that weren't series 13.
So I ordered some M30s off Amazon (since its so easy to return with them) and ordered a Selmer Concept as well. The Selmer Concept arrived yesterday. Although the tip opening was a bit smaller than the M30 theoretically, I immediately fell in love with the Selmer Concept. Some have said it was too stuffy and resistant, but for me I felt it was perfect. The M30 is too freeblowing for me. For the M30, my sound became very thin and spread if I use a softer reed and very airy if I use a harder reed. However, on the Concept, no matter what reed I used, the focus, centered tone was always there: never airy even at pp dynamic unless I went to extremely hard reeds. The only change in reed strengths on the Concept was the brightness of my sound. And the tuning problem was basically fixed! Still riding a little low on the left thumb F, but only by a little. The open G is fine now. Even the articulations are better.
So this is all really good, and I think this may be my new go-to mouthpiece. Even if it means I'll have try to talk it out with my teacher, since he wants me to use VD mouthpieces. I know I still need to spend more time with the mouthpiece to get used to it, but one issue I have with the Concept at the moment is that its a little harder to control. Sometimes when I attack the notes, there's that "crack" sound, not quite a squeak, if you know what I talk about. Any tips? Or is this a problem the Concept mouthpieces have?
Also what are all your opinions on the Concept/Focus?
-- Ray Zhang
|
|
The Clarinet BBoard
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
