Author: Shrdlu2
Date: 2018-01-26 23:07
Hi!
I have been playing (regular) clarinet since 1962, as well as various sizes of saxophone. I also play the bass clarinet.
There is far too much discussion anymore about brands of instruments, reeds, mouthpieces and (unbelievably) even ligatures. Were I trying to start now, I think I would be so confused that I would not bother.
Things are nowhere near as difficult as today's online "experts" would have you believe.
For the regular clarinet and all saxophones, all I have ever used are the orange box Rico reeds, and they are fine. My wife had classical training on the violin and piano. She knew nothing about woodwind, but, based on what she had heard in "classical" circles, she was scornful about Rico reeds and tried to get me to switch to Vandoren. I still use the original mouthpiece that came with my Besson clarinet. I have never felt any need to replace it.
The bass clarinet is a different story. I can't afford a new Selmer. They cost the same as a deposit on a house! They aren't THAT good. I was able to get an ebonite Selmer Bundy bass clarinet on eBay for only $300. It turned out to be pretty good. It has only the one speaker key, which isn't ideal, but one can live with that.
The problem with the bass clarinet is the weak middle register (from B to C an octave higher). These notes (especially from D to F#) cannot be pushed or they will squeak. I was once loaned a Selmer bass and even that lacked volume in that range - not good if one is playing with no mike and a loud drummer. (I play jazz.)
I got a Rico mouthpiece, because the horn came with a very poor Selmer C*. I experimented with four strengths of orange box Rico reeds and was able to soldier through with a #3. That middle register was always touch-and-go, with that setup.
After months of frustration, I bought a Vandoren B46 mouthpiece, which was said to be good for jazz. The article I read said that this French mouthpiece should really have a "French cut" reed, so I tried three Vandorens: the regular blue box ones, the V12 and the V21. I think those are the only bass clarinet ones that they do.
As soon as the blue box Vandoren went in (strength 3), it was like playing a different horn! The whole range, from bottom Eb through the high C, plays easily. The middle register is fine, though, as always, you have to tread carefully and not try to push the notes.
I then tried a V12. It felt like there was a sock stuck in the neck, so that went straight into the landfill.
Next, the newish V21, also a #3. Wow, the 21 stands for the 21st century. Imagine that! 21st Century Frog - see the 20th version of that on Youtube. (No reference to the French, just a Python quote.) Anyway, the V21 was just as good as the blue box reed.
Yes, yes, different things work for different people. I know that. These things work for me, and now I can play the bass clarinet much more freely.
There is a temptation to stick in some Eric Dolphy licks, but I will try hard to avoid that, lol.
I hope that this information is helpful.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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