 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2018-01-29 04:27
Lets face it..Olivier Patey and many other greats play this mouthpiece There is a youtube vid of him playing Bruckner 4 on this..the B40 lyre which is an excellent facing is used by Michael Collins and a number of soloisits...bravo the Msr. Gauvin for all his hard work on designing something new which is a somewhat more open facing with alot of gutsy tone!
David Dow
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2018-01-29 04:28
here is the youtube link,
ps. Jean Paul Gauvin desingned these two facings...the B40 release date I am not sure of the lyre version late 2001 or ealry 2002.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80wPyjWBuwI
David Dow
Post Edited (2018-01-29 04:29)
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2018-01-29 12:41
Olivier Patey uses specific the 13 version of the B40 which gives a little different sound than the non-13 version.
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Author: fernie121
Date: 2018-04-28 06:53
Not only that, but he plays them with a strength 4 V12 reed!
He says it’s in order to have a rich sound in a big orchestra. Does anyone else find playing stronger reeds than normal good for playing large concert halls?
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Author: donald
Date: 2018-04-28 10:49
Lots of really good and successful players use the various versions of B40 (especially in northern Europe, but also at least 2 principal players in Australia), I've tried but never really manage to make it work. For me, I've always loved the feeling of springiness you get with the more open facing, but just find it too uncomfortable for my embouchure.
Post Edited (2019-01-27 01:31)
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2018-05-01 21:23
The B40 13 is a fine facing..in Canada many leading players use it ..mostly on R13 clarinet i suspect. As for tuning I have no issue..it also seems there is a resurgence of the B40 Lyre as well among players in New York and Los Angeles...I have heard Zinner will be longer making blanks...hmm that leaves the market in Europe in a quandry.
David Dow
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2018-05-01 21:51
Not a few custom mouthpiece makers/finishers here in the states as well.
Karl
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2018-05-02 01:15
This could be a big opportunity for the many mouthpiece manufacturers who do not use Zinner blanks to become suppliers to those who once did. A few examples would be Ramon Wodkowski, Vandoren, Selmer, Licostini, Gotsu, Kuckmeier, Wi & Fi, Brad Behn (for most of his models), and Doug McClure with his recent CNC blanks supplied by Wes Rice (who also does the Fobes 10k blank). With the market open I would expect as least some of these, and many more, to jump on the bandwagon. In Germany I believe Leitner and Krauss make at least some of their own blanks; not sure about AW and EMS Schreiber.
Think of all the great A. Lelandais, Chedeville, Kaspar, Selmer, Vandoren, Woodwind, and Sumner mouthpieces that were made and played long before anyone heard of Zinner. (And some would add Kanter and Bay pieces to this little list).
Don't get me wrong; I have a Moba C and a Grabner CH Chicago, both on Zinner blanks, that I like very much, but as good as Zinners could be, they are not the beginning or the end of mouthpieces
Post Edited (2018-05-02 04:29)
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Author: gavalanche20
Date: 2018-05-02 02:36
Why is Zinner stopping production of blanks? It sounds odd as they seem to be the most popular sources of "professional" blanks. Who does that leave us with? I know there's Babbitt, and the Chedeville name has changed hands once more, so I guess there's that. On top of that some prominent mouthpiece makers have their own blanks now anyways like Behn and Fobes.
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2018-05-03 16:19
Sadly, the world was informed last week that the firm of Hans Zinner GmbH & Co KG will be ending their business on June 30 of this year. Zinner has been in business for three generations and their absence will be keenly missed. Tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of clarinet players currently play on Zinner based mouthpieces.
Many vendors of hand finished mouthpieces use products from Zinner. Zinner is the single largest provider of products to this market.
I currently have over 300 Zinner mouthpiece blanks on hand, so I will be continuing to fill orders for all my Zinner based mouthpieces for quite awhile. You can feel confident in ordering at this time. Later as these stocks are depleted, the blanks will be replaced with those from other vendors or those which I will have designed and manufactured myself.
So, one era ends, and another starts,
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
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Author: HANGARDUDE
Date: 2018-05-03 21:26
Gavalanche20,
According to Clark Fobes(who makes many of his mouthpieces with Zinner blanks), Hans Zinner and his brother(the owners of the Zinner company) are retiring in the end of June this year. And it is uncertain what the future holds for the Zinner company after that.
Back to the B40 topic, I have used a B40 and B40 Lyre alternatively for some time. While I like their sounds, I couldn't control them very well.
But yes, the B40 series are really popular from around the world. Pretty much 80% of the pro players I've met recommended them. They seem to be the most popular models that Vandoren makes, though the BD5 seems to be almost as popular in recent years.
Josh
Post Edited (2018-05-03 21:26)
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Author: gavalanche20
Date: 2018-05-04 11:16
I hate to take this thread on yet another tangent, but has anyone been able to compare the B40 to the Reserve X10E? I have an X10E and was wondering how it compares to the B40 as I’ve noticed that D’Addario lists the B40 Lyre as a comparable facing to the X10E.
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Author: Max S-D
Date: 2018-05-11 07:13
gavalanche20, I haven't played the X10E, but I do have the X10 and a B40 on trial right now. Though I've only played them for a few hours each, I like both quite a bit and find them to be very different in character. For me, the B40 is warm and smooth, but a bit unfocused unless I put in a very conscious effort to focus the sound quite a bit.
By comparison, the X10 has a lot more focus and what I might risk calling "ping" in the sound. I do feel like I need to try a bit harder to warm up the sound on that one.
The tip opening difference between the two is obviously quite different (1.12mm for the X10 and 1.19mm for the B40), so I am using a #3.5 V12 on the X10 and a #3 V12 on the B40, but I find the resistance between the two to be comparable with these reed combinations.
My main mouthpiece is a Fobes San Francisco (Zinner) with a CF facing, which I play with a #3.5+ or a #4 V12. I tried these two to experiment with more open mouthpieces and softer reeds, which has been transformative for my bass clarinet playing. Jury is still out on whether this is what I want on the clarinet, but I'm intrigued.
Neither of these mouthpieces has what I'd describe as "color" in the tone to the extent that the Fobes does when I'm playing well, but that "color" can easily become harshness or excessive edginess when I'm not careful. Lately, controlling that has felt like riding a bit of a razor's edge, mostly due to the fact that I'm not playing clarinet for 4+ hours a day anymore.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2018-05-12 01:11
Just check the windows toward the bottom and make sure that there are no burrs in the window edges. I've seen several mouthpieces that have burrs - not ok for the reed sealing.
Is a very easy fix, but without being fixed, the mouthpiece will not play nearly as well.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: gavalanche20
Date: 2018-05-24 21:19
Max,
I'm actually coming from a Fobes CF+ myself, and I recently got a b40 (profile 88, series 13) for the same reasons as you did (trying out more open facings), and it's just been one day but I've been super impressed so far. There's a really nice focus and ring when paired with a V12 #3 reed, although the tone is noticeably darker and deeper than the Fobes. There's more presence, if you will.
Articulation was surprisingly easy, I wasn't expecting such an open mouthpiece to be this responsive even after putting a softer reed on. I don't experience the edginess that you describe with the Fobes, but perhaps it's because I prefer a more colorful sound.
Anyway, it's still too early to tell for sure but I'm really liking the B40, it's so far proving to me that a really good Vandoren can go toe to toe with some of the higher end mouthpieces out there.
Post Edited (2018-05-24 21:36)
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Author: Kalashnikirby
Date: 2018-05-25 01:51
In my case, the B40 needed to sit on a shelf for a while until I could fully appreciate it. But with 3 1/2 Pilgerstorfer Rondos and a string as a ligature, it enables me to play a softer pp, especially with that altissimo D that is particulary problematic on my RC.
The sound really is less focused, but still, as a German I'm rather glad to sound a bit less "brilliant" (or as other often see Boehm: annoying). Plus, the responsiveness is better than with my Viotto B3, as a softer and slightly faster staccato was possible.
So I'm really impressed, though finding the right setup with this MPC was difficult. Softer reeds, I feel, create a way too bland, unfocused sound and I didn't enjoy it with my fairly light (or so I thought) ligature until I gave the reed more freedom using a traditional string. Then, I move go up to 3 1/2 Pilgerstorfer, or probably 3 with other reeds.
Also liked the intonation and dynamic control: On my Amati A clarinet, which is has a few "unique" notes, it was easier to compensate. The throat Bb was also better (flatter) than with my Viotto.
Good choice when you play more classical music or just prefer a darker, fuller tone. Having played on the B3 for years, I though the B40 was rather free blowing at first, but it might not develop its sound with softer reeds. 2 1/2 Steuers and Vandoren Classics didn't work at all, though they allowed a pretty high volume and vibrato.
Post Edited (2018-05-25 01:54)
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2018-05-25 02:18
The B40 was designed especially to get a darkish sound using softer reeds by widening the tip rail. By doing that, the highest overtones get slightly muted so that the darker overtones are more projected. It combines the flexibility of a softer reed and a dark timbre. It’s a very good mouthpiece both for beginners to achieve a decent sound quickly, as for full time professionals to maintain one.
Alphie
Post Edited (2018-05-25 02:21)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2019-01-27 02:38
In this case I really enjoyed the up close, in your face GoPro version of Brahms 4th excerpt. The sound reproduced comes off like it would in one of the players' dry studio. Very instructive I think.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Bob Barnhart ★2017
Date: 2019-01-27 03:20
I played the B40 for several years with #3 VD Traditional reeds--great combination. I switched to this (more open) mouthpiece from a B40 Lyre when I had to play a solo work with multiphonics. Overall a very reliable mouthpiece: nice/big sound, good response, and precise intonation.
I gradually found it to be a bit resistant and have switched to a Backun Arabesque which I find to be even better for me as it has a more expansive sound and blows with less resistance as it has a longer facing. I'm using Pilgerstorfer Dolce #4 or #4 1/2 reeds with it. I would recommend this mouthpiece to anyone considering a B40 or Viotto B3.
I also notice that Patey is now playing with a Silverstein Prelude ligature and appears to have some extensive keyword added to his Buffet Tosca (?), presumably to correct low E-F intonation. Good to see that he can hold his own using this "French" setup with the other "German" players who appear to be using Oehler or Reform Boehm setups.
Bob Barnhart
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Author: fernie121
Date: 2019-01-27 03:27
Actually I think I made a mistake.
https://youtu.be/4yL_D_cJFZ4
I’m this video it seems he is NOT playing the b40 13 anymore. I have no idea what he is playing now. But it sounds very clear and beautiful. He does mostly sound like himself though. The B40 is nevertheless a wonderful mouthpiece.
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Author: J. J.
Date: 2019-01-27 21:24
I agree. Would love to know what model, as there is quite a range.
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Author: fernie121
Date: 2019-01-28 00:06
If it is a Wodkowski piece, which looks likely, maybe he could let us in on patey’s choice! Although it’s probably customized specifically to him.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2019-02-02 01:09
I wonder if it is a selmer concept..i have heard it is getting played on continental europe a good deal..with the right adjustment it is very in tune!
David Dow
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The Clarinet Pages
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