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Re: M13L VS BD5

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2018-04-02 21:26

NBeaty wrote:

> Sometimes people will choose these types of mouthpieces
> (B40/M30) because they prefer to play with excessive
> pressure/bite. Others may use these options to balance out the
> use of a light strength reed, although the increased facing
> length can make lighter reeds go a bit wild. There are also
> those who prefer to play with a very large quantity of air
> passing through the instrument. The larger opening does allow
> a higher quantity of air than a closer one in certain respects,
> but not without greater effort. Then there are yet more people
> who play like a "bull in a china shop" blowing excessive
> amounts of air with excessive embouchure pressure.
>

There are players who use these more open facings because they find advantages in using them. The reasons you list are all fairly negative - players want to compensate for some fault in their technique. Words like "excessive" (pressure/bite, amounts of air), "bull-in-the-china-shop," etc., sound pejorative. There are players, for example, who find the flexibility of pitch and tone color, the greater ease of bending notes and producing sheer volume to play over a big band necessary for their own playing circumstances.

> It's worth noting that the 13 series does tune lower than the
> standard version. However, it would be incorrect to ignore the
> large numbers of players who manage to tune with these
> mouthpieces quite well.

I think it's always worth keeping in mind that the major manufacturers of equipment don't deliberately design their products to be unplayable. One mouthpiece design may be difficult to use successfully in one stylistic environment but make life much easier in another. We make much here about the importance of the match between player and equipment. But there's also often a need to match equipment with the result that a playing environment requires.

> On a related side note about equipment in general, always ask
> why.

Often, when someone, usually a high school student, asks, in effect, "I want to replace my current mouthpiece. What should I get?" my first question is exactly that - "Why?" What is it that the current mouthpiece won't let you do? What is it that you want a different mouthpiece to help you do better?

Karl

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