Author: Brad Behn
Date: 2018-09-07 03:20
Hi Karl,
The material of the mouthpiece vibrates sympathetically as a result of the reed's vibration. And so material composition, brittleness, hardness, elasticity, mass, density, and how it stores and releases energy, greatly affect how the reed vibrates, and feels in mouth, and sounds.
So if you have a mouthpiece with wide rails, and the reed when fully wet and expanded isn't as wide, the mouthpiece will play very differently than if you were to file the rails down to perfectly match the reed's width.
The narrower rails will vibrate with a different character, thereby reacting to the reed's energy in a more enthusiastic manner. This in turn can create a more energetic tone. Good I say - as this is a step toward efficiency, and efficiency begets resonance. Good.
Of course if the material of the mouthpiece is different, it will influence the reed's vibration differently.
But back to rail widths. So all things being equal, wider rails - making the mouthpiece wider than the footprint of the reed - will not resonate as quickly or as enthusiastically as if the rails are narrow - matching the footprint of the reed. Basically the increased mass of the wide rails make the mouthpiece more sluggish to respond to the reed's every nuance making the mouthpiece handle more like a Buick. Whereas narrower rails are quicker to set into motion; the reed feels lighter on its feet, making for a more nimble handling experience - like a Miata.
Hope that helps.
And back to material. If you agree with my premise why rail width influences the playing experience - regardless of the reed's footprint, it would be an extension of logic to suggest that because different materials resonate in their own unique way, that every material, from glass to metal, to plastic, and rubber, and every different rubber formulation, perhaps molded or in rod form, will all resonate with its own proprietary signature or unique voice.
Material matters.
Brad Behn
http://www.clarinetmouthpiece.com
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