 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Lisa Chien
Date: 2001-06-19 15:13
My friend lent/gave me her crystal Pomarico Emerald mouthpiece. She said that it was too heavy for her. I laughed. But I have noticed that it adds a lot of weight to the clarinet. The whole balance of the clarinet seems really off. So much so that I have had to shift my playing position to a much more vertical position to avoid getting squeeks from F#. I have pushed my thumb rest as high as it can go but it is very difficult to get the leverage necessary to push the mouthpiece against my upper teeth and also press down on the F# tone hole. Also, yesterday I played for about 2 hours (usually I play far longer than that) and this morning I noticed that my right wrist really hurt. I would really like to use this mouthpiece because the sound is extremely resonant: the throat tones are especially lively and rich sounding. Does anyone have any tips for handling the weight of the clarinet; I really don't want to use a neck strap. Also, does anyone have any particular tips on how to prevent squeeks from the F# tone hole. Any tips regarding crystal in general would be appreciated. Thanks
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-06-19 16:44
Not to be facetious (well, maybe a LITTLE facetious), but try playing bass clarinet for a while --- then your soprano clarinet will feel light as a feather, no matter what kind of mouthpiece you're using on it. Or, you can buy neckstraps/harnesses for soprano clarinets --- I've seen a couple of folks use them.
As for your squeak ---- toneholes don't squeak ---- you probably have a leak somewhere on your instrument, or your mouthpiece might have uneven rails or an uneven tip opening. You might consider trying different mouthpieces, and having a good technician look at your clarinet.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Joseph O'Kelly
Date: 2001-06-20 00:11
what about trying a neck strap
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Joseph O'Kelly
Date: 2001-06-20 00:13
I'm sorry, I didn't read that you didn't want to use one.
Why don't you want to use one? It might just be what you need.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-06-20 13:33
Your clarinet needs adjusting to get rid of those squeeks. It will then be far easier to play as well. About the only effect mouthpieces, neck straps and reeds have on faults in mechanism, linkages, ring heights, and pad seating is psychological.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lisa Chien
Date: 2001-06-21 18:17
Thanks for your comments. After about a week of trying to get this mouthpiece to work I have gone back to mine, Ralph Morgan. Alas no more squeeks. Also no more sore wrist. I realized that the crystal mouthpiece was shifting the center of gravity towards the mouthpiece. As a result, the added weight of the mouthpiece pressed down too much on my bottom teeth and and created the squeeks.
Gordon, you are entirely right about the influence of psychological factors in equipment. I learned a valuable lesson during this process of getting used to another mouthpiece. In an attempt to improve intonation on the crystal mouthpiece, I was forced to change my embouchure and hand positions in many slight ways. When I returned to my old mouthpiece, I was much more sensitive to its physical properties and much more active in seeking out tonal subtleties. As a result, my tone has improved in a very satisfying way.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Curtis
Date: 2001-06-22 02:29
Lisas:
I have used a Selmer HS* crystal mouthpioece since 1948 and I notice no "heaviness" of which you speak. I tried out a Van Doren mouthpiece the other day which is very similar to the one I am using (not crystal), and I noticed no "lightness" while using that mouthpiece. I feel that this might be simply a "power of suggestion" which was passed on to you when you got the mouthpiece from your friend and it affected your playing -- you expected it to be heavy because you friend said it was. Like the others, I feel that some adjustment problem, or the change from simply one mouthpiece to another, not the fact that it was crystal, made the difference in your playing
Bob Curtis
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-06-22 02:56
If your Ralph Morgan is of duck beak shape, it might be the answer.
They are good for people with smaller mouths.
Vandoren's pofile 88s are worth trials too.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2001-06-22 13:31
If you are having that much trouble with it especially physical problems I would forget it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
