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Re: Why Cover Mouthpiece

Author: Chris P
Date: 2019-04-25 23:51

I'm seeing a worrying trend with both clarinet and sax players who put their mouthpiece in the compartment in the case with the ligature on, but with no cap fitted to it (it's usually in the accessories compartment) and in sax cases, the mouthpiece is usually put in tip downwards.

I questioned someone who has been doing this and they seemed to think the mouthpiece is safe in the case without the cap left on, but how can they be certain the mouthpiece compartment hasn't got dirt or grit in there which can damage the tip rail?

The whole point of a mouthpiece cap is to protect both the reed and mouthpiece when it's not in use, even if there's no reed fitted. If it wasn't important, then they simply wouldn't be made.

If I'm leaving my instruments on their stands whilst I'm off doing something else (interval drink or whatnot), then the mouthpiece caps/reed guards all go on to be sure no-one who decides to take a scenic route past them isn't going to damage my reeds (and oboe/cor reeds go either in the water pot set into my stand tray or in their designated reed cases).

You can't guarantee anything will be safe while you're not in your seat with your instruments around you, so take preventative measures to avoid damage or embarrassment due to someone else's clumsiness or ignorance. I watched in horror as a brass player brushed against an oboist's cor anglais reed as it was left it on its stand in a stupid place and I couldn't stop the brass player or get to her cor in time to move it while he was blundering about, then I heard the blood-curdling scraping sound as the cor reed got brushed.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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