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Re: Buffet's 2020 German Tosca

Author: Reformed
Date: 2019-06-30 19:40

First to pay homage to the origin of this thread "Buffet German clarinets", my reaction is similar to that for Vandoren German mouthpieces - why bother when there is plenty of choice in the German market place that is already top quality?

Now to follow upon the comments of Paul A and Donald above, I can add that Eaton Elites and pre-war B&H 1010s play well in tune with a German mouthpiece reamed to the right dimension. I think the intonation is pretty much the same as a native 1010 mouthpiece. I would expect that correctly bored German style mouthpiece should play any good Boehm clarinet in tune.

Paul's relaying of Bas DeJong's comments confirm my own experience and rehabilitation as a newly relaxed player. Over 50 years of playing I had become incredibly tense and hunched over and my every movement, e.g. to help squeeze out a high note, simply served to increase the tension. My neck and throat were very tight and restricted.

Enter a Hans Colber mouthpiece that play my Reform Boehm's in tune and I had to recognise that simply relax and blow was the solution. Following the Alexander technique of the head in neutral position balanced on top of the spine naturally relaxes and opens the throat. The same embouchure applies bottom to very top (well nearly!)

I've since returned to my Elites with a re-bored L&K mouthpiece and am now over the moon with the setup.

I must point out that I am not trained in the Alexander technique (yet) but I think many clarinet players may have the same problems that Alexander had himself and that led to the technique. In Alexander's case, tension so bad that he lost his voice as an actor.

I now look at the posture of many good players and their body movements while playing and think "you could be so much better...".

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Buffet's 2020 German Tosca new

Wicked Good

2019-06-27 23:30