 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Burt
Date: 2023-10-23 03:22
I'm always trying not to play flat, even with a very short barrel. Can anybody recommend a mouthpiece which will be like my Vandoren M30, but play sharper?
I use Legere Signature reeds, but I even have this problem with cane.
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Author: kurth83
Date: 2023-10-23 03:41
Get the non 13 version if you don't already have it?
I am replacing my BD5 13 for a non-13 one for the same reason.
I also ordered a Polaris barrel, been wanting to try one for a while anyway...
Aging classical trumpet player beginning to learn clarinet as a second.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-10-23 15:36
Yes to the "even shorter barrel." Copeland Clarinets is good about custom sizes (with a delrin version available). You can even type in a crazy short size on eBay and order a really inexpensive barrel made in China. I have several that are actually pretty good (and really short). The problem there is that it could take up to three months for delivery.
..............Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2023-10-23 18:39)
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Author: Klarnt
Date: 2023-10-25 06:38
Have you tried to play on a harder reed strength?
I had a similar problem of continuously playing flat, but it turned out that my mouthpiece was designed for strength 3.5 - 5, and not just a good ol' 3. For me the reed strength ended up making a significant difference in intonation.
It could be that your M30 mouthpiece was designed for a harder reed strength. Reeds are lot cheaper than buying another mouthpiece or barrel, so maybe try experimenting with that if you haven't already.
But then again, I just play the Clarinet for my own pleasure, so Im no expert
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Author: sonicbang
Date: 2023-10-28 00:57
Years ago, my favorite mouthpiece at the time was playing too low (by European standards) and the late Bob Scott made a wonderful delrin 63mm barrel for me that solved all my issues and even improved the overall response of the clarinet. I strongly recommend getting a shorter barrel and keeping the mouthpiece if you like it.
Mark
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Author: Burt
Date: 2023-10-29 06:01
I use a 63mm barrel now. I use Legere reeds 3.25 or 3.5, would be uncomfortable going stiffer. Perhaps the non-series 13 is the best alternative.
Burt (aged clarinet and sax player)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-10-29 06:35
What's wrong with a 61mm barrel if that would help?
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2023-10-29 10:26
The shorter a barrel is, the more it raises the throat tones relative to the rest of the scale, resulting in an uneven scale. If a non 13-series mouthpiece would have less of this effect, that would be a reason to go for a such one instead of a shorter barrel. Don't know however if this is the case.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-10-30 13:09
It took a while for me to come up a way to articulate the issue. So I would say that when a manufacturer makes a range of barrel lengths they are saying that is the practical range before there are issues of the short tube vs long tube tuning that cannot be overcome. I would say that until you reach that practical limit, you don't know what it is.
For example I played German pitched Wurlitzer 100Cs here in the United states just fine. Yes, I used the longest barrels and pulled out fairly substantially but the result was quite acceptable. Conversely, I tried a Uebel Oehler system clarinet also pitched for Germany and when I did the same sort of accommodation for pitch, the bottom of the horn was still too high in pitch to make that practical.
One last example is that I too use Legere reeds (currently the Signature Soprano Saxophone reeds) which tend to make the pitch lower to begin with. On my Leblanc Opus II I use a custom sized 62mm Copeland Clarinets barrel that works great. Often times the barrel is only pulled out about 1mm and the pitch is fine throughout the range.
The poster's issue is whether it is better to change mouthpieces. The non 13 Series will help too but a barrel that is shorter cannot be ruled without trying it.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: donald
Date: 2023-10-30 18:10
Another option, rather than getting a shorter barrel (since you're already at 63mm) is to shorten the mouthpiece. A job that needs care, but is not TOO difficult, is to chops 1 or 2mm off the tenon, then use a lathe to chop the same length of material out of the "shoulder" where the mouthpiece turns into tenon.
While this IS an uncommon approach, I have seen it done (once by a UK craftsman, once in Germany) and I was told that it was suprising how little work it was, only taking a few minutes (apparently the hardest part is setting up the mouthpiece on the lathe, and making sure it won't fly off in the middle of the procedure).
Sharper mouthpieces= Vandoren "Masters" CL5 has a very similar facing to an M30 but plays even sharper than the "non 13" mouthpiece.
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