 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: drex
Date: 2002-03-06 00:03
Hello,
I currently play the alto saxophone and flute, and I'm about to purchase a bass clarinet. I'm hoping for some advice regarding what would be a good mouthpiece/reed combination for jazz. My goal is to eventually achieve an Eric Dolphy-like sound. Thanks.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2002-03-06 01:23
drex...From what I've read, Eric Dolphy's set up was on the extreme side. He played a Wells mouthpiece, customized and opened very wide, with very soft (sometimes plastic) reeds.
If you are going to be starting to learn bass clarinet, I would strongly suggest going for a medium opening - medium reed combination, until you have achieved some proficiency and embouchure control (the alto sax embouchure is markedly different from that of the bass clarinet) before venturing into the extremes of set ups...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: dan powell
Date: 2002-03-06 01:51
the vandoreen b46 is one of the largest tip sizes you can buy for baSS clarinet . to get a dolphy like sound i use a bari plastic soft reed and it works for me . cane reeds just sound to pretty and if you want to sound like dolphy you dont want pretty. try rico plasticovers and fibracell also and hopefully one of them will work for you. there arnt any jazz mpcs made for bass clarinet but the vandoreen b46 will do the job better than any other i know of.bass is a blast to play jazz on good luck
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-03-06 04:59
I use a Charles Bay piece with a .100" tip which is much more open than the Vandoren B46 (.081" I think). I've played mostly bari sax for the past 20 years so I need something open. With a Fibracell medium tenor sax reed it takes alot of air but I can get a strong sound from low C to well up in the altissimo range. Not a pretty sound but good power and projection. To play jazz you might have to forgo some tone quality for some quantity (volume). And one thing I like about the Fibracells is they never squeak.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-03-07 18:05
Also I recently sent a Vandoren B46 off to a mouthpiece refacer for finishing and to have it opened up to .090". I'll report back when I get it back in a few weeks.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
