 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Nick
Date: 2002-11-30 21:31
I recently bought a Hite Premiere mouthpiece for my clarinet, and it's great, but I'm wondering if I'm playing on too soft a reed for it. I can get the high notes best on my Rico V3 reed and on my Vandoren 2.5. Should I try a Vandoren 3, or even a 3.5? I've never even thought of using reeds that hard!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dee
Date: 2002-11-30 21:41
Good breath support and proper embouchure are more important than reed strength.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: corey
Date: 2002-11-30 22:41
I own a hite premier mouthpiece and play a mitchell Lurie #4 with great results. --Corey
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2002-12-01 00:01
The strength of the reed is only a number, and in itself rather meaningless. Don't worry about what strength reed your neighbor is playing. Is his mouth, teeth, and oral cavity the same as yours?
If a reed permits you to do everything that you ask of it, with good tonal coloration, there is no reason to go any higher (or lower) in number.
The Rico Orange box reeds? Grade D quality cane that is an insult to the consumer.
It's been rather cold lately - feed the Ricos to the fireplace...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2002-12-01 01:37
Hey Nick,
Try the same reed you are currently playing, with the tip slightly trimmed ( a little goes a long way ).
Dee is quite right, Pete Fountain plays a rather soft reed (#2) and can play beyond the range of my hearing!
(You're playing a wind instrument... ya gotsta blow!)
A very firm UPPER lip will be necessary to play higher notes.
Don't get caught up in the 'what gizmo will...?' reasoning; only practice makes better players.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dee
Date: 2002-12-01 03:17
For the person who said oh my on the Mitchell Lurie #4s. The Mitchell Luries run soft and so a #4 is about the equivalent of between a 3 and a 3.5 in other brands.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Vic
Date: 2002-12-02 14:38
The Hite Premier mpc, which I also love, seems extremely closed. The Luries do seem to run weak, and I normally play a 4 1/2 with the Premier. The Vandoren blue box 4s, Grand Concert 4s, and the Gonzalez FOF 3 3/4s work great on the Premier. But as Dee said, breath support and embouchure are the main things.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Josh Schultze
Date: 2002-12-04 15:26
In my opinion the Mouthpiece/Reed combination is the most important factor in determining sound quality. What you might also try are different brands of reeds. Sometimes you can get a better sound from a reed other than a Vandoren V12. The advantage to trying different brands of reeds is that you rely less on the reed and more on your embouchure. You develop the ability to hit the notes that you want as a result of embouchure ability.
I had been using V12's for years. Then I started trying different brands of reed. I noticed that I would have to make subtle mouth adjustments for each brand. This allowed my embouchure to become more flexible. Last year my instructor taught me how to make my own reeds. The knowledge in making reeds is invaluable in understanding how reed shape, thickness and age affect sound.
So in your case, it is very possible that you can achieve a better sound by exploring reed brands. I would suggest buying the harder reed for each brand than you are used to because you can always sand them down.
Good luck,
Josh
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
