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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2011-02-06 14:10
There have been a number of posts on Ramon Wodkowski in the last few years, and I wanted to add my experience, none of which comes at the expense of other very talented people. Fortunately, music is not a zero sum game: the more talented people there are, they better off we all are, so my comments about Ramon don't take away from my appreciation of others. I wanted to post now because he is coming to the United States in a few weeks, giving those who haven't met him the chance. I am seeing him in NYC, where he is working at the Buffet showroom. I believe he is going to be at Northwestern and other places, but you would have to check his website or the events part of this board for details since I don't have them and this is not the right forum for them anyway.
Ramon has an amazing grasp of the history of mouthpieces and a love for the science of them. Last year I had a bass mpc with great yichus (lineage), but it just wasn't right. He discovered it was very short and oddly contoured - not very healthy. He kept the same tip opening but lengthened the midpoint and lower end of the lay to free up the feel and gave it a more balanced sound. Now it plays up to its potential and it compares to the two Kaspar bass mpcs I have. He both respects the great pieces of the past but has the common sense to point out that not all of them are healthy, and need to be worked on to be playable.
His own mouthpieces are I think not fully appreciated, and like others, he will work with you to get it just right. He is making an mpc for my daughter on February 20th, and a bass mpc for me. We are both excited. I hope others get a chance to work with him.
Post Edited (2011-02-06 14:20)
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