 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Dank
Date: 2016-03-16 10:21
I currently play on a M30 Lyre mouthpiece, but it has recently worn out (or some other problem has occurred) and now plays very flat. In fact I have to compensate with a 64 mm barrel currently to compensate. I also feel as if it offers me a smaller degree of control than before.
Regardless, I'm wondering if it will be possible to fix this with a repair by a mouthpiece artisan.
If not, I'm looking for recommendations of other mouthpieces that are similar to the M30 Lyre, especially handmade ones by people such as Walter Grabner or Richard Hawkins.
Thanks for any help.
Post Edited (2016-03-16 11:00)
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Author: bassclarinet101 ★2017
Date: 2016-03-16 14:28
Well, in Walter's mouthpieces, the Virtuoso, G13, and K14 are the closest in terms of tip opening and facing. I don't see the Hawkins facing specs on his site. For Backun Musical it would be the ORT+ or PRT.
Walter's site says he can reface mouthpieces. That being said, I'd explore and try a bunch of mouthpieces to find something that has what you're looking for.
-Daniel
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2016-03-16 21:47
I'm intrigued by the description of going flat. I think this may have to do with other factors such as changing your approach to embouchure in general, or going to a softer reed (usually both), so that you don't need to (or desire) to push against the reed as much as you did initially.
When I visited with Brad Behn and he observed my playing (I use to push a lot), his recommendation was to use a mouthpiece with a smaller tip opening so the reed is already to the point where I push (at the time I wasn't ready to hear it, but he was right).
If there is any similarity at all with your situation, I would recommend (since Vandoren is omnipresent) trying an M13 (non Lyre to start) and an M15 just to see what those do for you.
Generally a worn mouthpiece just gets "thuddy;" it just wont respond with the same clarity of articulation as it did to start. And yes, a good technician can take the "roundness" out of the wear and rejuvenate the mouthpiece. But it will never be what it was before. And as I said, it doesn't sound entirely like a mouthpiece issue.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk
Date: 2016-03-16 22:33
Dank wrote:
> I currently play on a M30 Lyre mouthpiece, but it has recently
> worn out (or some other problem has occurred) and now plays
> very flat.
> Regardless, I'm wondering if it will be possible to fix this
> with a repair by a mouthpiece artisan.
>
> If not, I'm looking for recommendations of other mouthpieces
> that are similar to the M30 Lyre, especially handmade ones by
> people such as Walter Grabner or Richard Hawkins.
>
While I like Walter Grabner's and Clark Fobes's mouthpieces and have heard very positive comments from players I trust about the Hawkins line, I agree with Paul that this doesn't sound on its surface like a mouthpiece issue. A damaged facing shouldn't cause a noticeable change of pitch - it would be more likely to cause squeaks or a hiss-y tone or response problems. To change the pitch the internal volume of the mouthpiece should have to get larger - not likely to happen by accident.
Have you changed anything recently in your playing or elsewhere in your equipment (apart from the shorter barrel) - especially reeds? Is the flatness uniform over the range of the instrument or more in a specific register? Did the pitch drop gradually or all at once? How does the M30 play apart from the flatness?
Karl
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2016-03-16 22:37
Mouthpiece suddenly causing a clarinet to play flat? No freakin' way. The problem lies elsewhere.
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Author: tylerleecutts
Date: 2016-03-16 23:47
Sounds like there could be a clarinet issue going on. Did you drop the mouthpiece? Similar in the Vandoren line to the M30 Lyre would be of course the M30, 5RV Lyre, BD5 and perhaps the B40 Lyre. Whether you want to go closer in opening to something like the M13 Lyre is another option, but I agree with Mr. Spiegelthal that it's a clarinet problem likely going on.
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2016-03-17 22:31
OP: since you've already received some sound advice here, perhaps comic relief is in order.
As it regards mouthpiece recommendations.....I'm of the firm belief that you should have one...a mouthpiece that is....although we can debate whether it's actually necessary ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
https://youtu.be/6zIOoaq_vbc?t=4m12s
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Author: tylerleecutts
Date: 2016-03-18 01:25
I find Mr. Manasse's common-sense approach to the clarinet refreshing. Just play the instrument, practice and hope for the best.
Post Edited (2016-03-18 01:29)
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Author: Burt
Date: 2016-03-18 01:44
I use an M30 mouthpiece and need a 63 or 64 mm barrel to play in tune. Barrels of these lengths are not common, but they are available. I used to manage with a 65, but I think I'm playing with a looser embochure as I get older.
If the throat tones are primarily the notes which are flat, a shorter barrel will sharpen them more than it will the other notes. If it's the high clarion and altissimo which are flat, it's probably a change in your embochure.
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Author: Mirko996
Date: 2016-03-20 00:10
If you have problem of "out of tuning" you'll remove out the barrel from the clarinet. I should have a Leblanc barrel for my Leblanc L27 (A full boehm), Measure 59-60mm, and when i tried to play my teacher said "You are very out, you need to take out the barrel or if you have in your home a more longer barrel" and i decided to use the other barrel, measure 66mm and it change everything.
If the problem is to be out of tune i suggest that, is unless spend a lot of money for the mouthpiece, only in the case if you need a different material (Ebonite, Crystall [...]) and opening, and one the most important is the ligature, you can use what kind of ligature you want but it must keep the reed as still as possible.
Did i forget something? the reeds, of course.
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