 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ashley91489
Date: 2007-11-10 00:11
My director has always said that the Hite Premier is the best. Despite the fact that it's plastic and cheap ($30 or so), he says it's comparable or better than the pricier mouthpieces.
He has also said that Vandorens aren't that great, mostly just a hefty price tag and a name. I currently play on a Vandoren (B45dot) and like it but I'm always open to trying others if they are supposedly better.
What are your thoughts on this? I want the best mouthpiece I can get and I fully trust his opinions but I'm also interested to see what others have to say.
And yes, I do realize that it's a lot about personal preference and that you should try several out but I'm just interested in your personal opinions and experiences.
Post Edited (2007-11-10 00:15)
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Author: 2E
Date: 2007-11-10 01:01
This is always a tricky one, your directors not far off the mark. The Hite Premiers are a great mouthpiece without costing a fortune. Vandorens are mass produced with a wide range to suit every kind of player from students to proffesionals alike. Hand made mouthpieces start costing more but the quality is generally great with materials like ebonite, wood and even crystal. Just try out as many as you can and if one sounds or feels better, then regardless of name, material or price tag ... it is. I've been playing on an old Vandoren B40 for a long time now and its great but I started thinking about buying a different kind of mouthpiece. I ended up getting a Pomarico crystal but I like the feel of the Vandoren more. Money isnt everything but sound is, your personal preference will always win in the end.
2E
(for more info just do a search for past topics on the board, there must be thousands of mouthpiece discussions)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2007-11-10 03:11
I like those by Clark Fobes. He has the Debut at the same price point as the Hite Premiere, as well as an intermediate line and pro series. But, there are many great mouthpieces and makers out there. For every mouthpiece out there, you will find someone who says it is the best.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-11-10 14:29
I have had three mouthpieces that I would consder very good, or better. The first one was hand-finished by David Hite in the late 1970s when he was still in Ohio, the second was from a Zinner blank, faced by Ted Lane, and the best of the three has to be the Walter Grabner K13 that am playing currently. I get great comments from other clarinetists on my tone using this mouthpiece, and it is what others would deem "reed friendly." It plays very well on Legere Quebec cuts, as well as V12s and Gonzalez reeds, all around 3.5 or so in strength.
Those have worked for me. Your "best" mouthpiece might be something entirely different. Best thing is to go to a store and try as many different ones as you can in one of their practice/lesson rooms. I think my daughter went through a huge variety of pieces, before settling on a Vandoren M13, and then she tried 7 or 8 of them until she found the one best suited to her playing. She sounds great on this setup, matched to the R13 I gave her two years ago.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: William
Date: 2007-11-10 14:29
The "best" mouthpiece is the one that plays best for you. Simple as that. And the best news, you get to spend the rest of your life searching for it, just like the rest of us. A stock Woodwind G8 may outperform the most expensive vintage Kaspar Cicero #11 and it all depends on how its minute accoustical dimensions compliment and resonate with your own oral makeup--which tends to be different for all of us. What's good for me is will not be the same for you--and that is why "whats the best mouthpiece?" is the unanswerable question.
The late ledgendary player and teacher, Daniel Bonade gave the following humourus advice on selecting the best mouthpiece: "Take all the mouthpieces with you in a boat and row to the middle of the lake--put on a blindfold and select one and toss the remaining mouthpiece overboard--then, row back to shore and learn to play the one you selected". Moral of the story: rely more on quality practice than on the quality of your equipement. Think about it............
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2007-11-10 15:23
Dear Ashley 91489,
I would start by asking how you are managing a B45 Dot. That is a fairly open mouthpiece and the reeds your are using are probably fairly soft. This combo may be working for you. However, if you are after a traditionally classical sound, you may want to reconsider the Premiere and others like it such as the Vandoren M13, M15, even M30 (still less open by spades than the B45).
And yes, you could spend a life savings on all sorts of custom mouthpieces, but quite frankly I would settle in on a concept of sound and a consistent set up that YOU like that achieves this sound BEFORE you take out a second mortgage on the house.
...............Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2007-11-10 15:24)
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Author: Taryn
Date: 2007-11-10 20:44
I just got the same talk from my teacher and have been experimenting. What kind of clarinet/accerssories do you have? There's alot of variables that come in to play though. I have a couple barrels, and they completely change the sound of each mouthpiece. When I play my regular one, for example, my crystal mouthpiece makes a very closed and restricted sound. When I play it with my Segal barrel, it's one of the nicest sounds I've ever produced (but sounds terrible with my B45). I'm leaning towards Forbes mouthpieces, but it's a very personal choice.
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Author: 2E
Date: 2007-11-10 22:40
When I was in the market for a new mouthpiece, I did alot of reading and alot of research into what was out there. I realised that the accessory with the most variables is clearly the reed. If you're not happy with something, your mouthpiece can be fine but with a good knowledge of reed fixing and adjustment you can make any set up at least better. I've been working on this for a while and its helped a great deal, best thing is its easier and cheaper than buying a brand new piece. Maybe think about reeds more? 2E.
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Author: Phurster
Date: 2007-11-10 23:11
Paul, you said;
"However, if you are after a traditionally classical sound, you may want to reconsider the Premiere and others like it such as the Vandoren M13, M15, even M30 (still less open by spades than the B45)."
I think there is a certain cultural (and subjectively artistic) bias inherent in such a statement. In the USA the idea that becomes the accepted dogma is: a closed lay equates to a good “traditional” classical sound, the more open mouthpiece should be used for jazz.
In Europe and Australia many Classical players feel that this is not necessarily the case. Guy Deplus for many years played on a B45, Alessandro Cabonare plays on A B45, and I saw an article in which Mark Nuccio (New York Phil) stated be plays on a B45.
If these players are not getting a “traditional classical” sound then who is?
I think we should question the idea that what works for us as individuals is good for someone else.
For the record I play on Vandoren B45 series 13, B40 series 13 and M13 series 13. Each requires a change in reed selection. No one else seems to notice what mouthpiece I am on.
Chris.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2007-11-12 08:58
The Selmer Paris C85 (a variety of openings, I find 115 is similar resistance to B45dot) are also worth a look. I keep coming back to mine.
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2007-11-12 09:18
Over the years, I've collected quite a few MPs, though I tend to use a B45, M15 and 5RV most of the time.
The 5RV is best for a beginner, and I don't think anyone would disagree, but apart from that, I find it really depends on the player and the reed. A reed that sounds bad on one MP often plays like a dream on another.
I remember during GBK's posts about GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) I realised that I was spending too much time worrying about things like MPs and barrels and not enough time playing! ;-)
If there was an MP that really was better than all the others, wouldn't it already have been found?
Steve
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Author: redwine
Date: 2007-11-12 11:34
Hello,
stevensfo writes:
"The 5RV is best for a beginner, and I don't think anyone would disagree..."
I do disagree.
stevesfo writes:
"If there was an MP that really was better than all the others, wouldn't it already have been found?"
The best mouthpiece is the one that plays best for you, regardless of what the brand name says. Try as many as you possibly can until you find the mouthpiece that is better than all the others (for you)!
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: redwine
Date: 2007-11-12 11:37
Hello again,
Phurster makes some excellent points above. Appropriate reed to mouthpiece combination selections will produce the sound and feel that you are looking for. An open tip can produce a classical sound, and a close tip can produce a "pop" sound, depending upon the reed selected and what the player does with the set-up.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-11-12 20:09
Quote:
And yes, you could spend a life savings on all sorts of custom mouthpieces, but quite frankly I would settle in on a concept of sound and a consistent set up that YOU like that achieves this sound BEFORE you take out a second mortgage on the house. I did a little math, and 've spent around $4000 on mouthpieces over the few years since I've been SERIOUSLY into the clarinet (a mere 5 years). Granted, I do tend to resell the mouthpieces I don't keep so I make some of it back, but that's still a whole heck of a lot.
Alexi
PS - and I have another two coming in the mail to me as I write . . . sigh. But I DO love the chase . . .
US Army Japan Band
Post Edited (2007-11-12 20:14)
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-11-12 21:30
Alexi, the first step in dealing with a problem like this is to admit you have a problem. ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif) So far, so good!
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-11-12 21:59
lol.
To keep it a little more oriented to the thread, I've tried dozens of mouthpieces. Many of them 'mass-produced', and many of them 'hand-finished' or 'custom' mouthpieces. And I've found good and bad in them all. But overall, a lot less "bad" mouthpieces in the hand-finished or custom ones. They all cost a lot more, and yes some fit me better than others (and some I regret ever having gotten rid of).
All-in-all, I'd say if you're really interested in continuing to play for a good long time (whether professionally, in school, or even just for enjoyment in whatever spare time you have), I'd say take a year and save up some cash, and then order a bunch of custom mouthpieces from mouthpiece makers (the timing might be hard to get all the trial periods to overlap or at least come close to it), and test out a bunch of them in your house at your leisure (and with whatever music and band you like). Then if you find a maker that you really agree with, order a few more from that person and pick one out.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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