 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Copland
Date: 2008-02-15 00:03
Hello!
So I've been reading a lot on these forums about people who want to find the best reed (already having a favorite mouthpiece) or mouthpiece (already knowing the reed).
I've always thought it a great Catch 22: to find a good mouthpiece, I have to try lots with my favorite reeds, but to find a good reed, I have to try lots of different types on my favorite mouthpiece. Where do I start?
I consider myself a fairly decent clarinet player (been playing for around 6 years, I'm in Wind Ensemble at school, been to several honor bands, have a private teacher, etc) but before recently I haven't cared too much about the clarinet.
So now that I do, I'm thinking about getting a new mouthpiece and starting to use some good reeds, but I don't know where to start. Right now I have a B45 (pretty old, very used) and a Fobes Debut (pretty decent, but a student model).
First of all, I'm kind of wondering when people get new mouthpieces and why?
Can you recommend how to start the hunt for a good combination?
By the way, I have a Buffet RC clarinet and an Eddie Daniels ligature.
Edit: I just remembered, I've been recommended by my teacher Rigotti Gold reeds, but so far I've used 3 hards and 3 mediums on both of my mouthpieces and they are too hard. I've been holding out on getting 2.5s to get a new mouthpiece. Anyone have experience with these?
Post Edited (2008-02-15 00:17)
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-02-15 01:51
I don't see a good reason to begin the process unless your current setup is not performing the way you want it to. The way it is lacking would point you in the direction you want your new piece to perform.
This is the same thing I tell people who ask about upgrading their camera bodies for the latest and greatest (and most expensive): Unless thereis something that the new one will do for you (or do better than the old one), it doesn't make much sense to spend the money just for the sake of something new.
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: claritoot26
Date: 2008-02-15 03:28
Hi,
Tricky question, Copland. In general, I would say choose the best mouthpiece first, and then find the best reeds that go with it, not the other way around. That being said, I wouldn't go looking around at mouthpieces until you've found the best reeds that go with the one you currently play on, and you've made strides to play with good embouchure, air support and such. Once you feel you're in good shape with all that, and you've got reeds that work well with your current mouthpiece, that's when you and your teacher can more closely examine your sound and see if there is something that can be improved with a different mouthpiece. You might just go to a store that lets you try a wide variety of Vandoren or other mouthpieces just to see what's out there, but do get the advice of a teacher before purchasing.
From my personal experience, I never cared for the B45, but they remain a popular mouthpiece and may work well for some people. I did use Rigotti gold reeds for a short time about 10 years ago. I found the strengths to run softer than the Vandorens, and I stopped using them. I'm a little surprised the 3 is hard on your B45. I think Vandoren recommends 3-3.5 for that piece, if you use their reeds.
You also ask how to know when one "needs" a good mouthpiece. I found that my concept of what I want to sound like has changed greatly since I was a high-schooler, and this metamorphosis is reflected in the (not too huge) variety of mouthpieces that accumulated in my drawer over the years.
Good luck to you.
Lori
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-02-15 05:43
Understanding your ability is of the utmost importance. mouthpieces allow you to change the timber, intonation, resistance in air flow, projection, color, articulation, and so forth.
A mouthpiece does not "define" you. you define your ability to play, that is unless your playing with a chipped mouthpiece.
If your wanting something with consistency and something that has alot more flavor, check out the greg smith 1+ chedeville mouthpiece. It is absolutely mindblowing when transitioning from a b45.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2008-02-15 16:46
At the core of mouthpiece selection is the need to find one that is easy to play. Intonation, tone quality, etc, etc may differ between responsive, friendly mouthpieces; but you want to be able to make big leaps up and down the registers, hold good tone quality in the alti, ...
So, find (by trying them) an easy playing mouthpiece --then match your reeds to that mouthpiece. The catch 22 is real, though. You'll need a decent reed to test those candidate mouthpieces. Usually, the maker will advise you as to what strength of reed s/he expects to work best with the mouthpiece --start there, realizing that the number printed on the reed is only a rough estimate of how hard it really is.
Take along a few reeds to your mouthpiece trials --the same brand, different strengths --that you have sorted into firm, softer, harder, harder still before trying them on your candidate mouthpieces.
One way to evaluate the new mouthpiece is to set up a good reed and ligature on your current 'piece. Leave that alone and, using the same type of ligature, compare your candidate to your established reference.
There is a huge difference in responsiveness between mouthpieces --brands, models, production differences, ...
Expect the "real you" to emerge in the tone produced by the new mouthpiece over a period of days after your conversion.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2008-02-15 16:46
I second C2thew on the Greg Smith (however my favorite is the Kapar knock off).
But to be completely contradictory, I have found for myself over the years that the standard Vandoren reeds (and for me, specifically the No. 4 strength) are the linchpin of the system. If a mouthpiece does not work with these reeds, I just keep looking. So I think it important that you find what is most critical to you, and make that a CONSISTANT element.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2008-02-16 12:16
Several years ago I was in a "perfect storm" of no longer being happy with my favorite cane reed (it appeared to me that something was different in the tip area) and looking ahead at playing a series of outdoor performances in a very hot & humid Maryland. Since I often double, one of my trusted clarinet buddies suggested I try Legere. Prior to that, every time I tried a synthetic reed it quickly went sailing into the trash can. However, when I first tried Legere on clarinet I could see the potential. That said, over time I discovered that Legere works more optimally on some mouthpiece facings and ligatures than others.
Facing this situation, I in effect rebuilt my set up around the Legere Quebec reed rather than what I think of as the usual way of finding a mouthpiece that's a good match for me and then (if necessary) finding the particular reed(s) and ligature that work especially well on that mouthpiece.
Of course, for many of us we don't go down a perfectly linear path in mouthpiece then reed & ligature. There are times when we circle back one way or another.
In my case, I'm extremely happy with the Grabner K11 or K14 and Klassik string ligature set up I built around the Quebec. Matching each part to each other part to give me a Whole that I feel good with was arrived at by much trial & error. It took some time. But, now I feel that every moment and $$ spent was worth it.
The bottom line, I think, is one can use any approach to find "their" set up. There's no right or wrong way.
Roger
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Author: Copland
Date: 2008-02-16 16:43
I feel like recently I've been digressing recently in reed strength. I used to use Vandoren 3's, and out of a box I would get one that was insanely great, but all the rest weren't so good.
So I tried Mitchell Lurie 3's, and to me it seems that these are the perfect strength. Sure, some are a bit too hard or a bit to soft in each box, but overall they seem to work great.
Of course, Mitchell Lurie 3's are really very soft. I've tried checking out the Rigotti Golds, as I said, but they seem too hard. I have a very hard time making any noise on them, and if I do manage to, I squeak all the time. Also, I can tell: my sound is overall weaker and way too monodynamic (about medium loud all the time- if I try to decrease dynamically, nothing comes out, and it's too hard to blow anything any louder).
Should I be trying to work my way up to harder reed strengths. Is this even possible? If so, how might I go about it?
I feel like I should note that I'm more of a fan of the warmer clarinet tones, a little bit on the bright side.
Thanks for all your help.
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Author: mrn
Date: 2008-02-16 17:49
Changing to a higher reed strength only makes sense if your current reed strength isn't giving you the results you want. If you're getting a good sound and can play relatively comfortably over the instrument's range, then you probably don't need higher strength reeds. What strength you need is mostly determined by the lay of the mouthpiece (closed, medium, or open).
Because higher strength reeds require a stronger embouchure, teachers often have their beginning students start out on softer reeds. When I started (at age 9) I used Vandoren 2's. If you're on a reed that's too soft, you may get a spread sound and have difficulty hitting altissimo notes. Of course, when you're a beginner, that's not big a deal--you won't know the difference. Think of it as "training wheels."
As a student's embouchure develops, and he/she starts to learn to play altissimo, then it makes sense to move to the reed strength the mouthpiece requires. Their sound usually improves as a result, since they're now playing on what they're supposed to be playing on. The training wheels have come off.
Too often, though, people tend to think that this means that reed strength equates with skill level or that the stronger reed you play on, the better. That is simply not true. Unfortunately, there are enough school band directors out there (many of whom do not play clarinet) who subscribe to the idea that higher reed strength is always better, that this myth simply won't die.
Thinking back to my school days, I can think of two directors I had that tried to push stronger reeds on me, while my private teacher (a symphony player) had me keep with the same strength. Keep in mind that during this time, I was consistently getting positive remarks from solo/ensemble judges about how good my sound was (which also tends to suggest that my band directors were trying to fix something that wasn't really broken).
Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is don't feel like you need to play on harder reeds just to play on harder reeds or because somebody else you know plays on Vandoren 5's or something. You need to find the right strength/brand for you, preferably with the guidance of a teacher you trust.
By the way, as a general rule, Mitchell Luries tend to run somewhere between 0.5 and 1.0 strengths softer than Vandorens.
Hope this helps...
Mike
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Author: mrn
Date: 2008-02-16 17:53
By the way, do you and your teacher play on the same type of mouthpiece? If not, it could be that your mouthpiece needs a different cut of reed than his.
Mike
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Author: weberfan
Date: 2008-02-16 18:54
Having recently returned to the clarinet after decades away, I'm hardly the one to give advice, but perhaps my experience in the last few months will be instructive.
I bought a reconditioned plastic Selmer clarinet and ignored the old mouthpiece that came with it. Instead, I used the Blayman "H" mouthpiece that I bought from a teacher about 35 years ago. The Blayman is a fairly close mouthpiece, about 105mm, I believe.
I've been using 2.5 Vandoren blue box reeds, soon to go to 3.0. Until recently I had been using the metal ligature that came with the horn, but after reading the Bboard and consulting with my teacher and friends who also play, I decided to try the Vandoren leather lig, which I like very much. It comes with three inserts; I use the metal one primarily.
In the four months I've been playing again, I've encountered what I felt was too much resistance with this set-up, and I had trouble with B and C above the staff...blowing ghost notes or grunting to reach them.
A few weeks ago, after my teacher had to cancel a lesson, I turned in frustration to the mouthpiece that had come with the Selmer. It was badly scratched but I could just make out that it was a Ridenour RE10. Suddenly the high notes were easier and the blowing was improved a bit. I don't know how this mouthpiece differs from the Blayman H, but there was enough of a difference to make playing easier.
But still I wasn't satisfied. So after consulting with my teacher, I play-tested a Vandoren M13 Lyre. With a good reed, the blowing is easier, no notes are beyond my reach and the entire sound is richer. I noticed this first in the chalumeau, but it holds true, as well, for the clarion and altissimo.
If I'd had more time, I would have tested a few more mouthpieces, just to get a sense of the different facings. My teacher had waved me away from the M13 (too close, he said).
Hope this helps a little. Good luck.
By the way, the recommended reed strength for the M13 Lyre (at least in the Vandoren advertisements) is blue box 3.5 to 4. I had no trouble with the 2.5. The 3 that I brought with me was a bit stuffy, but it played pretty well, too.
Post Edited (2008-02-16 19:06)
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Author: BandieSF
Date: 2008-02-16 19:49
I'm only in high school, but in case you still consider my input credible I'll give it.
I've been on a Vandoren M13 Lyre with V12 strength 4 reeds for a while and recently decided to switch to Legere Quebec reeds like Roger. I'll agree with him they work like a charm with my mouthpiece after finding the correct strength (4 1/4). I was able to duplicate that sound that I've always chased and finally found with my last Vandoren V12 reed I'll ever use. I've liked the M13 Lyre because I've played a hodgepodge of different reeds from strength 3 Vandoren blue box at the beginning of my 8th grade year to 3 1/2 Vandoren blue box by the end of 8th grade to strength 4 Vandoren blue box a bit into my 9th grade year to strength 4 Vandoren V12 silver box by the end of that year to strength 4 Legere reeds at the beginning of this year to Legere Quebec strength 4 1/4 reeds now. All of which have worked for me, with the slight exception of the regular Legere reeds. Not only that, I've kept this same set-up between both my Buffet E11 student model I use for marching and my Buffet R13 Greenline. The set-up works fine for both instruments.
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-02-18 06:03
Wow. I've thought about that too. If your really ready to move forward I would go for a new piece. Try the Fobes San Fransisco (make sure to try before you buy-one tip opening can be great, while another may be impossible for you to play on. That goes for all mouthpieces). I play a Fobes San Fransisco CF+. I love the big, round rich tone it produces without allot of effort. Im not certain on the tip opening and facing on the B45, since i've never even tried one, a 2m might be better suited for you. Who knows. also try Lomax, they'd be my second choice after Fobes. I've heard great things about the Morgans also.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-02-18 14:50
I would interject one idea that has been alluded to but not directly mentioned: do you know how to "break in" and adjust your reeds? (Your initial thoughts on having to find a good/favorite reed imply that you don't.)
If these techniques are not in your bag of tricks, then regardless of how much money you spend on mouthpiece "X" you will always be frustrated on a periodic basis. I would highly recommend buying Ridenour's ATG system!
To answer your intial questions, you're asking how to find a good combination. With the ridiculous number of fine mouthpiece craftsmen as well as reed options it is a pandora's box of opportunity! At some point you have to choose to eliminate one side of the equation: pick a mouthpiece OR pick a reed.
In this case I think you must choose the more stable variable...that of the mouthpiece. There has been a great deal of advice given above to this end.
It has been mentioned above that a "free blowing" mouthpiece is preferable (and for me this is true!), but that is matter of personal preference.
I have play tested Clark Fobes' mouthpieces and enjoyed them a great deal (I would recommend them to anyone), but I personally play Greg Smith's products and am elated with my recent purchases from him.
Good luck!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: AS
Date: 2008-02-18 20:19
I have interesting recent experience with Vandoren 5RV and Selmer C85 (120) mouthpieces when using different brands of reeds.
The 5RV sounds good only with reeds up to no.2.5. Stronger reeds sound stuffy on the 5RV. I tried Vandoren Traditional (no.2), Rico Royal (no. 2, no. 2.5 and 3), Rico Grand Concert (no. 2.5 and 3) and Michell Lurie (no. 3 and 4) reeds. For some reason Rico Grand Concert sounds more stuffy on the 5RV than Rico Classic of the same strength.
The C85 sounds great and is easy to play with any reed I put on it, up to no.4. I could not believe it because I very critcally assumed that I would need another 6-8 months to get to no.4 reed due to a couple of decades break in my clarinet playing. Feeling of playing no. 4 Michell Lurie reed on the C85 in sense of ease of playing is about the same as playing a reed of no. 2.5 on the 5RV. I did not have no. 4 reed of another brand to compare though.
On both mouthpieces I used the same ligature - Olegature, I believe, made by Rico. A least tt has Rico mark on it.
In between I also tried a crystal Pomarico Sapphire mouthpiece. That one was stuffy even with no.1.5 reed, not to speak of 2.5 or 3 which was nearly unplayable, even though Pomarico Sapphire has similar tip opening as my C85. So I sent it for refacing because quite obviously there should be a quality problem. No mouthpiece should be THAT resistant, I think.
Any idea why Selmer C85 takes reeds of any brand and of any strength but Vandoren 5RV - only up to a certain strength?
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-02-18 22:54
AS,
I would presume that the 5RV you had was warped, or that your reeds weren't balanced. Vandoren provides a general guideline for each of their mouthpieces and they suggest that the 5RV be used with 3, 3.5, and 4's.
I have no familiarity with the C85...but I'm personallly skeptical of any mouthpiece that functions well with such a range of reeds. The physics of the resistance curve seems to argue against it. (Then again, I have no experience with the C85, so...)
The crystal mouthpieces are notoriously finicky.
Reeds of any type theoretically should work on any mouthpiece if properly prepared. Personal preference will ultimately lead you to what works best for you!
Welcome back from your hiatus!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-02-19 02:05
any mouthpiece that functions well with such a range of reeds is something glorious. not sure why you would be skeptical about it. Greg smith's 1+ chedeville responds with that range 2.5-4.0
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-02-19 10:49
C2thew,
I have three Greg Smith mouthpieces, and two are Chedevilles. It is not my experience that they respond well to such a wide range of reeds.
Smith himself recommends V12 3.5's & 4's. Obviously a recommendations is just that, personal preference must rule.
Nonetheless I would (perhaps incorrectly) suggest that if someone finds that almost everything works on a mouthpiece that they are not being discriminating enough.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: AS
Date: 2008-02-19 17:51
Thanks for the comments. I went through my reeds once again on the Selmer C85 120 trying to be as critical as possible. Everything is just as I wrote before, except two things to be made more precise.
The first, Rico Grand Concert Select reeds are significantly harder to blow on that C85 compared with other brands of the same strength (M.Lurie, Rico Classic, Vandoren Traditional). For example, Grand Concert No.3 are even harder to blow than Lurie No.4., not to speak of Lurie No.3 or Rico Classic No.3. All the other brands are about equal among themselves within the strength denomination range that sounds good on the C85 (from 2 to 4). Again, no.4 I had only of one brand - M.Lurie. I have orderd V12 (gee, sounds like Jaguar engine, should be quite a blow but these have not arrived yet. So, still looking forward to compare the V12 no.4 with the Lurie no.4. Maybe Lurie is softer brand altogether? But then again, it does stay in line with denominations used within all other brands compared, except the Rico Grand Concert...
The second, Lurie No.4 is slightly (and I mean slightly) quieter and slower sounding than no.2-2.5-3 ones. A bit stronger blowing is necessary as well, but not that much. I guess that this is what should be expected from no.4 reed on a mouthpiece with tip opening of 1.2 mm.
I doubt if I could make more critical assessment, except perhaps trying, say, five reeds of each strength of each brand which would make 4 strengths x 5 brands x 5 reeds = 100 reeds… Well, perhaps some other time, but definitely not now. Sorry, folks!
But, this is just my experience. So, couldn't it be just that I have found a mouthpiece that is optimal to my physical, anatomical or whatever (spiritual???) specifics? If so, I should be quite lucky then. On the other hand, it can never be too good, right? Because looking for a better is so much fun…
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Author: Copland
Date: 2008-02-19 19:43
Wow, that's pretty impressive, AS. It's my (very limited) understanding that the Lurie reeds run softer than others.
I'll probably ask my teacher when I have my next lesson about his thoughts.
Does anyone know the recommended reed strengths for the B45 and/or the Fobes Debut?
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Author: AS
Date: 2008-02-19 19:53
Indeed, they do seem a hair softer than Rico Classic and Vandoren Traditional, but not that much to make significant difference. But they seem to be way softer than Rico Grand Concert of the same number.
I am far from being knowledgable enough to advise anything about clarinet. All I wanted was to share my rather limited but surprisinig experience and perhaps to get few hints from guys who have been into it much more then I have. Selfish interests too, you know
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-02-19 20:09
Copland,
All the Vandoren mouthpiece info/rec's can be found here:
http://www.vandoren.fr/en/clarinetmouthpiece.html
With the Fobes most of my students play Vandoren 3's. I'm not sure what Clark would recommend, but you could always send him an email.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2008-02-20 20:52
AS,
Here's some reed strength comparison charts you may find useful.
http://www.saxplus.com/reed-strength-chart.html
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-02-21 08:30
Paul -
> I have found for myself over the years that the standard Vandoren reeds (and for me, specifically the No. 4 strength) are the linchpin of the system.
I'm inclined to agree that the reeds come first, before the mpc shopping can begin.
But in response to the original post, this does indeed leave me with a quandary: as someone brought up on the French world of 5RV, C85, Vandoren 'B' series, which take a no. 3 reed or thereabouts, how am I to fully appreciate the world of Vandoren 'M' series and some of the American makes that require a strength '4' or higher? Even with an M30, I couldn't find anything in my current reed stash hard enough to make it sing. What's the best way to approach a radical change in mouthpiece facing?
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Author: AS
Date: 2008-02-21 16:26
Thanks, claritoot26, great charts! Did explain a lot to me. However my experience is that Lurie no.4 reeds correspond more to the Grand Concert Select no.2.5, not to no.3 or even 3.5 as most of the charts suggest. Rico Royal seems to correspond to M.Lurie nearly 1:1, perhaps Lurie being sliiiightly on the softer side. Of all the charts the Rico's chart seems to be most realistic to me.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2008-02-21 16:35
Bassie,
First, I have to ask the question why make a radical change in the mouthpiece facing?
One can build a perfectly fine set up around a #3 reed strength just as one can with a #4....or pretty much anything else. As you indicated, it might mean looking for mouthpiece options outside the Vandoren M series but I don't see that as a problem. There are other superb mouthpieces that can work beautifully with a #3.
I, personally, see no reason to get locked into a "clarinet dogma" that says I have to use a particular kind of mouthpiece, reed strength, or clarinet in order to be taken seriously. What matters the most is the music coming out of the clarinet. The set up you use to make that music is totally a personal matter for you.
(stepping down from soap box now...)
Roger
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-02-21 23:16
that's a valid point. you don't want to be pushed into the dogma, but on the other hand, don't not take recommendations. there's a reason why people hype certain equipment and horns. consistency in manufacturing is key to the success of the product.
good luck with your search
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: sbrodt54
Date: 2008-02-21 23:28
Copland,
There have been quite a number of posts to your request for help, that's pretty impressive that so many people are willing to extend their experience and try to help. I read through most of them and there is some wonderful guidance here, most of it does seem to say play as many mouthpieces as you can get your hands on and then pick what seems to work best for you.
Even though I played the same mouthpiece as my teacher (Bay) we didn't use the same reed, what worked for him didn't work for me. I agree with finding a mouthpiece first and then search for a reed that will work well. There are so many reeds and different cuts out there that you should be able to find something you truly like and can play for years.
Besides the Vandorens, Selmers, Smiths, there is a very fine mouthpiece hand finished by Ben Redline (who worked with Gennusa) on the market. He is a frequent contributor to the board, he makes a very fine professional mouthpiece and sells a great reed. Please don't forget about him in your search, and good luck!
Note: there are a few Morgan pieces still out there new but with Ralph's passing there will never be any more, his workmanship was terrific.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-02-22 08:20
> why make a radical change in the mouthpiece facing?
Roger,
No reason at all, I'm happy where I am! *
It interests me, that's all. It is a good question: why make a radical change in the mouthpiece facing? I suppose this is one way that different schools of playing can evolve. There's a lot of hype on this site about Vandoren M but I'm pretty sure it's not for me. Maybe if I'd encountered it back in school when I was foolishly trying to blow 3.5 on a wide open mpc, cos of peer pressure to play silly reed strengths...
I wonder if some sort of re-unification is possible - like a golf handicap for mouthpieces and reed strengths. A Mouthpiece Strength Chart. If B45=0, then 5JB is -1.5, M13 is +2 and so on. I guess Vandoren have gone some way towards it with their 'recommended reed strengths' for each mouthpiece. But then even Vandoren recommend a change in reed cut between long-lay / short-lay facings.
* B46 or C85/115, Xilema Pro 'C'
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Author: Copland
Date: 2008-02-29 01:13
Just another 'quick question' although this might also have a long answer!
If I start using harder reeds then I'm used to, will I build up endurance? In other words, if, for instance, I start using 3 1/2 or 4 Mitchell Luries will I eventually get used to it enough for it to be comfortable?
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Author: redwine
Date: 2008-02-29 12:29
Hello,
You shouldn't have to build up endurance. We "play" the clarinet, we don't "work" the clarinet. Of course, there's plenty of hard work to attain the level of playing and musicianship to which you aspire. A mouthpiece's facing in conjunction with one's embouchure/airstream/physique,etc. determines the strength of reed. One should know when an appropriate strengthed reed is placed on a mouthpiece. The sound and resistance will be just right. It will feel right to you, it will sound right to you. Everyone will be slightly different because of the human element. Your set up should compliment your playing, you should not have to work really hard to get a good sound. You should strive for efficiency. Good luck!
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: Tobin
Date: 2008-02-29 13:58
Excellent advice from Ben above,
There is a prevalent misconception (and there always will be) that the higher the reed strength, the better the player.
And if that is not the case, then that the stiffer reed strength gives the player a darker sound.
You should play what is appropriate to the mouthpiece and you!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Sun Clarinet
Date: 2011-07-24 03:29
In my case the situation is different. Most of the reeds I took (except Vandoren) played nicely on my 5RV Lyre. Finally, I found the perfect combination by putting Legere Signature 3 1/4 with Rovner ligature.
Last week I bought Selmer Recital (amaizing clarinet!) and tried the C85 115 for it is recommended for this horn. Rico Reserve didn't work, neither Legere Signature. (I stopped buying Vandoren finding them inconsistent, quickly worn out and overpriced) I bought Legere Quebec cut and became even more frustrated. Didn't I mention my absolute love to the Legere reeds? But Ontario cut #3 fits perfectly allowing free blowing from pianissimo to full forte in every register. The response and, therefore, staccato is much easier than on 5RV Lyre. Anybody knows why? Without boasting I easily reach 150 on C85 115.
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The Clarinet Pages
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