 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: AngelOfLies
Date: 2008-09-28 12:19
i am very very confused when people are talking about tip opening.i am now using a b45 dual tone profile 88 with a leather ligature from vandoren.and i am planning to get a new mpc.can anyone advise me.
the mpc that i want needs to help me with
a) my high notes which are coming out flat
b) focused sound
c) a vandoren brand would be better.
because i have scores that needs me to play high notes and i am struggling with the mouthpiece i am having.
i am already pushing in air and having very fast air speed.maybe a change of mouthpiece will help me further.
please help me.
my reed i am using is zonda 3.5 soft or zonda 3.hard
and 1 more thing,
i see thread abt open tip and closer tip
open tip uses harder reeds
close tip uses softer reeds
does close tip easier to play high notes than open tips?because of the smaller air going in?
Post Edited (2008-09-28 13:21)
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-09-28 13:42
I thought open tips used softer reeds and close tips used harder reeds.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-09-28 13:50
From the mouthpieces I've tried I found that generally an open tip will need a softer reed than a closed tip, if everything else is the same. The facing length will have a big affect too, and a longer facing will need a harder reed than a shorter facing. For example, I usually need a harder reed on my main mouthpiece than on my backup mouthpiece (which I pretty much never use) eventhough the tip opening is bigger. That's because the facing is longer.
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Author: AngelOfLies
Date: 2008-09-28 13:58
so in the end:
is there any mouthpiece that can help me play better at the high registers.
using b45 profile 88 dual tone btw
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Author: pewd
Date: 2008-09-28 14:33
>open tips used softer reeds and close tips used harder reeds
correct.
the OP doesn't indicate how long hes been playing clairnet, nor whether you tune to a-440 or a-442.
your question c) - why? vandoren doesn't have a monopoly.
for most of my students:
For beginning students, try a Fobes Debut or a Vandoren 5RV-lyre, with Vandoren traditional 3.0. Move up to a 3.5 reed in a year or 2.
More advanced students, try out Vandoren M13, M13-Lyre or a M15, with 3.5 or 4.0 reed.
e.g. my typical beginner is on a fobes debut, 3.0 reed. 2nd and 3rd year students are usually still on the fobes, but on a 3.5 reed. 3rd to 7th year students, usually a M13 or M15, and either a 3.5 or 4.0 reed.
One or 2 use a Hite. One is on a Behn mouthpiece. One size does not fit all despite what the local 'consultants' and 'experts' say.
its hard to address issues like this over the internet. the best solution would be for you to take some private lessons, and have a good private teacher advise you as to equipment, embouchure, breathing and air support, practice habits, etc.
HTH
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
Post Edited (2008-09-28 14:35)
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-09-28 15:01
Can you give examples of your "high notes?"
Like, which notes? The altissimo register notes?
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Author: AngelOfLies
Date: 2008-09-28 17:00
the notes above all the staff lines.such as the B onwards.it starts sounding flat.i sound such a noobie but ya. a noobie trying to play the clarinet well. i am afraid of using anything other than a vandoren as i don't want to sound out of place than the rest of the players.
thanks to those who are replying to me.i appreciate it alot.coz i tink i need advise from experienced players like u guys. =)
so will a change in mouthpiece help me the notes that i wanna play better?
if it does, can u recommend me some?
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Author: pewd
Date: 2008-09-28 17:26
>can u recommend me some
i have done so already. read. provide some more detail in your answers if you want further assistance.
and a small bit of additional advice - lose the slang and you will probably receive better responses.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2008-09-28 18:16
I am always surprised at how much attention is placed on tip opening, while other aspects are ignored. The facing length and type of curve are at least as important as the tip opening.
Here are a few additional "rules" to remember.
A longer facing will allow you to use harder reeds (read more stability, better intonation)
A shorter facing will require a less resistant reed.
Obviously, different combinations of tip opening anf facing length account for the many different combinations available in the market.
There is no one facing that is "the best" or will fit everyone. For example, I worked with one world famous who uses a .98 tip, short facing mouthpiece while another equally famous player will uses a 1.15 medium to long facing.
Just reading books, articles, and internet websites will not tell you what facing will work for you. You must try a variety, with a variety of reeds, to find the optimal setup.
For some people, nothing available in the market does the trick. I have had to do some totally custom facings for some of my clients, usually because of teeth/jaw placement issues.
You must try to find a mouthpiece that is equally good in all areas. A mouthpiece that allows you to tongue faster, but produces a mediocre tone will not be acceptable in general playing situations. Or, a mouthpiece that makes a glowing tone quality but cannot be played in tune on your clarinet will be equally unacceptable.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
World Class Clarinet Mouthpieces
New Buffet Clarinets
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-09-28 19:52
YOu described yourself as new to the clarinet. In that case, it would make far more sense to approach a competent private teacher for advice on mouthpieces than to solicit info from people who have never met you, watched you play or heard a single note come from your clarinet.
I could tell you about any number of great mouthpieces I have used over the years... an O'Brien crystal, an early custom piece from David Hite, a Ted lane, a Walter Grabner K13 or one of the Greg Smith Chedeville series, but that would certainly not mean that any of these would be of use to you. Mouthpiece selection is a very inividual and personal choice
Incidentally, just because everyone in your section uses a Vandoren, certainly should not limit your options. Pick the mouthpiece that lets YOU sound your best.
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: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-09-29 01:17
Walter is so right, there are so many other factors involved in how and why a mouthpiece does what it does. Tip opening is only one small part it. There's length of the lay, thickness of the rails, slant of the inner rails, how large the bore is, the volume of air in the chamber, the material etc. People put too much into the tip, that should only be the starting point, not the ending point. There are many posts on this subject in the past, and even one listed presently. Playing a Vandoren will not necessarily make you "blend" with the others in the section but they do make many decent mouthpieces at affordable prices. If you happen to live near NY City, they have a store in Manhattan or maybe there's a store in your area that has a decent selection for you to try. If not you can order several from a number of mail order stores. They usually will send you four and charge you're credit card for one and credit you when you return them minus the postage and handling. I suggest you try several and see if you like one better than the other. But there are many other good mouthpieces on the market. ESP
www.peabody.jhu.edu/457 Listen to a little Mozart
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-10-02 16:10
My 2c:
1. Find a store and try a few. Vandoren 5RV or 5RV lyre are probably worth a look.
2. A 3.5 on a B45 is too hard for me... try practicing with a softer reed. Chasing the high notes with harder reeds looks like a good idea at first but can lead to big trouble.
3. Embouchure practice. How do you hold the instrument at the pointy end? (1) Take the right amount of mouthpiece. Listen to the tone: you need to be somewhere between honking goose (too much) and strangled chicken (too little). (2) pick a note and play it long, starting pp, crescendo ff, diminuendo pp. The pitch should stay the same all the way through, with minimal effort, if you're holding it right. (3) try the clarinet at slightly different angles (high / low).
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Author: AngelOfLies
Date: 2008-10-11 05:27
to all who replied this post:
thanks alot for the great advise =) i really appreciate the replies that are coming in through. =)
so in the end i got myself a M15 and i am really happy with it =)
yeaps.i shall continue to practise with all the great advises given by u guys
thanks alot!
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