 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Fabian
Date: 2009-02-14 23:47
I've been playing the clarinet for about 9 months already. I've just recently bought a Buffet Crampon E11 clarinet 2 months ago and I'm now looking for a new mouthpiece + lignature.
So far, I've been reading reviews about various vandoren mouthpieces, such as B45, B40, M13, M15, M30. My intial plan was to get a B45 from a shop, but I've also read various reviews that M13 Lyre was much better (and B40 is also good).
Can anyone give your opinion on which mouthpiece should I get?
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Author: CarlT
Date: 2009-02-15 01:35
I started playing in April 2008, so we've been playing about the same time.
About 3 months after I started, being naive, I bought a B45 just because the sales person pushed them as being "the most popular clarinet mouthpiece". They may be popular with advanced players, but I really do not believe they are for too many beginners. I got a Fobes Debut for about $30 after my teacher and I decided the B45 was way too open/resistant for my tender embouchure. I have just in the last month purchased an M13 Lyre, and it's even a bit (for me at least) better sounding/easier playing than the Fobes Debut. I must say though that the Fobes is a great MP for the money, as many on this BB will tell you.
Also, most will tell you to be sure to try out MPs before you buy if at all possible, although the Fobes might be an exception because of its low price.
CarlT
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2009-02-15 01:42
Definitely try as many of those mouthpieces as you can.
What reeds are you playing on now? Certain reeds are better suited to certain facing + tip openings and can help direct you toward the right mouthpiece for you.
For example, I own a M30 and a B45. The B45 is more open and resistant than the M30. I cannot play my V.12 3.5s on my B45 without sounding airy because it is too resistant; however, I can make a much better, cleaner sound on the M30 with that same reed.
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Author: Fabian
Date: 2009-02-15 02:10
To cxgreen48,
I currently use vandoren tradition reeds. I use size 3 reeds but I plan to upgrade to 3.5 soon. I live in singapore, and I don't think I ever see v12 vandoren reeds lying around, ever.
Personally, I will probably either get a B45 or a M13 Lyre (if the shop has it at all). I will check out the Fobes Debut mouthpieces which CarlT suggested, too. I'm using the stock mouthpiece my E11 had with currently.
Fabian
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2009-02-15 13:51
Make sure you try the mouthpieces though. If the store has all of them, I'd try as many as possible.
Mouthpieces are a personal thing and for me, the M30 was an big improvement over the B45 when I was using Vandoren Traditional 3 reeds. If the store has a M30, I'd try that as well.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2009-02-15 15:26
These mouthpieces are essentially the same *except for* their facings - the curve along the window from the tip to the point where the reed meets the mouthpiece. B45 is more open at the tip and shorter from tip to the meeting point than the M15 (or any of the Mxx mouthpieces). A closer tip results in less resistance, as does a longer curve. So a B45 will need a softer (lower strength) reed than an M13 or M15 (with or without the Lyre).
If you go to the Vandoren website there's a chart at http://www.vandoren.fr/en/clarinetbb.html that compares their currently available facings.
There are some characteristics of the basic tone quality and feel of a mouthpiece that can result from the different openness or length of a curve. I personally prefer the ones at the closer and longer end of the spectrum (M13, M15, 5RV). But after only 9 months of playing, the most important ones are ease of producing a sound and articulating (tonguing). Those facings are all capable of excellent response with the right reed attached to them. When you try mouthpieces to compare them, it's important to keep in mind that one may well respond and sound better than another *with the specific reed you're using* but that the difference may vanish or even reverse when the reed is chosen to suit the mouthpiece.
Keep in mind also, if you compare Vandoren Series 13 mouthpieces to the ones made from their Traditional blank, you may find differences (especially pitch) that are the result of the internals of the blank as well as the facings.
But in general, I think the Series 13 mouthpieces all are made from the same blank and the traditionals are also made from the same (but different from the Series 13) blank. Profile 88 mouthpieces are available in either series and have to do with a different external shape of the "beak" - the part that goes into your mouth. With the mouthpieces you've mentioned, all of these different models are available.
Confused? The bottom line is that you will probably be equally happy with a B45 or an M30 or an M15 Series 13 if you use the right reeds for the one you've picked (the Traditional series is pitched a little higher and may cause problems if you play with other people). Later, when you're more sensitive to the other subtleties that come from differences in facing dimensions, you may decide that you prefer something different. For now, after less than a year of playing, any of these mouthpieces should play well for you *with the reed strength that best suits you and the strength of your embouchure.*
Karl
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2009-02-15 16:38
> Can anyone give your opinion on which mouthpiece should I get?
Try as many as you can. Make a trip to a store or find a sale-or-return mail-order service.
As outlined above, you might not have the reeds to make some of them work, but you'll probably still end up with plenty of choice. The right one will have good tone, will play in tune, will allow easy access to all the notes, will allow you to play soft and loud, and will allow easy and rapid tonguing.
> I've also read various reviews that M13 Lyre was much better (and B40 is also good)
These are basically opposite extremes in the Vandoren range. I'd be very surprised if they both worked for you.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2009-02-20 10:40
The M13 lyre is probably my favorite of those in the Vandoren line. Comfortable blow, nice focussed tone.
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Author: doggystar1564
Date: 2009-02-20 11:58
Well my band teacher said it is best for ust to get the vandorean 5rv lyier or something like that and if you use vandorean reeds then it sounds a whole lot better
Wood winds in the front, all the lesser instruments in the back!
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Author: Geirskogul
Date: 2009-02-21 08:23
I fell in love with a pomarico emerald mouthpiece, though I like the M13Lyre a lot, too.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2009-02-21 14:49
"Well my band teacher said it is best for ust to get the vandorean 5rv lyier or something like that and if you use vandorean reeds then it sounds a whole lot better"
Classic example of an overly-simplistic statement that is at the heart of it incorrect.
A 5RV Lyre does not sound inherently better with Vandoren reeds on it. It does sound better with Vandoren reeds if you've been using a crappy reeds for some time.
Fabian: "I use size 3 reeds but I plan to upgrade to 3.5 soon."
Why? Just so you know, the two mouthpieces that you have said you would buy take two completely different strengths of reeds, with little overlap. The B45 uses a 2.5/3/3.5, and the M13 Lyre uses a 3.5/4. So the common ground, a 3.5, is going to be quite stiff on the one and quite light on the other.
You should try as many mouthpieces as you can, but (as Karl said) you should also have on hand the appropriate reeds available to try them.
Last thing: Clark Fobes makes great mouthpieces, but the Debut is not the mouthpiece to compare against the Vandorens. You should try a NOVA instead.
James
Gnothi Seauton
Post Edited (2009-02-21 14:50)
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Author: leonardA
Date: 2009-02-21 15:30
I have an E11 and use the Vandoren M30, which works beautifully with it. Free blowing and nice dark tone. I use a Vandoren traditional 3 reed with it mostly but a 2.5 also works fine.
Leonard
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2009-04-23 21:17
To open up a slightly old thread: (sorry)
I'm thinking, on the advice of my tech, of upgrading my mouthpiece to a Vandoren. However, I don't know what kind would be best. My clarinets are both B&H Imperial 926s, and I play on the original mouthpiece, for tuning reasons. My tech, who is a very good clarinetist himself, said that I would benefit from an English style Vandoren mouthpiece, but he's not sure which model that might be. Anyone know?
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2009-04-23 22:31
For tuning reasons the Imperial 926 needs a slightly different bore to that found on typical french style mouthpieces. I don't think Vandoren ever made a mouthpiece with such a bore (although many years ago they did offer a 1010 bore mouthpiece for UK use).
However the good news is that the 926 bore is marginally large than normal French so that any Vandoren mouthpiece can be reamed out to the 926 size. There are several techs in the UK who have suitable reamers and offer this service, can't say for your neck of the woods.
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