 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: lisa74
Date: 2011-05-26 20:24
What is your opinion on mouthpiece patches? Do you think they affect your tone in any way?
also, i had been playing on a mouthpiece patch for awhile and recently took it off to see if i could play without it and found my tone to be different from when i have the patch on. with the patch on it sounds more warm to be, whereas when i took it off it seemed much brighter. was it just because the patches dampen the vibrations on my teeth or did my tone actually change? and if it didn't change then which did it actually sound like, the one with or without the patch?
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2011-05-26 21:03
The only way to really find out how you sound to others is a high quality recording at a suitable distance.
How one hears oneself sound whilst playing is subtlely different to what the rest of the world hears.
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Author: sbrodt54
Date: 2011-05-26 21:50
Lisa, they do indeed change the tone of certain mouthpieces. I first noticed this when we got in a new line of mouthpieces that were very thin in that area of the baffle and tip (top) where you place the the patch.
I always place a clear patch on every new mouthpiece so it won't get scratched by someone's teeth and that works pretty well. However I got in a line of pieces and played some of them without the patch, then later with a patch, there was a noticeable difference.
I took a bunch of pieces home and played with 6 different lines and styles of them and then proceeded to play with and then without a patch. Some were unaffected or affected so little that I couldn't notice any difference. Those pieces with a thin baffle/tip area were all affected, the patch noticeably made them all darker or maybe I should say, less vibrant.
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Author: claaaaaarinet!!!!
Date: 2011-05-26 22:59
Patches can make a difference to your sound. The larger and thicker the patch is, the more it tends to mellow the tone. I suppose by dampening certain overtones. The smaller and thinner a patch is, the more it will allow for maximum brightness and vibration. I sometimes use patches to adjust the sound and feel of mouthpieces that I like, but that need minor tweaking. An overly bright mouthpiece can be tempered by putting on a big, spongy patch. A mouthpiece that's a little dull in sound can be helped by replacing a spongy patch with a thinner, smaller patch. Of course, it has to feel right on your teeth as well.
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Author: TJTG
Date: 2011-05-26 23:25
My Professor definitely agrees with "claaaaaarinet!!!!" saying 'The larger and thicker the patch is, the more it tends to mellow the tone.' In fact, his recommendation was to buy a black rubber glove (the thicker kind you'd use to wash dishes) cut it to side and adhear it with double sided sticky tape. This is the thinnest and most effect patch I've ever seen. I've played on it to. It's grippy and keeps you very close to the mouthpiece.
Added bonus: Its really cheap and easy to replace.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-05-27 02:41
It depends on the player and the mouthpiece. In many cases only the player can hear the difference because you pick up the vibrations thru your teeth and are more sensitive to the vibrations and tone than the listener. On the other hand, using a thick patch will open your oral cavity more so your mouth is actually more opened. Of course that will cause some change in your sound and control. I use a thin patch just to avoid the vibration on my top teeth, I've only been doing that for the last decade. I notice the same difference in my sound to myself as if I use my tooth guard on my lower teeth or play without it. There is a difference in what I hear but I'm not use anyone else would notice. So in short, I think it depends on how thick the patch is and on the individual. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2011-05-27 09:06
I find that patches tend to make more of a difference when used on plastic mouthpieces. Notably, I have a Buffet plastic mouthpiece whose response can be altered dramatically using various thicknesses of patches.
On my hard rubber pieces, conversely, they make little or no difference at all. They do help to keep mouthpiece wear at bay.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2011-05-27 18:48
One can buy the thin patches and then, with a scissors, cut in oval halves to make two patches. Since they are small, the sound will be affected little and the mouthpiece won't get scratched from one's teeth.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2011-05-28 00:25
Interesting experiences reported here.
I thought that the difference was simply the change in connectivity between my teeth/head and the mouthpiece.
I use thicker patches and cut them in half out of a combination of cheapness (2 fer 1) and the fear that, perhaps, the larger patch would affect the sound in a bad way.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2011-05-28 03:00
When switching from a patch to no patch my tongue was all over the place. I found it hard to articulate with a patch.
This of course may be related to playing with a double lip. The upper lip sorta becomes a patch.
Tom Ridenour uses a thick pad and he plays with a double lip. Bottom line is try every situation and see what feels best. I'd try different thicknesses for a week or 2 before deciding.
I'm not sure, but I think Tom makes pads. You can also get them on ebay or run to your favorite hardware store and check out the gloves. Most likely you can cut your own glove with sissers and quality double stick tape. Before playing with a double lip I made my own and one glove seemed to last for years! So you may want to try buying assorted gloves and play with different sizes simply by using double stick tape and stack the cut pieces until you find the right comfortable thickness. If you prefer a slightly thicker pad go to a bike shop and ask for a liner for a tire. Thats almost the perfect size/thickness for a lot of players. That inner tuble should las the rest of your life!
By the way, on the sax line I use a single lip without a pad, with the exception of the soprano sax. I have a pad on that mouthpiece.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2011-05-28 03:36)
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2011-05-28 15:07
David Blumberg wrote,
>>Charlie Neidich uses the rubberband from a stem of broccoli with double stick tape.
>>
I love it!
I'm an amateur, but FWIW, I did a mouthpiece-testing trial with my husband as judge. He's an advanced amateur violinist with an excellent ear. We did a blind test where he kept his back turned. He couldn't hear a difference in tone quality when I played a mouthpiece with a patch and then the same mouthpiece with no patch, even though I do hear a difference as the sound conducts through my own mouth.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2011-05-28 18:08
I look at a mouthpiece patch more of a comfort item than a tone-changing item. People have different jaws, different tooth alignments, and different levels of comfort. I myself find that for my new (and improved) embouchure, a much thinner patch is desired. I don't bite so I don't need "cushion". But I have a slightly chipped front tooth which would not only mark up a mouthpiece, but makes it ONE point of contact, so for me the patch is more for security of not having the mouthpiece slide around while playing.
A friend of mine, and a FANTASTIC player, uses a VERY thick mouthpiece patch. But that's what's comfortable for him.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2011-05-31 16:25
I use the thin clear Vandoren patches. I used to use thicker ones, but my teacher said the same stuff that others said on this thread about the thicker ones. Once I got used to the thinner ones, I find they work well for me. I also have the added bonus of my front teeth not being the same length by about 1mm (maybe not that much, but it's definitely noticeable). So, the patch also helps me get better contact. I'm also a biter.
----------
Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
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Author: Leanne E.
Date: 2011-05-31 21:07
I do so much weird stuff because of my TMJ, and basically, I feel like the mouthpiece patch (I have a thick black one) darkens up my tone. But, because I absolutely must play a 2.5 on a Hite Premiere, I don't really think it's a bad thing in my case.
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Author: Buster
Date: 2011-05-31 22:31
FWIW if you're looking for something close to those famous gloves that are no longer available, get one of those large exercise bands. the ones that are 6 ft. long or so,4 or 5 inches wide and quite thin. You'll have to live with a quite colorful patch in most cases, but you'll have enough material for 3 lifetimes of mouthpiece patches.
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Author: clarinetcase
Date: 2011-06-01 02:35
I use electrical tape. Does the job, you can cut it to whatever size you want, no sticky residue if you remove it, has no effect on the sound (that anyone has noticed so far), and a roll will last forever.
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Author: Claire Annette
Date: 2011-06-01 03:25
In the late 70s, Some of us used the non-lined yellow dishwashing gloves for patch pieces. Believe it or not, with lots of playing, we were able to get them to stick to the mouthpiece with saliva alone!
Like Tom Ridenour, I also use a patch and doule lip.
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