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Charles Bay Artist Series mouthpiece

Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-06-17 02:03

I have the distinct pleasure of receiving several Artist Series Bay mouthpieces with the the MO-M opening. All are the "brown" hard rubber models, one of which is a duckbill design.

Firstly, it is a pleasure playing on a mouthpiece that starts out playing in tune.

Many of today's custom mouthpieces generate a 'lower' pitch (literally a full half step lower.......a concert 'C' rather that 'Db.' This typical configuration (in my opinion) throws off the twelfths in an irretrievable way. One must consider that the a lower/higher generating pitch is fundamentally different than changing pitch by subsequently lengthening or shortening the tube with different sized barrels.

I don't know a better way to describe playing a 'low' mouthpiece than to say that it feels as though I am "playing against the mouthpiece." The first space 'F' is always too low and if the problem is bad enough, all notes from the second ledger 'C' on up are also very flat as well.

This is NOT the case with the Bay mouthpieces which allow you to relax into the pitch (perhaps another term specific to me).

Another benefit of this effect is that now, tone colors are MUCH more variable and they are variable more within my control.

Another the great thing about these mouthpieces is that the curvature of the lay must be quite finely worked up to the very tip because the response and control of the highest altissimo notes is very good.

These particular mouthpieces I ordered are made of a brown hard rubber that is a slightly softer composition (not to the touch, but by Mr. Bay's personal description). This material seems to give them a warmer sound than some Bays that I had tried in the past made of the more standard black hard rubber.

And finally, they have a VERY broad dynamic range which I attribute to the substantial baffle length of these mouthpieces. I must contrast these to the diametrically opposed design of the Vandoren Masters' mouthpieces. Those Vandorens ARE of good pitch and get a lovely small sound, but they top off dynamically quite quickly and cannot achieve more sound no matter how much more air one tries to push into them. The Masters are at least 2mm shorter and this length seems to be represented all in the beak/baffle area which leads me to believe this is the design area that lends this dynamic characteristic to these mouthpieces.

In summary, I cannot say enough positive things about my experience with the Bay mouthpieces and look forward to much more time on them to realize their full potential.

.................Paul Aviles

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