 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rene
Date: 2001-03-07 08:38
I recently tried a Vandoren B-45 mouthpiece on a Buffet B-12 clarinet. This seems to be a common combination, but I found myself to be awfully sharp (compared to 440 Hz), especially of course in the throat range. I can lip that down a lot, but not completely and have to pull out the barrel by about 3-5 mm to get in tune. The reeds I tried were Vandoren 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 with no change.
The same B-12 plays exactly in tune with my German VD-3 mouthpiece (and German reeds of course).
My questions are: Is this on purpose? What can I do about it? Buy another barrel? And if, which (I would have to mail oder)? If YOU do not hav this problem with this combination, what could be my fault?
Rene
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-03-07 11:44
Clarinets are typically designed to be slightly sharp at normal room temperature (approx. 22 C) so that you should indeed need to pull the barrel (although 5mm is probably too much). If you did not have to pull it a bit at room temperature, you would not be able to get into tune in a cold room as you would not be able to push it. You would also run into problems tuning if you were playing with a piano that was sharp. You need a little leeway to push in since a piano cannot be quickly adjusted.
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Author: sylvain
Date: 2001-03-07 14:21
Hi Rene,
A mouthpiece has drastic effect on the pitch. I think most B45 tend to play a bit sharp. They were manufactured for the europena market so a 442Hz reference pitch.
Also you might want to play it for a while to get use to its intonation and correct your embouchure for this particular mouthpiece.
All that said, this mouthpiece seems to be very sharp.
If you have the money and like the B45 you might want to try a B45 13 which is at american pitch.
-S
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2001-03-08 04:03
B45's do tend to play above 440 for most people. If you want a similar Vandoren mouthpiece which tunes lower, you may want to try the V13. If you like your current mouthpiece, and your teacher is satisfied with it, why not stick with it?
Chris
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Author: Rene
Date: 2001-03-08 05:26
Thanks for the responses. Seems everyone agrees the B45 is on the sharp side, which on the other hand is better than being flat.
Of course, I'll stick with my good old German one, and not only on the B12. I have several other objections against the B45. Not the least of them is that I am not used to it.
However, I just wanted to know.
Rene
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Author: kclau
Date: 2012-10-05 18:52
sorry to bring this old post out... but i am curious about how sharp it can be.
I play my B12 with a B45 and get the same problem... sharp by more than 20 cents in all registers (in particular, the clarion B4 and C5 are 30+ cents sharp)... but the lowest E and F are surprisingly flat
Is my case normal? are there other problems for the sharp?
Does a change of barrel help? which brand and, most important, what length?
Thank you.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2012-10-05 19:54
If the B45 is that sharp for you, try something different. Maybe a Chedeville-style mouthpiece, or one of the 13-series from Vandoren, if you want to stay with Vandy pieces.
The B12 plays a bit sharp, too, as do many student clarinets. Adding a mouthpiece that tends tothe sharp side just makes the situation worse.
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: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2012-10-06 03:52
Also, be aware that Buffet puts a short (65 mm) barrel with the B12 and E11 so that they will play at A=442, not A=440. The reason is that Buffet considers these to be student instruments and wants to compensate for the tendency of beginners to play flat until their embouchure develops.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-10-06 05:19
Wes beat me to it.
I tried that on my (young) teacher, and he was complete non-plussed. When I was his age, we all knew that mantra: "Nobody digs a sharp tone."
Bob Phillips
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Author: rgr
Date: 2012-10-06 08:37
Sorry. But this thread is soooo outdated. I don't play a B12 any longer. My daughter plays it now in the brass band occasionally. I have bought a Selmer Odysee some years ago, and am happy with only a few minor issues (frequent water in A, too little spacing at C#/F# key).
I have never found out, why the B45 was sharp on the B12. Might have been my playing technique at that time.
Thanks, Rene
Post Edited (2012-10-06 08:38)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-10-06 15:20
Unless everybody else is sharp, you are out of tune!!!
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Re: B-45 on B-12 is sharp
Author: Wes (---.lsanca.dsl-w.verizon.net - (Verizon Internet Services) Redondo Beach, CA United States)
Date: 2012-10-05 20:27
It is better to be sharp than out of tune!
Tony F.
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