 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: muppie
Date: 2014-03-14 07:56
I currently have a Ridenour RA-MT36. The description of this mouthpiece is this:
MT-36 Facing: The MT-36 facing has a medium close tip opening with a long curve and works best for most players with higher strength, well-balanced reeds.
I quite like this MP in comparison to the buffet mouthpiece that came with my buffet clarinet. I can much more easily play the upper clarion and altissimo with this MP whereas with the Buffet MP I have to struggle, push the MP further in / adjust and just not secure (easily squeaks).
I don't quite know what I dislike about this mouthpiece and in general don't know much about mouthpieces.
For the sake of experiment and self education to know what it is like to use different kinds of mouthpieces, I'd like to order 2-3 mouthpieces from Amazon (Unless there's a better place to get them from?).
I went to a local shop and they said I could play test their mouthpieces, but I don't think I can really fully "get" the feeling of the differences based on a few minutes of testing, especially since I don't even know how to test. I'd like to try them out over an extended periods of time and change reeds, etc., and that is probably not exactly practical to do at a shop.
Besides that, the MP from the shop costs almost double than what it costs from Amazon + shipping.
1. How do you test a mouthpiece?
2. Which ones should I try? I am guessing that the RA-MT36 would be similar to a Vandoren M15, just based on the description "medium close, long curve (facing?)" I am not sure if I should try an M15 because it may or may not be very similar to the RA-MT36.
There are so many combinations out there it's quite overwhelming.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-03-14 04:17
You want to make sure that you are placing the mouthpiece at the appropriate "sweet spot" for its particular curvature. The best way to do that is to play an open "G" and keep taking in more and more mouthpiece until you get that really big SQUAWK. Just back of slightly from that spot where it squawks and that should be the "ideal" spot for that mouthpiece.
You should test for all parameters that will influence your playing such as CORRECT INTONATION, good articulation, CORRECT INTONATION, good tone, CORRECT INTONATION, ability to play well in low octave as well as altissimo, and CORRECT INTONATION. :-)
............Paul Aviles
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2014-03-14 13:04
muppie -
Almost all Buffet stock mouthpieces are unplayable.
Tom Ridenour's mouthpieces are excellent. They're made to work with his way of playing, which may not be yours. In particular, the ones I've played have more back-pressure than I like.
The Vandoren 5RV Lyre is a free-blowing, slightly open middle-of-the-road mouthpiece. You should give it a try to discover whether it works with your anatomy (lips, tongue, pharynx) and whether you like the amount of resistance.
As Paul says, a mouthpiece that plays out of tune is worthless, no matter how good it is otherwise.
Beyond that, there's little any of us can say to you. You need to trust your own ears.
Private lessons, with a player who can hear and see what you do, are also an essential next step.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2014-03-14 19:08
I ordered several different mpc's from a non-Amazon music company and was able to test the bunch of them for a couple of weeks. After making my choice, I was able to send back the ones I didn't want, all packaged in their original boxes. I had to pay for shipping from my end and a cleaning fee for each mpc. It was worth every penny. I ordered a variety of tip openings and facing lengths to find out what set-up I most preferred. I feel that was the key. If your VISA can handle it, order a BUNCH! Oh...also buy some of those mpc pads and use them on every one of the mpc's so your front teeth don't scratch them.
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Author: cyclopathic
Date: 2014-03-14 19:25
just make sure you use new reed which has been properly broken in (it is an oxymoron I know)
Reeds tend to mold to MPC after a while, so if the facing btw MPCs is different you may get unexpected results.
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Author: muppie
Date: 2014-03-14 17:05
Wow thanks everyone! Ed, thanks for that link. It gives me a "method" to follow which is very helpful!
Roxann, could you share which web site you bought your mouthpiece from, that lets people send the ones they don't want back?
My current list of possibles are:
B40 Lyre Profile 88 13 series (American pitch)
M30 Lyre Profile 88
M15 Profile 88
5RV Lyre Traditional
For the purpose of not scratching a trial mouthpiece, I am guessing that I should not use my Vandoren Optimum ligature because it's metal and may scratch.
While we're at it, which ligature should I try? There are so many out there it's quite confusing: Vandoren leather, Rovner 1R, Rovner Versa, Rovner Versa X...
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2014-03-14 21:14
muppie wrote:
> Roxann, could you share which web site you bought your
> mouthpiece from, that lets people send the ones they don't want
> back?
Every major internet retailer I can think of allows that.
> For the purpose of not scratching a trial mouthpiece, I am guessing that I
> should not use my Vandoren Optimum ligature because it's metal and
> may scratch.
Use some thin electrical tape around the mouthpiece and use a mouthpiece pad if you don't play double lip to keep your teeth from scratching the mouthpiece ... It's not a perfect solution since the sound will be a bit different, but acceptable.
> While we're at it, which ligature should I try? There are so many out there
> it's quite confusing: Vandoren leather, Rovner 1R, Rovner Versa,
> Rovner Versa X...
Don't. All you're going to do is confuse yourself. One variable at a time is bad enough!
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-03-14 23:51
I don't think there should be any problem testing with your Optimum. The interior is really smooth and the pressure is exerted upon the reed NOT along the sides of the mouthpiece.
Wow your range of options is pretty diverse. If you insist on the B40 Lyre, at least save that one for last (try the M15 first, 5RV Lyre second and the M30 third.....idea being that you want to try the least open feeling mouthpiece first.
And if I may suggest careful checking with a tuner with each. The traditional 5RV Lyre should be the easiest to get even tuning across the board. The others are "lower pitched," so look to your throat "F" to make sure you can play a good forte at pitch on them.
...........Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk
Date: 2014-03-16 02:10
This should work very well. Even going from one to another of three mouthpieces can make it hard to remember how the first one played. Some people may find in even less confusing to pick two at random and decide which of the two is better, discarding the other one. Then compare the better mouthpiece with the third and choose the better of that pair, which should also be better than the one that was discarded. Less sound to remember and fewer nuances to consider at a time.
Karl
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Author: muppie
Date: 2014-03-16 05:57
Thank you for all the advice. I really appreciate it.
Would there be any benefit from actually owning multiple mouthpieces (e.g. if I were to buy 3 of the above listed) and keeping them all, even if I would only end up liking just one out of the 3?
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2014-03-21 00:36
I've got a bag of mouthpieces in the drawer below the one full of reeds.
I only occasionally change mouthpieces (1 in 2006, 2 in 2012). I like to have a very good spare that is close to my main mouthpiece --just in case something bad happens to my favorite mouthpiece. Now that I've got a large enough case, I even carry my number 2 mouthpiece with me.
The bag full?
I loan that out to people who are contemplating getting a new mouthpiece. I count the number in the bag and only ask that I get the same number back.
Bob Phillips
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Author: gkern
Date: 2014-03-21 01:10
muppie, are you restricting your choices to Vandoren? There are many other good mouthpieces out there.
And no limit on how many you have; I have over 20, some good, some not so, some vintage, some new, but whenever I get a different clarinet, I go through all of them to see which works best with that particular horn.
Gary K
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Author: gkern
Date: 2014-03-21 07:12
muppie, I am mainly into vintage mouthpieces, and if they are worn or chipped, Vytas Krass has refaced 2 for my Selmer CT, a Woodwind K9 and a Selmer HS in oval; they are fantastic. On my other vintage faves, I have a Portnoy BP02 on the Marigaux, and a Jean Barre that came with the horn. I have not yet settled on "the" mouthpiece for the Penzel Mueller Soloist...
I have bought several new mouthpieces, a Selmer C85 105, a Vandoren 5JB, a real screamer, and a James Pyne Clarion Poly Crystal, hyped as being "reed friendly", all of which play okay on a number of vintage clarinets.
But as almost everyone on the forum will tell you, mouthpiece selection and preference depends upon the player, the reed, and the clarinet. So keep experimenting and you will eventually find the one or ones that work for you, and check out different brands. And don't be surprised if the one you think is perfect today is replaced by one that plays even better down the road.
Gary K
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