 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: locke9342
Date: 2015-11-26 09:45
I've read a lot of posts about the Bel Canto and most of them seem to be quite negative, especially because of its high price. So, my question is a 3 parter,
1. What if the Bel Canto were only $200?
2. How does the Bel Canto compare to the Sinfonia?
3. How do Pyne mouthpieces differ from Richard Hawkins and Clark Fobes
(Hawkins is a more open tip and Fobes is closed like Pyne?)
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Author: gwie
Date: 2015-11-26 10:39
3. Hard to generalize like this...mouthpiece makers all make a range of mouthpieces with different tip openings, from very close to very open.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2015-11-26 16:28
At the same time differences in facings, chamber, baffle, rails, etc can make mouthpieces with similar tip openings play very differently. The only way to know is to try and see if it works for you.
FWIW- I have not played the Bel Canto, but the Pynes I have tried tend to have a little more resistance than I like.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2015-11-26 17:37
The Pyne design is asymmetrical. It therefore requires reeds that are asymmetrical, and also, I believe, a change in embouchure. You can't slap a standard reed on and expect it to play in the familiar way. If you do, it feels stuffy and resistant. (I know -- I've tried.)
Nevertheless, some very fine players play (or at least have played) Pyne mouthpieces http://www.pyne-clarion.com/Artist_Profiles/index.html.
Unfortunately, his site does not describe his various designs. If you're ready to spend that kind of money, it's best to go to his studio for a custom fit.
Ken Shaw
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-11-29 00:56
I don't think you necessarily have to use an "unbalanced" reed on a MP with an asymmetrical facing. The asymmetry is, in part, to correct for the uneven embouchure pressure that most of us have on the reed, due to the way the clarinet is supported in the hands.
Since it is impossible to perfectly balance all MPs, all are asymmetrical to some extent, even if the design and manufacturing goal is for symmetry. In addition, many factors can be unbalanced other than the facing, such as the baffle, slot, etc.
When the Woodwind Company sought to reverse engineer the Kaspar MP that Mr. Robert Marcellus played, they found that his favorite MP had a very slight asymmetry in the facing curve. When they introduced this slight crookedness, they found that it made little or no difference in playing characteristics to Mr. Marcellus, therefore the production models hadn't this characteristic built in.
I borrowed a hand-selected (after many trials) Pyne Signature MP in the "M" chamber for several months from the 2nd clarinet of the local Arkansas Symphony (she switched to a different chamber) ... and almost purchased it. It had many redeeming features such as great intonation and played interval leaps with ease. Ultimately, it didn't mind the resistance, but didn't like the hard timbre character the MP had in the upper clarion register and above.
So, the best thing is to give them a try ... you may hate the Pynes, or like my experience, decided they were pretty good. Our principal clarinet here in the flagship Arkansas Symphony was a top student of Robert Spring, and has been a Pyne artist for decades, and won't switch.
I'd go thru the VD line first, just to see ... IMHO the consistency is better than ever on their MPs ... you have to search to find a "bad" one, nowadays. I consider the 5RV-lyre as a good starting point.
Tom
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Author: locke9342
Date: 2015-11-29 21:42
I'm actually upgrading from a 5rv lyre and I've tried my teachers Sinfonia, but have no experience with the other pyne mouthpieces hence the post asking questions about them
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Author: Kenton153
Date: 2015-12-16 09:46
I have a pyne JX and enjoy it. It ounds great in small rooms, but people say it lacks projection.. idk about that... but i dont sit where they do so i trusted them. I want to give it another shot because it really did play quite well.
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