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Re: High flow/Low flow

Author: seabreeze
Date: 2016-04-30 02:40

Tom Puwalski on 2006-03-01 at 12:46 sent a message on this board that may be similar to the distinction Mondie is making between high flow and low flow. The subject was the Backun mouthpiece, specifically the close "C" model MoBa.

"There are 2 styles of playing on single reed mouthpieces, those that put a lot of air into the clarinet . . . and those that put a little amount but use a lot of air pressure. People that use a large volume of air tend to like larger tip openings and those who use more air pressure tend to like closer facings."

I've heard this kind of distinction made more than once, and it makes good sense to me. I am certainly of the "little amount of air but high pressure" breed; all of my current mouthpieces have facings of 1.005 or less at the tip and I have played down to 0.95 mm, which I believe is the facing on my Behn Epic. Oddly, for about 30 years, I didn't play that way. I had a more open facing on a Lurie M3 and I used to blow high volume like crazy with a Vandoren #5 traditional reed. When I switched to double lip, that way of playing seemed bizarre and I luckily found a very French sounding Vandoren 3UD that was refaced to be very close and accomodated the small volume, more air pressure style of playing. I've never looked back! Also switched to #3 and 3.5 reeds and probably extended my life by a several years. Maybe this is comparable in some small way to what Paul is doing with the German mouthpieces and the lighter reeds.

Anyway, here's a link to what Puwalski said:

http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=210011&t=209993.

By "cushion," I believe Mondie is referring to a certain roundness and liquid quality to both tonal entrances and the smooth bridging of intervals. Many clarinetists have a full resonant sound but still sound jarring and edgy because their tone lacks such cushion and speaks too abruptly. Finger movement has a lot to do with how cushiony the tone sounds. If the fingers move too violently, the tone shatters; when they move like weightless light rays dancing on the keys and tone holes, the tone is sweet and well cushioned.

Post Edited (2016-05-09 21:48)

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