My B flat clarinet's crystal Vandoren A1 mouthpiece chipped when I knocked it on my tooth! the tooth was fine.
that was a while ago and I only got round to getting a new mouthpiece this last 2 wks.
I ordered three on trial from Wood, Wind and Reed in Cambridge, UK, after talking to a clarinet mouthpiece specialist there. He couldnt' have been more helpful.
with his advice I had a free week's trial of a Vandoren B45 (very popular & used by all kinds of players), a Vandoren 5JB (with a very open tip and known as 'the jazz mouthpiece'), and finally a Portnoy BP03 (also an open tip).
Initially I loved the Portnoy, it was incredibly easy to play and had a lovely saxophoney sound.
Meanwhile, the Vandoren 5JB sounded like Sidney Bechet - lorryloads of vibrato just waiting to happen! I liked it but it sounded a bit breathy too. I only had 2.5 reeds with me so maybe it would have sounded better on just 2s with such an open tip.
My teacher, however, reckoned the B45 had the best and fullest tone. To begin wtih I disagreed. I'd voted against it at first because it sounded the most orchestral and I wanted something a bit more raunchy. I agonised over it for a few days but in the end, after playing it and the Portnoy every waking moment I could, recording myself and playing them blind to my long-suffering girlfriend, I came to agree with him. It just sounds great, a very full and dare I say it a most beautiful sound!! (now I just need to work on those pesky fingers)
The B45, interestingly, is used by loads of classical players, but it's still got enough bite if you're playing blues or jazz. At first I'd found it harder to play than the Portnoy, but by putting the tip of the reed right up to the top of the mouthpiece, it was very different, and frankly quite a joy to play.
The process was interesting because it reminded me what you hear in your head when you're playing is not always what others hear.
the other interesting thing for me was just how different they all sounded - different to my original mouthpiece and to each other. No one bothered to tell me this before, but mouthpieces make a hell of a difference!! I only play on a student clarinet, but now it sounds so much different to before.
I'd encourage other players to trial a few mouthpieces just to see if you get a sound you like better than what you'e got.
Wiht the clarinet, I've found with this new mouthpiece I make less squeaks!! God knows why that should be the case but that is a seriously worth-it improvement alone!
Cheers
Rob
that was a while ago and I only got round to getting a new mouthpiece this last 2 wks.
I ordered three on trial from Wood, Wind and Reed in Cambridge, UK, after talking to a clarinet mouthpiece specialist there. He couldnt' have been more helpful.
with his advice I had a free week's trial of a Vandoren B45 (very popular & used by all kinds of players), a Vandoren 5JB (with a very open tip and known as 'the jazz mouthpiece'), and finally a Portnoy BP03 (also an open tip).
Initially I loved the Portnoy, it was incredibly easy to play and had a lovely saxophoney sound.
Meanwhile, the Vandoren 5JB sounded like Sidney Bechet - lorryloads of vibrato just waiting to happen! I liked it but it sounded a bit breathy too. I only had 2.5 reeds with me so maybe it would have sounded better on just 2s with such an open tip.
My teacher, however, reckoned the B45 had the best and fullest tone. To begin wtih I disagreed. I'd voted against it at first because it sounded the most orchestral and I wanted something a bit more raunchy. I agonised over it for a few days but in the end, after playing it and the Portnoy every waking moment I could, recording myself and playing them blind to my long-suffering girlfriend, I came to agree with him. It just sounds great, a very full and dare I say it a most beautiful sound!! (now I just need to work on those pesky fingers)
The B45, interestingly, is used by loads of classical players, but it's still got enough bite if you're playing blues or jazz. At first I'd found it harder to play than the Portnoy, but by putting the tip of the reed right up to the top of the mouthpiece, it was very different, and frankly quite a joy to play.
The process was interesting because it reminded me what you hear in your head when you're playing is not always what others hear.
the other interesting thing for me was just how different they all sounded - different to my original mouthpiece and to each other. No one bothered to tell me this before, but mouthpieces make a hell of a difference!! I only play on a student clarinet, but now it sounds so much different to before.
I'd encourage other players to trial a few mouthpieces just to see if you get a sound you like better than what you'e got.
Wiht the clarinet, I've found with this new mouthpiece I make less squeaks!! God knows why that should be the case but that is a seriously worth-it improvement alone!
Cheers
Rob