New mouthpiece

Trevor

Hey everyone! I've been planning on getting a new mouthpiece for my clarinet. I'm playing on a semi-pro NA45 Fe Olds clarinet <3
I'm using a crap student mouthpiece and I really want a nice new one. I'm thinking a Vandoren and that's what's most available to me. What model would be best? I just want the more fluid sound that high grade mouthpieces give. I play for school and community bands, so I'm playing all types of music. If it is any help, my clarient it grenadilla, I don't know if that makes a difference.
Thanks for your time.
Trevor
 
horn doesn't particularly matter. Vandoren 5RV Lyre is really good, the B45 is a really good one too.
What's your budget?
I have a couple of Selmer HS**'s that are really good that I'll sell for pretty cheap. $50 or something
 
The Vandoren's are very reliable mouthpieces. So are many other brands such as Selmer paris, and the list goes on and on.

I would say try to go to a store that has Vandorens for you to try. It's very hard to recommend a particular model not knowing your playing style and then you may find one that "speaks" to you more than the others. That would be the one to get.

The B45s are great standard pro mpc, so are all the others !!

FYI, certain mpcs may affect intonation in good or bad ways. So testing them yourself is the best solution.
 
I play on a B45 every once in a while and I do love it. I like to pair it up with medium hard reeds, and I use an inverted bonade ligature with it and it works wonders (for me). Everyone requires different setups so experiment.
The B45 has been very versatile for me thus far.
If they let you, I highly recommend you try them out, bring your instrument and ask if you can blow through a couple of them, don't forget to bring a couple of your favorite reeds (not ones you haven't tried before or less than amazing ones), and have at it.
As I said, one man's favorite MP could be another man's least favorite, so experiment.
 
Maybe your favorite brand and strength of reed, but not your old trusty reed. A new reed should be used when trying a new mouthpiece.

FWIW I've played for a while, but never got along with the B45. YOU need to try the pieces and find what does it for you. Take the recommendations, but don't buy without trying yourself.
 
ok thanks everyone!!!!!!
My budget is aroung $90. I know my local music store has a huge selection of clarinet mouthpieces so I'll have to go and try them out soon!!!
My friend uses a 5rv lyre as well, and she loves it! So, I guess I'll just have to try them out.
 
And, don't fall prey to the theory that the harder the reed, the more "professional" you will sound. All too often, a hard reed leads to a pinched, harsh tone.

Buy a spectrum of reeds, from a couple of strengths below what you are using to one or two above, and try them all. You might be very surprised...
 
SOTSDO said:
And, don't fall prey to the theory that the harder the reed, the more "professional" you will sound. All too often, a hard reed leads to a pinched, harsh tone.

Buy a spectrum of reeds, from a couple of strengths below what you are using to one or two above, and try them all. You might be very surprised...
Click to expand...

Thank you! This is not the first time I've heard of this and I take it to heart. I have 3 types of reeds available to me. Rico originals, Rico Royals and Vandoren Paris. My personal favorites are the Royals and Vandrns. I used to use 3.5s on my old clarinet, but since I got my new one, I've backed down to a 3 and I'm more comfortable with them. Today I have to go to the music store to pick up another box of Royals. I can't try out mouthpieces today though since I was sick yesterday so I was unable to bring home my clarinet from school.
Trevor
 
If, for example, you decided you wanted a B45 mouthpiece, you should know there are good one and bad ones. So trying them out is often the key to success and a lot less expensive then buying something you may or may not like.
 
Carl H. said:
Maybe your favorite brand and strength of reed, but not your old trusty reed. A new reed should be used when trying a new mouthpiece.
Click to expand...

However, it's good to bring several, what if the new reed, never before played, ends up being a lemon in the box? Bring a few. I always do.
Opening a bad reed in the moment may throw off your impression of the MP.

The harder the reed, the harder the reed. That's that.
I sound the best with 3s, I can pull off the rue lepic 3.5s but not the blue box ones (vandoren). Sometimes if I play for a little while on a hard reed, and back down to a more comfortable strength, it's like an exercise. Embouchure toning, doesn't work for everyone, and it's risky as you can screw up the embouchure you have if you don't do it right.


Rico reeds seem to be the softest for me, a 3.5 feels like a 3 or 2.5 even depending on the reed.

Mitchell Lurie reeds are alright, a little grainy but I don't mind them. Saxophone people tend to like them more.

I still like Vandorens because of their consistency and relative predictability.

I also soak reeds in water instead of saliva, FWIW. Makes them last much longer.
 
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