Suggestions for a new mouthpiece

kris

kris

My intermediate clarinet originally came with a Selmer C85 115 mouthpiece. A couple of years ago, I bought a Vandoren M15. I love the way the M15 feels in my mouth, but it seems like I lose a little seal around the corners of my mouth. I also find myself biting it more. The C85 seems to have a bright and airy tone to it, I would love to find a more solid, mellow tone that will allow for fluctuations in tone, not allow air to escape from the corners of my mouth, and allow ease of playing ability, especially in the higher register.

My current setup is Selmer CL210 Bb clarinet with Vandoren M15 mpc, Rovner Mark-111 lig and either Vandoren traditional 2.5 or Fibracell Prem 3.0 reed.

I know it's all individual preference... but y'all know your way around clarinets and accessories a lot more than I do, and I am hoping for a direction to look in. I do NOT understand all of this terminology about mouthpieces/openings/facings, etc. I've been looking for something on line that explains it in layman's terms?

Thanks!
 
We actually have a thread on mouthpiece terminology. It's here. I don't know why I didn't sticky it sooner. I did sticky Steve's thread on some mouthpiece comparisons.

Interestingly, my mouthpiece of choice is a C85, but I've also played a Vandoren B45 and B40, immediately prior to getting the C85/120: I thought the C85 was better for me, the guy I traded with thought the B40 was better for him. At some point, it's a matter of personal preference. (Oh. For the record, I played the Vandorens on YCL-34s and Selmer signets. I used the C85 on a variety of horns, including a Selmer Centered Tone, other Yamaha student horns, other Selmer Signets and a Buffet clear plastic horn.)

For most of my (musical) life, I've played various pitches of sax and clarinet, as the need arose. I've almost always thought that a Bb soprano clarinet mouthpiece tip wasn't wide enough. Until I played Eb sopranino clarinet, that is. Now, I'm not a big mouthpiece guy, but I've not heard of a clarinet mouthpiece with a wider tip, just the distance between the tip and the reed. Hey, Steve! Do you know if these exist?
 
Thanks for the thread links .... That helps quite a bit. I'd like to stay with the C85 line. I have the 115. Apparently the 120 is more open and requires a softer reed, and the 105 is more closed and requires a harder reed? How will each of these mpc effect tone compared with my 115 which is apparently right in the middle of the two?
 
kris said:
Thanks for the thread links .... That helps quite a bit. I'd like to stay with the C85 line. I have the 115. Apparently the 120 is more open and requires a softer reed, and the 105 is more closed and requires a harder reed? How will each of these mpc effect tone compared with my 115 which is apparently right in the middle of the two?
Click to expand...

The tone will be completely dependent upon your embouchure and air support.

I'm not a big fan of the Selmer C85s, though I really like the earlier HS*/HS** and other models. At one point I had a C85 - 105, 115 & 120 but i think I only have the 120 model now and I really cannot recall specifics of why.

The width of the tip is completely limited to the width of the reed. Can't have the tip so much wider as then there would be a mechanical difference.

I think the most difference in this (and I haven't really looked at it) is that some of the width of the rails going back to create the window vary .. they can be closer and vertical walls or wider, or shaped. The tip can be more related to this or open "wider" for a wider tip than the window itself. Of course then the throat could he an "H" or an "A" design which allow more airflow (less resistance) or less airflow (more resistance).

Also check this out:
http://www.clarinetperfection.com/clmpcNomenclature.htm

http://www.clarinetperfection.com/clmpcTypes.htm
 
SOTSDO said:
..."duckbills"? I play a saxophone version of this - have they ever been offered for clarinets?
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The clarinet mouthpieces made by Ralph Morgan were duckbilled, supposedly to encourage players to take in more of the mouthpiece. I have a couple of his RM15s and like them.
 
kris said:
Apparently the 120 is more open and requires a softer reed, and the 105 is more closed and requires a harder reed?
Click to expand...
I generally used Vandoren (plain) 3s. Medium-hard or 3.5 on most other brands. Conclusion: either I'm intensely odd or YMMV with reed+mouthpiece+lig. Or both :).
 
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