Re: Clarinet mouthpieces

[Tski1128 <Tski1128...>]

The big question in clarinet mouthpieces for klezmer music is does it sound 
good, articulate great and most importantly doesn't play flat! If you have a 
mouthpiece that plays perfectly at A440 you're going to be hopelessly out of 
tune with any accordion you're likely to play with. Most start a 442-3 and 
when they kick in the musette reeds you'll be biting for sure.  I have found 
that on my Bb clarinet I play the same equipment mouthpiece and reeds that I 
use for orchestral and classical playing. Currently a mouthpiece of my own 
manufacture but one with a very close tip and a very long Lay on a zinner E 
baffle blank. This set up requires that I use a reed with a good amount of 
stiffness and wood to it. On my C clarinet I play a Morgan 110 C mouthpiece. 
On Eb I'm playing an old selmer C* that I refaced. I have found that taking 
the lay and making it slightly long about a 36-38 instead of 32-34 lets me 
take advantage of the sounds that a V12, or grand concert reed. I have found 
that the most consistent reed out on the market right now are Zondas. They 
grade the reeds at 3 strengths for each size, 3.5I. 3.5j,3.5k. These are 
really consistent so I find that I get a box of five, four sound great with 
touching them.  If you have any more mouthpiece questions email me, I cant 
understand it but getting in to curve and baffle designs and reed strengths 
are things that some people on this list might find boring.

Check out our new and improved web site at WWW.Loxvodka.com

Tom Puwalski 
Clarinetist with Lox & Vodka and former principal clarinetist with the US 
Army Field  Band now retired

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