MS Band Director

For music educators - By music educators

Successful Clarinet Mouthpiece Choices

Thought everyone might share their thoughts of this subject of subjects.
I have had good luck with the Vandoren B45 Clarinet mouthpiece on my beginning and intermediate clarinets. Other good dark-sounding choices for my students include the portnoy BP01 as well as the Larry Combs mouthpiece offered by woodwind and brasswind. If any of you have had luck with other pieces please share those thoughts and success stories. We are all looking for darker sounding clarinet sections.

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Permalink Reply by Russ Weaver on August 22, 2008 at 7:09pm

For an inexpensive alternative to the stock mouthpieces there is the Jewel 45 Bb Clarinet mouthpiece. It runs around $40 and works really well. Another consideration when choosing a mouthpiece is that some students have sensitive teeth and the Bay Vibra-Ease Mouthpiece Patch is often times the answer. I keep a pack around the office and place them on student mouthpieces as needed. That beginning clarinetist that can't seem to get a clear sound or doesn't have enough pressure to focus the sound even though their chin seems to be pulled down, will sometimes really benefit from the Bay Vibra-Ease. There are thicker black ones for the übersensitive student, however they can really get in the way if not placed with great accuracy. Careful.

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Permalink Reply by Ed Nagel on September 12, 2008 at 1:34pm

Sure do like the B45. I'm going to look into the Portnoy, Jewel. I have not tried the Vibra-Ease , but will be, Thanks Mr. W.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Young on April 4, 2011 at 9:56pm

McClune "Plato" for soprano is about 30 bucks and very easy to control. Dave McClune refaces and adjusts the blanks he get from Germany. He is a band Director at Union University in JAckson, TN. I think the site is McClunemouthpieces.com He has upper level pieces as well.

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Permalink Reply by Russ Weaver on April 4, 2011 at 10:26pm

Do your current middle school musicians play these mouthpieces? If so, could you tell folks about that experience and let everyone know what it is about these mouthpieces that you really like for middle school age musicians?

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Permalink Reply by Jon Young on April 4, 2011 at 10:46pm

My wife (a middle school direcor also) and I started getting our local music store to include the Plato mthpc in the beginner setup. Here is what our experience has been so far. The kids are able to control piano playing better than Vito or Yamaha stock mthpc. Also, last week I worked with a group of beginner clarinet players and second year players - the beginners smoked the older kids on the Plato. We were working on the third octave of the Concert Eb Scale. With the beginners the high C,D,Eb and F popped right out while the older kids playing on Vito were getting that "huuuh" middle note usually associated with a soft setup, unfirm embouchure or low tongue placement. They are all on Vandoren 3's so I think that proves it. I have a third year 8th grader that plays a 5RVLyre Vandoren and I can not hear that the tone is superior to the Plato. It could be that the 5RV just doesn't fit her. I think it would be good to get a couple for the kids to try. Also, if a kid can't step up to a nicer horn the Plato will wake up the beginner horn a bit.