I am a 69 year old retiree who has recently acquired a clarinet and an
alto sax.  I played both up through HS.  So after a break of more than
50 years, I'm trying to play again.  I'm currently working with some
level two method books.  Both instruments have been repadded.  The
clarinet is a Pruefer and the sax is a 1965 CONN Shooting Star.  The
mouthpieces have no indentifying markings.  I am wondering if I should
consider replacing the mouthpieces and if so, what should I consider?


I am playing for my own amusement only.  Since the motion of my
fingers is limited by arthritis, I'll never be able to play as well as
I did as a teen.  I can't even make a fist with my right hand.  The
clarinet is expecially difficult since I have problems covering the
holes with my fingers.

Hi wjburl, welcome back to the sax.  I had a 25 year
break myself.

This group is focussed on working on mouthpieces
specifically and while you may very well get some good
comments to your questions I would like to point you
to the Sax on the Web group.  If you explore that
board you'll find tons of info about everything you
will want to be asking now that you're getting back
into playing.

http://www.saxontheweb.net/sotw/

Have a look initially in the Mouthpiece category.

Without much more info about the mouthpieces you have,
I don't have the expertise to provide really usefull
advise.  But it's likely that you'll want to look at
both the size of the tip opening as well as the
softness of the reed to get you going.  I could
suggest that you take those mpc's to a local music
shop and have someone look at them and provide some
alternatives.  Either that or have a good sax/clarinet
player that you know have a look at things.  

Good luck
Ralph




 --- wjburl <wjburl@...> wrote: 
> 
> 
> I am a 69 year old retiree who has recently acquired
> a clarinet and an
> alto sax.  I played both up through HS.  So after a
> break of more than
> 50 years, I'm trying to play again.  I'm currently
> working with some
> level two method books.  Both instruments have been
> repadded.  The
> clarinet is a Pruefer and the sax is a 1965 CONN
> Shooting Star.  The
> mouthpieces have no indentifying markings.  I am
> wondering if I should
> consider replacing the mouthpieces and if so, what
> should I consider?
> 
> 
> I am playing for my own amusement only.  Since the
> motion of my
> fingers is limited by arthritis, I'll never be able
> to play as well as
> I did as a teen.  I can't even make a fist with my
> right hand.  The
> clarinet is expecially difficult since I have
> problems covering the
> holes with my fingers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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First, I make the assumption that you do not care to sound like Siguard 
Rascher or other classical players, and do not want to "sound like a 
French Horn" in concert band, yet you want a more professional sounding 
tone, or at least, the ability to work toward that.

Since your chops are not in shape yet, and it will be a while, I do not 
recommend large tip openings, but no need to go extremely close.  There 
are some middle of the road sizes that will work well for you.  Further, 
do not buy metal for your alto.  Metal mouthpieces are quite expensive, 
more difficult and costly to reface.  Hard rubber or synthetic may be 
refaced quite easily to a larger size if needed.

For your alto, I would recommend a tip opening in the .072"-.076" 
range.  To be specific, the Meyer 6M and Runyon Custom 6 would be good 
for you.  These are not so large as to cause fatigue, but large enough 
to play out, develop a big tone.  Use reeds in the #2 to #2 1/2 range 
for these mouthpieces, Rico (orange box) 2-2.5, Rico Plasticover 2, 
Lavoz Medium, Vandoren Java 2 (green box, NOT the blue box Traditional), 
or Fibracell Medium Soft (2).

For your clarinet, the Runyon Model 88 #5, Runyon Custom Symphonic #5, 
or Selmer HS** would be good choices, as would other mouthpieces in the 
.046"-.050" tip opening range.  Same reed recommendations as above, but 
#2 1/2 - #3.

I also urge you to join a community band in your area.  Nothing will get 
you on your feet, up and running as fast as playing with other musicians.

You might also go to www.jazzbooks.com and look at the various playalong 
CD's.  The discipline of playing in tempo and with good intonation will 
help you quite a bit.

Paul


wjburl wrote:

>
> I am a 69 year old retiree who has recently acquired a clarinet and an
> alto sax.  I played both up through HS.  So after a break of more than
> 50 years, I'm trying to play again.  I'm currently working with some
> level two method books.  Both instruments have been repadded.  The
> clarinet is a Pruefer and the sax is a 1965 CONN Shooting Star.  The
> mouthpieces have no indentifying markings.  I am wondering if I should
> consider replacing the mouthpieces and if so, what should I consider?
>
>
> I am playing for my own amusement only.  Since the motion of my
> fingers is limited by arthritis, I'll never be able to play as well as
> I did as a teen.  I can't even make a fist with my right hand.  The
> clarinet is expecially difficult since I have problems covering the
> holes with my fingers.
>
>
>
>
>
> Got a Mouthpiece Work question?  Send it to MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
>
> Visit the site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MouthpieceWork to see 
> the Files, Photos and Bookmarks relating to Mouthpiece Work.
>
> To see and modify your groups, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/mygroups
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> ADVERTISEMENT
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>     * To visit your group on the web, go to:
>       http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MouthpieceWork/
>        
>     * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
>       MouthpieceWork-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
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>        
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>       Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>.
>
>

Yes, after I joined the group I read the group description more
carefully and found out it wasn't what I though it was.  I'll look
around at other groups and check on this thread.  There seems to be
more information on mouthpieces than I ever guessed. Yhanks for the reply.


--- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, ralph hopper
<ralph.hopper@r...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi wjburl, welcome back to the sax.  I had a 25 year
> break myself.
> 
> This group is focussed on working on mouthpieces
> specifically and while you may very well get some good
> comments to your questions I would like to point you
> to the Sax on the Web group.  If you explore that
> board you'll find tons of info about everything you
> will want to be asking now that you're getting back
> into playing.
> 
> http://www.saxontheweb.net/sotw/
> 
> Have a look initially in the Mouthpiece category.
> 
> Without much more info about the mouthpieces you have,
> I don't have the expertise to provide really usefull
> advise.  But it's likely that you'll want to look at
> both the size of the tip opening as well as the
> softness of the reed to get you going.  I could
> suggest that you take those mpc's to a local music
> shop and have someone look at them and provide some
> alternatives.  Either that or have a good sax/clarinet
> player that you know have a look at things.  
> 
> Good luck
> Ralph
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  --- wjburl <wjburl@b...> wrote: 
> > 
> > 
> > I am a 69 year old retiree who has recently acquired
> > a clarinet and an
> > alto sax.  I played both up through HS.  So after a
> > break of more than
> > 50 years, I'm trying to play again.  I'm currently
> > working with some
> > level two method books.  Both instruments have been
> > repadded.  The
> > clarinet is a Pruefer and the sax is a 1965 CONN
> > Shooting Star.  The
> > mouthpieces have no indentifying markings.  I am
> > wondering if I should
> > consider replacing the mouthpieces and if so, what
> > should I consider?
> > 
> > 
> > I am playing for my own amusement only.  Since the
> > motion of my
> > fingers is limited by arthritis, I'll never be able
> > to play as well as
> > I did as a teen.  I can't even make a fist with my
> > right hand.  The
> > clarinet is expecially difficult since I have
> > problems covering the
> > holes with my fingers.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> > --------------------~--> 
> > Has someone you know been affected by illness or
> > disease?
> > Network for Good is THE place to support health
> > awareness efforts!
> >
> http://us.click.yahoo.com/pKxVKC/UOnJAA/n1hLAA/GoLolB/TM
> >
> --------------------------------------------------------------------~->
> > 
> > 
> > Got a Mouthpiece Work question?  Send it to
> > MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> > 
> > Visit the site at
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MouthpieceWork to see
> > the Files, Photos and Bookmarks relating to
> > Mouthpiece Work.
> > 
> > To see and modify your groups, go to
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/mygroups 
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > 
> > 
> >     MouthpieceWork-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >

Thanks for the advice.  That's very helpful.  I found some charts that
 list the openings for various manufacturers and models.  At this
point, it doesn't make that much difference, but I hope it does it the
future. I already bought a box of #2 reeds and I'm beginning to think
I should have orderd 2 1/2.  My high notes sound pretty sad.

--- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, Paul Coats <tenorman@t...>
wrote:
> First, I make the assumption that you do not care to sound like
Siguard 
> Rascher or other classical players, and do not want to "sound like
a 
> French Horn" in concert band, yet you want a more professional
sounding 
> tone, or at least, the ability to work toward that.
> 
> Since your chops are not in shape yet, and it will be a while, I do
not 
> recommend large tip openings, but no need to go extremely close. 
There 
> are some middle of the road sizes that will work well for you. 
Further, 
> do not buy metal for your alto.  Metal mouthpieces are quite
expensive, 
> more difficult and costly to reface.  Hard rubber or synthetic may
be 
> refaced quite easily to a larger size if needed.
> 
> For your alto, I would recommend a tip opening in the .072"-.076" 
> range.  To be specific, the Meyer 6M and Runyon Custom 6 would be
good 
> for you.  These are not so large as to cause fatigue, but large
enough 
> to play out, develop a big tone.  Use reeds in the #2 to #2 1/2
range 
> for these mouthpieces, Rico (orange box) 2-2.5, Rico Plasticover 2, 
> Lavoz Medium, Vandoren Java 2 (green box, NOT the blue box
Traditional), 
> or Fibracell Medium Soft (2).
> 
> For your clarinet, the Runyon Model 88 #5, Runyon Custom Symphonic
#5, 
> or Selmer HS** would be good choices, as would other mouthpieces in
the 
> .046"-.050" tip opening range.  Same reed recommendations as above,
but 
> #2 1/2 - #3.
> 
> I also urge you to join a community band in your area.  Nothing will
get 
> you on your feet, up and running as fast as playing with other
musicians.
> 
> You might also go to www.jazzbooks.com and look at the various
playalong 
> CD's.  The discipline of playing in tempo and with good intonation
will 
> help you quite a bit.
> 
> Paul
> 
> 
> wjburl wrote:
> 
> >
> > I am a 69 year old retiree who has recently acquired a clarinet
and an
> > alto sax.  I played both up through HS.  So after a break of more
than
> > 50 years, I'm trying to play again.  I'm currently working with
some
> > level two method books.  Both instruments have been repadded.  The
> > clarinet is a Pruefer and the sax is a 1965 CONN Shooting Star. 
The
> > mouthpieces have no indentifying markings.  I am wondering if I
should
> > consider replacing the mouthpieces and if so, what should I
consider?
> >
> >
> > I am playing for my own amusement only.  Since the motion of my
> > fingers is limited by arthritis, I'll never be able to play as
well as
> > I did as a teen.  I can't even make a fist with my right hand. 
The
> > clarinet is expecially difficult since I have problems covering
the
> > holes with my fingers.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Got a Mouthpiece Work question?  Send it to
MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com
> >
> > Visit the site at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MouthpieceWork to
see 
> > the Files, Photos and Bookmarks relating to Mouthpiece Work.
> >
> > To see and modify your groups, go to http://gr
oups.yahoo.com/mygroups
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> > ADVERTISEMENT
> >
> >
> >
--------------------------------------------------
----------------------
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >     * To visit your group on the web, go to:
> >       http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MouthpieceWork/
> >        
> >     * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> >       MouthpieceWork-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >      
<mailto:MouthpieceWork-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
?subject=Unsubscribe>
> >        
> >     * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of
> >       Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>.
> >
> >

An update on my instruments - the mouthpieces do have markings.  I
didn't do a very close examination earlier.  I'll use old age as an
excuse. I actually have two Pruefer clarinets.  The sax mouthpiece has
a  Henry Pourcelle stamp.  The clarinet I've been using says PITT
American.  I didn't use the other clarinet because the side keys on
the right have too much wear on the pivot sleeves.  I didn't use that
mouthpiece because it looked so grungy.  Today I took it out and tried
to clean it as best I could.  It is a Selmer Made in France.  The
marking at the bottom of the flat surface in -S- in an oval.  I've not
been able to find a Selmer -S- on a facing chart.  I tried to use it
and I have found I do better with the PITT mouthpiece.  That could be
because I only started to play a month ago and as I get more
experience the Selmer might work better.  In case you're curious, the
clarinets were givien to me by a family member.  I bought the sax on eBay.