[Dixielandjazz] Clarinet players, volume and King Oliver's band

[Mike]

Interesting. Are these more open mouthpieces available if a 
clarinetist chooses to use one? Are there custom mouthpiece 
makes that would do this for a clarinetist who wants a larger 
sound? Why isn't a bigger sound used in more classical settings?

Personally, I love the sound of the clarinet; especially if it's 
big. I was just talking to Steve Barbone about another 
clarinetist Buddy DeFranco. I think the low register(I think 
it's called chamelu) of the clarinet is among the most beautiful 
of all the woodwinds.

Mike



confit at isp.com wrote:
> Johnny Dodds played clarinet with Oliver when Doc Cheatham heard the band.
> Johnny was a powerful, full-toned clarinetist that could undoubtedly have
> been easily heard over the brass in that band.
> 
> New Orleans clarinetists prided themselves on heavy, big, fat sounds, and
> achieved this by using mouthpieces that were very open and very thin
> reeds. Willie Humphrey used a 1 1/2 reed. Many classical players use a 3
> or 4 and mouthpieces with a narrow tip opening.