Abstract: A woodwind mouthpiece has a tone chamber in communication with a central bore running through the mouthpiece and a window exposing the tone chamber. A table is located at a first end of the window, and a tip rail is located at a second end of the window opposite the first end. A pair of side rails run along opposite sides of the window from the table to the tip rail. Each side rail includes a side rail top surface. A pair of flanges are provided in the mouthpiece such that each flange extending out from one of the side rail top surfaces in a direction opposite the window. This arrangement reduces the intensity of the shock fronts at the aperture into the tone chamber.

Abstract: A woodwind mouthpiece has a tone chamber in communication with a central bore running through the mouthpiece and a window exposing the tone chamber. A table is located at a first end of the window, and a tip rail is located at a second end of the window opposite the first end. A pair of side rails run along opposite sides of the window from the table to the tip rail. Each side rail includes a side rail top surface. A pair of flanges are provided in the mouthpiece such that each flange extending out from one of the side rail top surfaces in a direction opposite the window. This arrangement reduces the intensity of the shock fronts at the aperture into the tone chamber.

Abstract: An improved mouthpiece for use with single reed woodwind instruments is provided. The transition from the top surfaces of the side rails to the exterior of the mouthpiece includes a chamfer extending along a portion of each side rail to achieve a venturi effect between the top surfaces and the reed at the region of the tone chamber adjacent the tip rail.

Abstract: A woodwind mouthpiece has a tone chamber with a bottom surface and a window. A table extends along an outer surface of the mouthpiece, and a pair of side rails extends from the table along opposite sides of the window. A removable tone chamber insert is disposed in the tone chamber in contact with the bottom surface and the interior surface of each side rail. The tone chamber insert modifies at least one of a tone chamber width defined by a distance between the interior surfaces of the side rails and a bottom surface width defined by a distance between the interior surfaces of the side rails at the bottom surface. In addition, a v-shaped notch extends into the table from the side rail top surfaces at least about 50% of the length of the table. the v-shaped notch defines an angle of at least about 15 degrees.

Abstract: An improved mouthpiece for use with single reed woodwind instruments is provided. The transition from the top surfaces of the side rails to the exterior of the mouthpiece includes a chamfer extending along a portion of each side rail to achieve a venturi effect between the top surfaces and the reed at the region of the tone chamber adjacent the tip rail.

Abstract: A slanted bore mouthpiece has a central axis running through the mouthpiece, a tone chamber within the mouthpiece, a generally rectangular window exposing the tone chamber and extending from a front end of the window adjacent a first end of the mouthpiece along the mouthpiece to a rear end of the window at a table disposed on an outer surface of the mouthpiece and configured to engage a reed and a mouthpiece bore passing through the mouthpiece from a second end of the mouthpiece opposite the first end to the tone chamber at the rear end of the window. The mouthpiece bore extends along a mouthpiece bore axis, and the central axis and the mouthpiece bore axis are divergent axes.

Abstract: A clarinet mouthpiece and tuning barrel system includes a mouthpiece with a central mouthpiece bore passing through the mouthpiece from a tone chamber to a rear portion of the mouthpiece opposite the tone chamber. The mouthpiece bore has a rectangular cross-sectional geometry extending along an entire length of the mouthpiece bore. This rectangular geometry includes two pairs of opposing parallel sides. Each pair of opposing sides is separated by a unique distance such that a ratio of unique distances for the two pairs of opposing parallel sides is ?. Also included is a tuning barrel attached to the rear portion of the mouthpiece. This barrel has a central barrel bore in communication with the mouthpiece bore that passes completely through the barrel. The barrel bore has an identical rectangular cross-sectional geometry to the mouthpiece bore cross-sectional geometry along an entire length of the barrel bore.

Abstract: A clarinet mouthpiece and tuning barrel system includes a mouthpiece with a central mouthpiece bore passing through the mouthpiece from a tone chamber to a rear portion of the mouthpiece opposite the tone chamber. The mouthpiece bore has a rectangular cross-sectional geometry extending along an entire length of the mouthpiece bore. This rectangular geometry includes two pairs of opposing parallel sides. Each pair of opposing sides is separated by a unique distance such that a ratio of unique distances for the two pairs of opposing parallel sides is ?. Also included is a tuning barrel attached to the rear portion of the mouthpiece. This barrel has a central barrel bore in communication with the mouthpiece bore that passes completely through the barrel. The barrel bore has an identical rectangular cross-sectional geometry to the mouthpiece bore cross-sectional geometry along an entire length of the barrel bore.

Abstract: A reed warp mouthpiece system includes a mouthpiece with a bottom side having a concave cavity, a table portion and a rectangular window exposing a tone chamber and extending from the table portion. A reed is disposed on the bottom side of the mouthpiece spanning the cavity and includes a heel portion extending over the table portion and a tapered portion extending from the heel portion and covering the rectangular window. A plurality of parallel slits is provided in the reed. A ligature surrounds the mouthpiece and reed to secure the reed to the mouthpiece. This ligature includes a flexible strap having opposing ends defining a flexible strap length and opposing edges running between the opposing ends and defining a width. The length passes around the mouthpiece and the reed and the width is equal to the heel portion length so that the flexible strap completely covers the heel portion.

Abstract: An improved mouthpiece for use with single reed woodwind instruments is provided. The mouthpiece includes a tapered shaped tone chamber that creates shaped-charge dynamics in the tone chamber air column to improve coupling of the air column to the reed. The tapered shape is obtained by varying the width of the tone chamber along the interior surfaces of the side walls from a top surface of the side rails to the bottom surface of the tone chamber. In addition, the width of the bottom surface is varied along a length of the tone chamber from a tip rail to the central bore of the mouthpiece. The transition from the top surfaces of the side rails to the interior surface of the tone chamber side walls is sloped to achieve a venturi effect between the top surfaces and the reed at the region of the tone chamber adjacent the tip rail.

Abstract: A reed warp mouthpiece system includes a mouthpiece with a bottom side having a concave cavity, a table portion and a rectangular window exposing a tone chamber and extending from the table portion. A reed is disposed on the bottom side of the mouthpiece spanning the cavity and includes a heel portion extending over the table portion and a tapered portion extending from the heel portion and covering the rectangular window. A plurality of parallel slits is provided in the reed. A ligature surrounds the mouthpiece and reed to secure the reed to the mouthpiece. This ligature includes a flexible strap having opposing ends defining a flexible strap length and opposing edges running between the opposing ends and defining a width. The length passes around the mouthpiece and the reed and the width is equal to the heel portion length so that the flexible strap completely covers the heel portion.

Abstract: A ligature is provided for use in a mouthpiece system for attaching a reed to a mouthpiece of a woodwind musical instrument. The ligature is constructed from overlapping layers of flexible strap to define pockets holding rigid bars. The ligature ends and rigid bars are brought together to form a loop that is placed over the mouthpiece and reed. A threaded closure mechanism is used to tighten the ligature around the mouthpiece. Within the interior of the loop, a rigid, weighted cradle is attached to the flexible strap by rivets. The cradle contains a plurality of identical cradle members stacked together in a laminated manner.

Abstract: An improved mouthpiece for use with single reed woodwind instruments is provided. The mouthpiece includes a tapered shaped tone chamber that creates shaped-charge dynamics in the tone chamber air column to improve coupling of the air column to the reed. The tapered shape is obtained by varying the width of the tone chamber along the interior surfaces of the side walls from a top surface of the side rails to the bottom surface of the tone chamber. In addition, the width of the bottom surface is varied along a length of the tone chamber from a tip rail to the central bore of the mouthpiece. The transition from the top surfaces of the side rails to the interior surface of the tone chamber side walls is sloped to achieve a venturi effect between the top surfaces and the reed at the region of the tone chamber adjacent the tip rail.

Abstract: A ligature is provided for use in a mouthpiece system for attaching a reed to a mouthpiece of a woodwind musical instrument. The ligature is constructed from a single layer of flexible strap, having two ends to which rigid bars are fixedly secured. The ends of the straps and rigid bars are brought together to form a loop that is placed over the mouthpiece and reed. A threaded closure mechanism is used to tighten the ligature around the mouthpiece. The ends of the strap are crimped into slots in the rigid bars to secure the flexible strap to the rigid bars. Slots or slits run along substantially the entire length of the flexible strap. Removable masses are attached to the ligature in contact with the rigid bars.

Abstract: A ligature is provided for use in a mouthpiece system for attaching a reed to a mouthpiece of a woodwind musical instrument. The ligature is constructed from overlapping layers of flexible strap to define pockets holding rigid bars. The ligature ends and rigid bars are brought together to form a loop that is placed over the mouthpiece and reed. A threaded closure mechanism is used to tighten the ligature around the mouthpiece. Within the interior of the loop, a rigid, weighted cradle is attached to the flexible strap by rivets. The cradle contains a plurality of identical cradle members stacked together in a laminated manner.

Abstract: A ligature is provided for use in a mouthpiece system for attaching a reed to a mouthpiece of a woodwind musical instrument. The ligature is constructed from a single layer of flexible strap of rubberized fabric, having two ends to which rigid bars are fixedly secured. The ends of the straps and rigid bars are brought together to form a loop that is placed over the mouthpiece and reed. A threaded closure mechanism is used to tighten the ligature around the mouthpiece. The ends of the strap are crimped into slots in the rigid bars to secure the masses to rigid bars. A cradle constructed from a rectangular piece of spring steel is attached to the flexible strap and is located on the interior of the loop to contact the reed along two lines.

Abstract: A mass-loaded ligature is provided for use in a mouthpiece system for attaching a reed to a mouthpiece of a woodwind musical instrument. The ligature is constructed from a flexible strap of material, either metal or rubberized fabric, having two ends to which large masses are fixedly secured. The ends of the straps and masses are brought together to form a loop that is placed over the mouthpiece and reed. A threaded closure mechanism is used to tighten the ligature around the mouthpiece. The ends of the strap are folded over and crimped into slots in the masses to secure the masses to the strap.

Abstract: A ligature is provided for use in a mouthpiece system for attaching a reed to a mouthpiece of a woodwind musical instrument. The ligature is constructed from a single layer of flexible strap, having two ends to which rigid bars are fixedly secured. The ends of the straps and rigid bars are brought together to form a loop that is placed over the mouthpiece and reed. A threaded closure mechanism is used to tighten the ligature around the mouthpiece. The ends of the strap are crimped into slots in the rigid bars to secure the flexible strap to the rigid bars. Slots or slits run along substantially the entire length of the flexible strap. Removable masses are attached to the ligature in contact with the rigid bars.

Abstract: An improved mouthpiece for use with single reed woodwind instruments is provided. The mouthpiece includes rounded portions of the top surfaces of the side rails and tip rail that surround a window of the mouthpiece that leads to an internal tone chamber. The rounded surfaces reduce turbulence in the air flow during the reed closure segment of the oscillatory cycle, improving tonality, response and intonation. The mouthpiece also includes a step or raised portion in the table portion of the mouthpiece adjacent the window. The step elevates the heel end of the reed. The raised heel end permits increased vibration of the heel end of the reed, improving performance. In addition, the mouthpiece includes a transition from the tone chamber to the central bore of the mouthpiece that minimizes lateral offset and the offset angle of the transition, reducing energy reflection that degrades performance.

Abstract: A mass-loaded ligature is provided for use in a mouthpiece system for attaching a reed to a mouthpiece of a woodwind musical instrument. The ligature is constructed from a flexible strap of material, either metal or rubberized fabric, having two ends to which large masses are fixedly secured. The ends of the straps and masses are brought together to form a loop that is placed over the mouthpiece and reed. A threaded closure mechanism is used to tighten the ligature around the mouthpiece. The ends of the strap are folded over and crimped into slots in the masses to secure the masses to the strap.