Klarinet Archive - Posting 000200.txt from 1993/11

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Clarinet sound
Date: Sat, 27 Nov 1993 12:33:23 -0500

Diana of Ithaca says that she has improved her sound and, in her
most interesting comments, she includes the phrase, "Granted,
equipment helps, but ..."

I just wanted to reiterate that a non-trivial number of people
on this board (including myself) are of the respectful opinion
that the least influential element with respect to quality and
character of sound is the equipment.

In effect, it has been argued here that what's outside the lips
is of very little consequence in producing a sound that is
considered satisfactory. There was a wonderfully enlightening
comment from someone who asserted that the sound quality was
a function of the things that happen between the front of the
lips and the back of the throat. There were also others (including
me) who said that the sound is a function of everything but the
instrument and the mouth (i.e., the head cavities, sinuses, body
and chest character, etc.).

No decision was reached, nor is one possible without some heavy
duty research. I only mention this to let you know, Diana, that
many of us read your interesting and intelligent comments with
great detail and considerable care.

Even a comment as small as the one you made (i.e., equipment counts)
gets my immediate attention. I just don't think it is true. A
great player (and you may very well be one) is going to get a
great sound no matter what the thing is that is outside the mouth.

A Bundy resonite, a bamboo clarinet, a glass clarinet, a plastic
clarinet, etc., etc., all produce fundamentally the same sound
because they do not produce the sound. That sound production
and its character is a function of other than the clarinet itself.

Buffet, Selmer, LeBlanc, etc. would like you to believe differently.
They can advertise that the sound that you will get with their
instrument is better than anybody else's clarinet, but no scientific
evidence exists to support that questionable hypothesis.

====================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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