Klarinet Archive - Posting 000086.txt from 1994/10

From: HardReed@-----.COM
Subj: Re: Outgrowing mouth...
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 1994 16:34:54 -0400

Well, maybe the term we should be using is not "outgrowing" a mouthpiece or
an instrument or whatever.....What really happens is that our ideas and
concepts change somewhat, whether it's our personal idea of what the clarinet
sound should be to one wishing to conform to whatever one's friends and/or
colleagues are saying/doing/playing. I'll leave it up to others as to what
is valid or not, but if it takes a change in equipment to satisfy that need,
so be it!

As our concepts, etc. change, our approach to equipment may also change.
While it could be somewhat expensive(!), it is probably an important facet
of a student's growth as he/she develops their own ideas about what they
want.....and what they want to sound like!

Over the (many!) years of playing clarinet, I have done my fair share of
mouthpiece and reed and ligature lotto playing...Why? Well, I can honestly
say that it WASN'T because the equipment was lacking in quality......I was
changing, my ideas were changing and perhaps the way I perceived myself was
changing also. Obviously, the longer I participate in this "game," the more
"settled" I become, but not so much that I will stop myself from
growing.....If it came to changing a piece of equipment to suit my needs,
I'll do it.....but it just doesn't happen regularly.....rarely, in fact.
Maybe I've finally grown up, eh?

Hmmm......but what could be in this interesting little parcel from
UPS......??? :)

Larry Liberson aka <Hard Reed@-----.com>
Detroit Symphony Orchestra