Klarinet Archive - Posting 000042.txt from 1994/12

From: David Brewer <dbrewer@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: David Kaminsky's comments on David buying a clarinet
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 1994 20:10:23 -0500

On Mon, 5 Dec 1994, Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu wrote:

> Sage advice to David. I mean no disrespect to parents, but the purchase
> of a clarinet involves two completely different perspectives. From the
> viewpoint of the player there is the prestige of playing on an instrument
> of some quality and the additional factor of finding a better instrument
> allows more effective accomplishment of what must be done.
>
> Parents, on the other hand, see a piece of black wood with shiny keys and
> a price tag. I did the same thing when I had to get my daughter an oboe.
> (When she wanted to try clarinet I was there with a million dollar
> inventory in hand, but I objected to that kind of an expenditure for an
> oboe unless I were assured that she was serious).

This is most definitely true. In fact, one of the comments my parents
made when they were telling me about the sale is that they couldn't see
any difference between the intermediate model and the professional model
besides the model number. However, they DO realize the major differences
between different models... although neither are musicians, both have
taken an extremely active interest in my musical education.

> Try the instrument, YOURSELF. Be comfortable with it. In business there
> is a saying that can easily be transferred over to buying a clarinet. It
> goes like this: "The joy of a met schedule turns to ashes when the product
> fails to work in the marketplace." It does not take much to translate this
> from English into clarinet.

Thank you (and everybody else who replied) for the advice. It's
absolutely marvelous to be able to ask a question and have so many
well-though out replies within a day. I will most definitely be trying
out MANY clarinets over Christmas break...

Thanks again,

David Brewer
dbrewer@-----.edu