Klarinet Archive - Posting 000143.txt from 1994/12

From: MR DAVID W KAMINSKY <TPNW33A@-----.COM>
Subj: This is a tough room!
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 22:16:50 -0500

-- [ From: David Kaminsky * EMC.Ver #2.10P ] --

Dan, Tom, Conrad, and All-
I can see this forum is NOT full of "air heads." You "guys"
(slang term not meant to slight the ladies on this forum) are tough!
Seriously, your comments and questions were all valid. I will
attempt to answer them as best I can. The ones I cannot answer, I will
refer to Tom R. You have a right to insist on the facts but in this
superficial world, so many people are bored with facts.
1) When I said the new clarinets were "designed to respond to the
market needs," I was merely saying that the clarinet models we were
making at the time were NOT accepted by the majority of the players.
The purpose of the new models was to sell more clarinets by producing a
clarinet that was more acceptable to the majority of the market.
(players)
2) How could we attempt to accomplish our goal? The first thing
that was done, was to survey 2600 clarinetists. (most of whom were
Clarinet Society members) It was a very detailed survey and I am sure
Tom still has the results on file. (I have not seen the results.)
3) Tom then took those results and made a determination as to the
practical application of those suggestions. ( To be more specific, our
bore was always cylindrical and the more popular clarinet, the Buffet,
used a polycylindrical bore.) That was the first change. The other
changes such as adjusting the bore taper dimensions and raising the
register tube, were all done to improve the blowing resistance, tone
and intonation. (Tom can provide more specifics as to what change
produced what result.) By the way, the "blowing resistance" phrase is
not hype. As you already know, the blowing resistance changes as you
play from low register, to middle register, and to the high register.
It was Tom's desire to make those transitions as even as possible, so
the "blow" is even from register to register, thereby making the
instrument easier to play.
4) After prototype clarinets were designed, Tom asked clarinetists
to play the instruments and suggest changes. Two of the clarinetists
consulted were Lee Gibson and Larry Combs. I know there were many more,
but this is getting long enough, as it is.
5) All WOOD clarinets are made in France. Only final adjustments are
done in the US. We do, however, produce plastic clarinets in the US.
6) Input is, to this day, being gathered in order to improve our
product. An E-Mail from Josias Associates on this forum mentions a
current survey. (I was not aware of this survey, but I am not in a
position to see everything we mail from the mail office)
In conclusion, if we do not produce an instrument that is acceptable
to the mass market, we have failed. The name of the game for ALL
manufacturers is to sell product - pure and simple. The difference
between manufacturing and selling "normal" products compared with the
clarinet business is that the clarinet market KNOWS what it wants and
DEMANDS a product that meets it's specific needs. This is not the case
with widgets and such.
I will forward these messages to Tom and attempt to get some
specific answers. (i.e. What is the exact effect of raising the
register tube?)

I love this place!
Dave Kaminsky, Leblanc
Orlando