Klarinet Archive - Posting 000390.txt from 1996/02

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Selmer Clarinets
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 1996 11:45:59 -0500

On Wed, 14 Feb 1996, SHELLEY A BARABASH wrote:

> I prefer the dark,
> mellow tone that one gets from the Selmer over the brighter tone one
> gets from the Buffets.

Did anyone hear that "hissing" sound just now? I think that was steam
spewing forth from Dan Leeson's ears! ;-)

But I'm going to jump into this one anyway, and talk about dark and
bright tones.

Actually, I've been playing woodwind instruments since I got my first
Pan-American clarinet in 1949, and I don't think I have ever before heard
anyone describe the tone quality of the Selmer as being darker or of the
Buffet as being brighter. I think the conventional wisdom is that the
exact reverse is the case.

Most clarinettists who have experienced both the Selmer and the Buffet
will attest that the tuning tendencies are for the Selmer to be a little
higher in pitch in the upper register and the Buffet to be a little
lower. To the extent that pitch can have an affect the harmonic
structure of the tone, that would seem to me to make the Selmer tone more
likely to be perceived of as on the "lighter, brighter" side.

I guess it again demonstrates that we don't really have adequate terms to
describe what are essentially subjective assessments.

Anyone else care to jump into this fray?

Ed Lacy
*****************************************************************
Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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