Klarinet Archive - Posting 000634.txt from 1996/02

From: "Lorne G. Buick" <mcheramy@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: A Clarinet
Date: Wed, 21 Feb 1996 10:30:30 -0500

>Hi! For the last year and a half, I've been looking for a used "A" =
>clarinet. I've called all the music stores around here (Puget Sound - =
>Washington State) and no one ever seems to have one. Does anyone have =
>any ideas how to get one? I need one by July 31. I just bought a new =
>Buffet R13 in September and I have heard that I am supposed to buy the =
>same brand/model of A clarinet as B flat. Is this true?

Interesting question, Renee. Yes, it's true that you're "supposed to".
Presumably the thinking is you want to use the same mouthpiece on both, and
be able to switch back and forth without having to deal with big
differences in tone, response, or whatever.

In my (limited) experience, playing the same make and model doesn't
guarantee this anyway. I haven't played Buffet (or any other small-bore
French clarinets) for years, but there certainly was a time when I played a
Buffet B-flat and would have chosen a Yamaha A to go with it. It used to be
quite difficult to find a good R-13 A clarinet (according to many
clarinetists I know) but I don't know if that's still the case. I may be
all alone in this opinion, but I would say try whatever you can get your
hands on, and if it works well with your mouthpiece go ahead. Get other
people to listen if possible, especially if you can get your teacher (?) or
a professional clarinetist to go along.

I'm going to =
>music camp in the summer and last time I was there, I was the only =
>clarinetist who didn't have an A. I have never needed one before - Any =
>thoughts??

You'll certainly need one unless you want to be limited to band music- a
large part of the clarinet's solo, chamber and orchestra repertoire is for
A clarinet. Or you could just practise transposing... a lot... :-P
>
>Renee Isar
>Gig Harbor, WA

   
     Copyright © Woodwind.Org, Inc. All Rights Reserved    Privacy Policy    Contact charette@woodwind.org