Klarinet Archive - Posting 000155.txt from 1996/06

From: "Joie Canada , Jcanada713@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: clarinet sound level
Date: Tue, 11 Jun 1996 12:18:09 -0400

It happens to flute players a lot too! I played in a Bach trio which was
supposed to be for baroque cello, harpsichord, violin and flute but the cello
player had a big-volume new cello and the harpsichord player was really
playing a concert grand piano. It was really impossible to come up with
balance that was acceptable under the circumstances--the music was written
with the volumn levels of the instruments of his period in mind and much has
changed.

Dixieland groups have the same problem with trombone being overly loud and
clarinet too soft. In the good old days some clarinet players were known to
lower the roof of their mouthpieces with chewing gum to intensify and
increase sound level. I have been tempted and I may try it yet if the
opportunity presents itself (our current trombone player is polite enough to
be careful about balance)