Klarinet Archive - Posting 000729.txt from 1996/08

From: "Daniel A. Paprocki" <dap@-----.US>
Subj: Re: Curmudgeon
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1996 20:20:05 -0400

Steve,
I aggree with you. There are two things that players get confused
with; how a clarinet (or clarinetist) sounds to an audience and how a
clarinet (clarinet, mouthpiece, reed, ligature, etc.) FEELS to the player.
I have had many times where I'll try a student's clarinet (R-13,
Noblet, plastic, etc) to check for leaks or whatnot with my mouthpiece and
actually supprise myself (and the student) that I still can sound like
myself (or 95% like myself). I highly doubt that a listener would notice a
change in my tone.
I do feel a difference between clarinets in how free or resistant a
clarinet is or how even the resistance is throughout the instrument. The
"feel" part is just as important as the "sound" part and maybe more so. If
I'm playing on a set-up that isn't matched to my liking as far as air
resistance, I'm not going to enjoy playing it or be able to do things quite
as easily.
Look for an even resistance throughout the instrument and good
intonation when buying a new clarinet.
BTW, when I bought a new R-13 Bb at Tim Clark's last fall, I tried
the first of 28 clarinets and jokingly said OK I'll take this one!! Three
hours and 4 rounds of eliminations later guess which clarinet won? Yes,
the one I first tried!

Dan

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Daniel A. Paprocki
Instructor of Clarinet
Malone College
dap@-----.us

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