Klarinet Archive - Posting 000101.txt from 1996/11

From: "David B. Niethamer" <niethamer@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Water, the odd sound and the blowing clarinetist!
Date: Mon, 4 Nov 1996 23:23:31 -0500

John Blegen wrote:

>To paraphrase an election-day dictum popular here in Chicago, swab early
>and often. Someone pointed out on this list that the purpose of pulling
>the swab through the horn is not so much to dry it as to distribute the
>moisture evenly so that it does not accumlate at the tone holes and cause
>one to gurgle. Since I've heeded this principle, I haven't had the problem.

Russianoff got me into this habit, and although it's cause for some good
natured ribbing from my colleagues, it does keep the water out of the
keys if you remember to start swabbing early in the game.

Joerg Peltzer asked if it's a question of temperature, and the answer is
yes to a large degree. If you'r blowing 98.6 degree (Farenheit) air into
even a 72 degree clarinet, condensation is the natural result. If the
stage lights are hot enough, and the air is dry (in winter, in heating
season) the problem lessens.

So, on the subject of swabs, do we prefer cotton or silk, and which is
more absorbent?

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
niethamer@-----.edu
dbnclar1@-----.com
http://users.aol.com/dbnclar1/