Klarinet Archive - Posting 000340.txt from 1997/01

From: ALLISON NELSON <nelsona@-----.net>
Subj: Pitch recog & sound interpretation
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 08:07:53 -0500

The current notes about being able to recognize different clarinets..A
versus Bb versus C versus Eb etc. I definitely hear differences & I do not
have perfect pitch! My A clarinet feels substantially different on the
fingers (the keys move more fluidly) from my Bb, although I can't tell from
the weight of it. On occasion I've even played the first note or two on the
wrong one! though never in a concert situation (knock on wood!) A few
months ago I was looking for a C clarinet & now that I am finally in
possession of one I can speak from experience when I say that the C is
totally different again! I personally far prefer the sound of both my A and
my C clarinets over the Bb even though the A & the Bb are both Buffet R-13
and the C (gorgeous sound & feel)was hand made by a gentleman who
specializes in repair & antique instruments (I can post more info if anyone
is interested).

I don't think that the issue is one of pitch, but more of the "tone" and
individual qualities of each individual instrument and to no small degree
the individual playing capabilities of a person. How many of you have gone
to a music instrument store to "pick out" an instrument and how different
was each one and why did you choose the one you did? If there was no
difference there would be no need to try out an instrument!

Then take that same instrument and place it in the hands of every individual
that you know who plays clarinet and see how it sounds.

Added to the confusion we have recordings. When recordings are made a
certain amount of editing takes place well before you get the finished
product. Certain "undesirable" noises can be and are removed. In addition
when you put the recording on your "playback device" ie CD player or
turntable, the individual quality of the playback machines, the amplifiers
driving them, the speakers projecting the sound, the quality of the wires
connecting everthing, even how much carpeting & sound absorbing material is
in your "playback" room affects the sound that you hear. Most people have
pretty basic sound equipment to listen to but there is a world out there
where you can get a dramatic improvement and bring the actual sound played
back as close as possible to the sound that took place in the recording
room. For more information ...go hang out in high end stereo or audiophile
shops, buy a couple of subscriptions to The Absolute Sound or Stereophile,
spend large amounts of cash on various pieces of equipment to see if they
will actually sound good IN YOUR HOME, then trade them in and get something
even better (more money!), and play music constantly, go to live concerts &
hopefully have one or more musicians living with you so that you will be
able to make a fair comparison.

I am most fortunate to have lived the major portion of my life with a person
with an intense interest in stereo equipment. Luckily he has included me on
many of the shopping expeditions so I had a fair amount of input into what
"sounded" accurate & as close to "live" as possible. The average person
however is hearing "music" on pretty average equipment ...which when placed
side by side with the high end equipment suffers dramatically! Yes it cost
money, but personnally I far prefer having music (both live & live as
possible), my dog & the Harley (oh yeah & my better half too!) to filling
the place up with new cheap furniture every second year!
N