Klarinet Archive - Posting 000345.txt from 1997/04

From: "L. BORCHERT" <lborcher@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Tuning Sharp
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 08:57:47 -0400

On Wed, 9 Apr 1997, Jerry Korten wrote:

> On April 7th Andre Salas wrote:
>
> "
> Item Subject: Message text
> David Frank brought up a topic I have a lot of interest in. I have a
> buffet clarinet that is always sharp and becomes almost untunable under
> extremely hot conditions (i.e. under stage lights). I have been told
> that a new barrel could solve my problems. I was concerned that it
> would affect my tone and the intonation of the throat tones. Have any
> of you succesfully used a barrel for this purpose?
>
> Andre' Salas,
> Amateur Clarinetist
> Fairfax Virginia
> "
>
> Definitely try one of the Vandoren 13 series they do tune flatter than the
> normal mouthpiece. And yes you should try a barrel of 67 or 68mm if your
> current one is 66mm.
>
> Jerry Korten
> NYC
>

In all the discussions about the various equipment that is
available out there, the cause(s) of many of these individual
intonation/tone-quality problems are not being discussed. A new
mouthpiece, barrel, reed, or ligature are not magic bullets (or arrows for
_Der Freischutz_ afficiandos). Many of these related problems,
unfortunately, have to do with the players themselves.
Whether it is embouchure, breath support, tongue position, or
perhaps hand/finger position, the first place to look are these playing
fundamentals. That's where your private teachers can help. Treating
problem(s) with intonation by just changing equipment and not addressing
basic tone production is to treat the symptom, but not the illness. Only
AFTER the basic problems have been corrected, can an equipment change
produce the opitimal results. Larry Combs when he played on Buffets still
sounds like Larry Combs after his switch to Leblanc.
Good luck.

Laroy

Dr. Laroy Borchert
Professor of Clarinet
Music Department
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM 88003

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