Klarinet Archive - Posting 000338.txt from 1998/01

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.net>
Subj: Swabs, rocks, water and mouthpieces
Date: Wed, 7 Jan 1998 10:28:54 -0500

There has been much discussion about the dangers of swabbing mouthpieces
and clarinets recently.

Someone noted that water can wear down a rock over time.

While I have no detailed information on the subject, my recollection from
geology classes in junior high is that this water/rock process takes very
long periods of time (i.e. thousands of years).

In my own personal experience, I have noticed over a period of ten or more
years that a very hard substance such as human teeth or a metal ligature
can make a very slight impression on a hard rubber substance such as a
mouthpiece.

Therefore, I would conclude that a very soft substance, such as a swab,
rubbed occasionally against that hard rubber over the same period of ten
years or so, will make no noticeable or measurable difference.

Furthermore, if swabbing of mouthpieces could possibly make a measureable
difference then swabbing of clarinet bores would be even more affected,
because wood is a softer substance than hard rubber.

I have never heard of any study that demonstrates any measurable difference
in either a wood clarinet bore, or a hard rubber mouthpiece, from swabbing
with a soft cloth. I would love to hear of one, if such study exists.

Also, I have personally, on a subjective basis, never noticed any
difference in any mouthpiece or clarinet that I have played due to swabbing
in the past twenty years.

Therefore, IMHO unless one plans on using their instrument for the next
3,000 years, which is way beyond even Star Trek The Next Generation, none
of this makes any difference whatsover.

---------------------
Jonathan Cohler
cohler@-----.net