Klarinet Archive - Posting 000027.txt from 1998/02

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: Lauren Peterson and a new clarinet
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 14:28:33 -0500

Lauren stated that she wants to buy a used wooden clarinet. She asked
for advice on which of the several brands she suggested might be the
best and already several excellent responses to her are setting the
tone of the kinds of answer that she should be getting. I'll add
my view to those already posted.

Lauren, the fact that a clarinet is made out of wood does not, in and
of itself, assure you that you are getting a good clarinet. There are
some very bad wooden clarinets made. Wood does not necessarily make
a good clarinet, though all the very best clarinets made in the
recent past as well as today are made from an African tree whose
wood, grenadellia@-----.
But other woods, including cocobolo and rosewood are also becoming
more popular, though it is unlikely you would find a used instrument
in these woods.

Your interest should not be in getting a wooden clarinet. Instead
your interest should be in getting a good clarinet and if it happens
to be wood, that's nice because wood has a glorious physical
appearance. However, over the past 5 years on this list, the
subject of the value of wood (as contrasted with artificial
materials, glass, metal, etc.) has been argued many, many
many times. You really ought to go into the history files and
try and find the threads of these discussions.

Without attempting to revive the arguments or to take sides, there
are several points of view: (1) wood does not have or add any
significant value to the character and quality of a clarinet's
sound except insofar that its expense results in only the
best manufacturing processes being applied to it, and, therefore,
the best instruments come out of that process; (2) there are
several negative factors associated with wood including an
unfortunate tendency to crack under certain circumstances; (3)
wood is beautiful and one's playing is always improved by
playing on an object of great physical beauty; (4) the idea that
a wooden clarinet produces a better sound than some other
material is an idea that has little basis in fact.

What you need to do is to go with your teacher to a place
that sells used clarinets and have him/her help you select
a good quality instrument, and that might be made out of
old cheese boxes and ground metal shavings. The instrument
that your teacher will help you select will be good because
it is in tune with well-tooled key work that makes playing
it a happy experience. You must also have a really fine
mouthpiece,

In fact, your mouthpiece selection is every bit as important
as the clarinet. No great mouthpiece will enable a bad
clarinet to play well. No bad mouthpiece will allow the
full potential of a good clarinet. When both the mouthpiece
and the clarinet are bad, there is no use in continuing.
And the final permutation deals with what you want: a good
mouthpiece and a good clarinet.

How much money can you afford to spend? Be serious.

=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
Rosanne Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
=======================================