Klarinet Archive - Posting 000133.txt from 1998/08

From: dnaden <dnaden@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Cold weather
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 11:48:24 -0400

Gareth--

That's a common sense question. Playing a wood instrument in freezing weather
certainly is NOT good for the instrument. But...let's look at the physics. The
warm air from your breath causes the interior bore of the instrument to expand.
The cold air causes the exterior of the instrument to shrink. The resulting
pressure could result in the instrument cracking.

David S. Naden, MMus
Cal State University Los Angeles

Gareth Bowen wrote:

> Hi there!
> A dixieland band I'm in was planning to go away for a trip to try
> and make a little money busking. For those of you who don't know what
> busking is, it is when you stand in the street with a hat or instrument
> case in front of you and hope that people will drop spare change in. Sort
> of like what you Americans would call begging. Sorry, just joking ;-)
> Anyway to get back to the story. I live in the Southern hemisphere
> (New Zealand) and it's winter over here right now. It's really cold right
> at the moment (we've just had our first snow fall) and I was wondering how
> dangerous it is to play a wooden clarinet in freezing weather.
> Any replies would be most welcome!
>
>
> Gareth Bowen New Zealand
> http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Theater/5220
> __
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------