Klarinet Archive - Posting 001000.txt from 1998/09

From: ROBERT ABRAHAM <rkabear@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Playing in the rain :(
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 08:59:08 -0400

The high schools and colleges I have played with or been associated with for teaching purposes would either have the woodwinds march without horns, or put the horns away when it started to rain (i.e. put them under their coat until they could get off the field. I think that the band director of your hs should address that issue.

If the band director still wanted to have the woodwinds march in the rain, ask your parents to bring it up at a band parents meeting. This is an expensive "joyride" for a 10 minute show! Pads could cost upwards of $100+ if all were ruined. Will the band director pay for this? If he/she will, GO FOR IT. You'll get new pads <grin>. Also, an issue related would be the people marching with wooden student line horns. What about them? Will the band director pay for those instruments to be cleaned, so they don't acquire mold?

Pads are easy to install, and your band director should know how (although some music ed programs don't teach remedial instrument repair like mouthpiece pulling for brass and pad replacement for woodwinds.) See if the band director will order (or already has) a pad replacement kit. My band director in hs always had extra pads and rubber cement for those kinds of emergencies. I always keep a set myself.

If a pad is falling out, just put rubber cement in the empty key and drop a pad in. If it is a key that doesn't automatically close with a spring, you might have to put a rubber band around the clarinet (other instrument) to hold the key down, or just put a piece of tape over the pad (medical tape that won't stick afterward) to keep it in place while it dries. Overnight drying wihtout playing is best.

If the pad is rotten and still in the pad well, use a lit match (carefully) to heat the back of the key until the glue releases the pad. You can also reuse this glue by making sure the glue is hot (same method) and placing the pad beck in the well. Restrain the pad like above and let dry overnight.

If the band director will take no responsibility for the horn damage, I have a problem with this. But in reality, it happens often, and will continue unless the students (or the parents, depending on if more clout is necessary in a hs situation) speak up and say "I'm not going to destroy my horn to play in the pouring rain, unless you are willing to repair/replace the horn if damaged."

As a player, I would probably order a pad kit from Frederick Weiner or Woodwind/Brasswind to keep on hand. It becomes REALLY useful in a concert situation when a pad falls out <whew!> Become an expert at maintenance on your own horn, and save BIG $ and time later for those simple repairs.

Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds/Computer Geek
New York City
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> Just this afternoon our HS marching band put on a show for the middle school. Outside it was already soaking wet, but we played anyway because it wasn't raining. At the moment. In the middle of our show it started pouring. We kept playing.
>
> Tonight when we tried to warm-up for the football game, a number of woodwinds noticed they couldn't play. Doh! Fortunately, I wan't one of them. As soon as I started playing, though, I noticed my fairly free-blowing clarinet played harder. But it is not ruined. It is highly likely this will happen again later. Is there anything you can do after you play to revive your pads? My Bundy is NOT worth fixing.
> How hard is it to replace pads yourself? A lot of other things are wrong with it. Is it worth overhauling a bottom-of-the-barrel Bundy? (no alliteration intended) I also will use it in concert band when I don't take my R13 to school.
>

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