Klarinet Archive - Posting 001406.txt from 1998/10

From: "David C. Blumberg" <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] re: question of Tube, A note, student discount
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 14:08:09 -0500

Ben Wrote:
What I actually meant was the *note* A. I suspect the new vent doesn't
improve it much. I didn't think about it for the A-pitched clarinet.

About the student discount:
Don't you think it's ironic that all the professionals who have mostly
overcome these playing difficulties can afford improvements like these,
while students who have a hard time overcoming this are too poor. This
goes with a lot a things, of course. A professional could make a Bundy
sound like an R-13 (maybe), but yet a student who can't do that doesn't
have the money to buy an R-13. I guess that's just how it is. Of
course there's nothing wrong with learning to do it the hard way.

_________
Ben Stutzman
benstutzman@-----.net

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Dave B. responded:
Another irony in life is that String players usually get the scholarships -
and they are also the rich ones.
The A on the Clarinet is much more clear then the Bb usually. With
resonance keys added, it is quite good. The Bb on the other hand, is still
a weaker sounding note - till the Galper tube is added (or if you use the
R.H. side key). The key-tube could cost quite a bit more then it does. The
cost to patent, etc, plus the cost to produce it does not give Abe any room
to discount the Tube-Key. I remember Tony Gigliotti telling me at a lesson
13 years ago that it cost him $10,000 to change a cracked die cast for his
ligature. The costs are enormous. The tube/key costs 1/2 as much as a
Reedwizard (so you could put it in that perspective). The vent doesn't
change the A, as the A is dependent on the A vent, not the register tube,
but the upper register is much more even blowing, as well as the throat Bb
sound greatly improved.
David Blumberg
reedman@-----.com
http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/Music/Blumberg.html
http://members.aol.com/cwindz/galper.html

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