Klarinet Archive - Posting 000259.txt from 1998/12

From: reedman@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Kangaroo pads
Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1998 02:05:59 -0500

I have clipped the orginal message and it is at the end of this post
regarding Kangaroo skin pads or deerskin pads.

Those of us who make our livings or a portion of our livings by working on
clarinets almost every day of our lives are constantly trying new pad
materials. I think it is rather ambitious to try these type of animal hides
(I am assuming we are talking about the hide and not the bladder lining
used for skin pads). It is clear that different materials have varying
sound reflection and absorption characteristics.

HOWEVER, I must point out that the comparison test here is extremely
flawed. If the test were done accurately it would involve repadding the
SAME instrument several times with the various materials and comparing
results. To compare one pad job on OPUS X to pad job on OPUS Y brings in
the variable of the instrument, which is probably the greatest variable.

A further variable is the quality of the work. I don't know if the
gentlemen who tried this experiment were experienced pad makers - probably
not. The "free blowing" quality of the instrument MAY also indicate that
many pads were set too high and *possibly* proper intonation has gone down
the tubes.

I am not trying to discourage the attempt at different materials, but i am
encouraging this type of experimentation to be done carefully before it is
lauded as a cure all.

Finally, just my two cents on pad work. For the most part I find most
leather pads to be too porous to seal well on clarinet. I had this
conversation with Michelle Zukovsky, however, and she stated very clearly
that she did not want the clarinet pads to seal, only to cover. Perhaps she
likes the type of resistance this created for her. Personally, I also find
leather to have a dulling affect on the sound. I do use a very fine white
kid leather pad on bass clarinet called "Lucien Deluxe". It is carried by
J.L. Smith and Co. I prefer leather on bass clarinet, because it holds up
so well and is more stable over time than most skin pads available in
larger sizes. I seal the center of the pads with wax, which also produces a
sound reflective surface.

I have tried many combinations of materials. For a good, stable,
commercially available pad that produces a good sound it is hard to beat
STRAUBINGER pads. I use them for all of my overhauls. The best hand made
pads I have ever seen are those made by Bill Brannan. He uses Zephyr skin
and a very nice wool. His pads are extremely stable and hold up for years.
Tim Clark also makes an excellent leather pad that is covered with a layers
of bladder skin.

Unfortunately, I just don't have the time to spend making pads
anymore. I am slowly closing the window on my repairwork and moving rapidly
toward confining my work to mouthpieces, performance and more time to
practice!

Clark w Fobes

"The principal clarinettist in our community band suggested I try his
instrument with my mouthpiece (we each have an Opus) and tell him what I
thought was different. I immediately noticed it was more free-blowing
than my own, which had a very nice pad job done recently. He went on to
explain that there was much more uniformity in resistance/response over
the entire range and especially in the upper registers. The secret was
that all the pads were replaced with deerskin pads. He and another
music professional, both with DMAs in clarinet performance, I believe,
had been experimenting with different makes of instrument and different
pad materials. Deerskin was best for the Opus, but Selmers and R13s
responded better with kangaroo skin and another type which I can't
remember at the moment. This is not a joke, it really was kangaroo skin
they used. Has anyone else ever heard of this kind of experimenting?
Sounds pretty wacky, but the effect was undeniable."

Clark W Fobes
Web Page http://www.sneezy.org/clark_fobes

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