Klarinet Archive - Posting 000493.txt from 1998/12

From: "Dee D. Hays" <deehays@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] RE: klarinet Digest 11 Dec 1998 09:15:01 -0000 Issue 812
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1998 17:34:04 -0500

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Cogswell <Michael_Cogswell@-----.com>
Date: Friday, December 11, 1998 2:49 PM
Subject: [kl] RE: klarinet Digest 11 Dec 1998 09:15:01 -0000 Issue 812

>... While I certainly agree that a student will play well on any horn after
a
>decent amount of time (with the possible exception of myself), I can't help
>but wonder if a better instrument won't allow faster progress by allowing
>the student to focus on playing rather than struggling to overcome the
horn.
>In my case, I'm still learning the basic fingerings and scales, with a few
>very simple tunes to give me some sense of accomplishment. Right now I
find
>the large differences in resistance frustrating, since it can make it
>difficult for me to get the horn to speak at all occasionally. I'm light
>years away from worrying about *HOW* a note sounds, I'm still worrying
about
>*IF* it sounds at all. I can't help but wonder if a clarinet with more
even
>resistance would allow me to focus on the basics. Or, when you talk about
>better instruments, are you really discussing more subtle differences? Or
>is learning to cope with things like the big difference in resistance
simply
>one of the basics?
>
>Just for clarification, the clarinet I'm using doesn't seem to have any
>leaks or adjustment problems. My daughter certainly (with six years of
>clarinet experience) has no problem playing it, although she has a low
>opinion of it. On the other hand, she has an older Noblet Paris bass
>clarinet and a school owned Selmer bass, both of which I find much easier
to
>play and much more even. Is this typical?

Actually a horn with less resistance would make it easier to focus on the
basics. You won't be distracted by the feeling of having to work to get air
through the horn.

Pro horns tend to be MORE finicky than beginner instruments when it comes to
getting sounds out. So a beginner could actually be better off on a good
quality beginner horn for a while until they do master the basics. The
ultimate sound quality inherent in the horn is however better on the pro
models and the keywork is nicer and often smoother (but again decent
beginner horns have good keywork).

BIG differences in resistance shouldn't really exist. Noticeable
differences, yes, but not so big as to be a problem for a normal, healthy
adult or student. It could be that on some models it is harder for you to
consistently cover the holes correctly and then you leak and the resistance
goes up. Or perhaps you are bumping some keys and slightly opening them
without realizing it. Again a minor leak results and once again the
resistance goes up.

Bass clarinets have pads to cover the holes, alleviating the problem of not
completely covering the holes. In general, the keys are much further apart,
alleviating the problem of accidentally bumping keys.

Another possible source of differences in resistance is the mouthpiece and
reed combo unless you are trying these horns using the SAME mouthpiece and
SAME reed when you try them.

The reed by itself can be a source of apparent resistance. Too soft and it
tries to "close down" on the mouthpiece and bingo! resistance. Too hard and
it takes a lot of breath support for it to vibrate well. Again this will
feel like a lot of resistance.

In reality, it sounds like you are going through the normal beginner
experiences and as of yet, they are probably nothing to be worried about at
this stage. Do you have an experienced teacher to guide you over these
rough spots?

Good Luck,
Dee Hays
Canton, SD

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