Klarinet Archive - Posting 000973.txt from 1999/01

From: Jay Webler <webler@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Rudeness and humility
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 11:53:11 -0500

> jay continued:
> I have
> >never regretted that decision, and the strong opinions of Mr. Ridenour
> >have not
> >caused me to regret my decision. So, bring on the strong opinions because
> >I found
> >out that I am grown up enough to make decisions in spite of them.
>
> Jay, I think I understand what you're saying, but I'm not sure making
> decisions "in spite" of others opinions is, in and of itself, particularly
> wise; don't reject an opinion until you see the reasons for holding it are
> unfounded or non-existant. If the reasons sound valid or plausible prove
> them out for yourself. You got nothing to lose and eveything to gain.
> Make sense?
>

What I was trying to say is that, after all is said and done, we are responsible
for
the decisions we make. If we are wise, all the information we have gathered will
be considered. I just recently went through terrible experience of buying a new
piano for my daughter.
I gained an enormous amount of information. I had to sift to through the opinions
of many, and I
had to consider the reason behind the opinion. Some had a personal gain. Others
had years of
experince. And others had personal attachments. I lost a great deal of sleep
during this process.
Bur, try as I might, I was faced with the fact that I was ultimatly responsible for
the decision.
In this case my decision weighed heavily on the advise to two well educated people
in the
area of Pianos. But it also went against the advice of other well educated
people. However, I believe
that for my daughter and our situation and needs, that the best decision was made.

In a couple of years, as I improve on the Clarinet, I may change my opinion only
because I have more experience
to base my understanding on. I may listen to all the technical language but if I
don't have an expriencial
understanding, the technical jargon doesn't mean anything to me. It's like trying
to explain Harmonic Distortion
to a man with a tin ear, or Airodynamics to someone who has never seen an Airplane.

As I grow in my understanding of the qualities that go into making a good sound on
a Clarinet,
the technical speech will make more sense to me. When I was in High School I
learned from a trumpet player.
According to my present teacher, he layed down some good fundementals, but there
was much that I did not understand, because
it was not demonstrated to me. I was told I had a good sound, but I did not know
what really went into it. I just
blew, and thankfully a good sound came out. Now I take from a Proffessional
Clarinetist and my perspective
has changed entirely. When she explains things to me, I can also hear them
demonstrated. The experience
of hearing completes my education. In my case, it took 30 years to get where I am
today.

We have to make decisions based upon our present experience level. In our musical
infancy we will be more
dependent upon the opinions of others, and hopefully we will get reliable ones. As
we grow in our understanding
and experience we will be able to weigh those opinions more critically (not in a
negative sense), but ultimately we
are still responsible for that decision... Unless someone has a gun to our head.

Thank you Tom

Jay Webler

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