Klarinet Archive - Posting 001095.txt from 1999/01
From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Rudeness and humility
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 22:52:04 -0500
At 05:01 PM 1/21/99 -0500, you wrote:
> Is the R-13 poor? It all depends upon what you value both as a
>clarinetist and a musician. To me, personally, it is virtually useless;
>with no exaggeration I can honestly say at this point in my life, if the
>R-13 were all there was to play on I would just work on playing more Jazz
>on the key board and writing a song now and then; I am sick of working to
>make music. I would like a little joy, freedom and fun from my experience
>of playing. The R-13, whatever else I may have been able to do in my
>teaching/playing years, was always work to play and control. I find, in
>speaking with many, many other clarinetists, that my experience was and is
>not an isolated one.
*whew*........it took awhile, but you finally answered the question I asked
- and clarified the meaning of the first post in which I asked for
clarification.
Thanks very much.
> Having said that, I restate your question: Is the R-13 poor?
> Each player needs to answer that question for himself after he or
>she has weighed all that an instrument has to offer in all its' aspects.
>My article, How to Select a Clarinet, trys to recommend various methods of
>discovering what an instrument has to offer, not just in respect of tone,
>but tuning, stability in tuning, stability in color and shape, and the
>subtle aspects of response and so on.
Well, this part I think I can figure out - but thanks very much for stating
it for anyone else who might not have caught these words in your last few
posts. I really only wanted to know YOUR opinion - specifically - and with
regard to the use of the word "poor" - the one you used.
> I hope this in some way is an appropriate response to your question.
>You, Roger, have not offended me in the least, and I appreciate your
>responses and our exchanges. I don't mind in the least some one
>disagreeing with me; that, to me, is of secondary interest. What I do mind
>is not being given reasons for their disagreement that I can consider, in
>the hope of perfecting my own thinking and understanding.
I do disagree with many statements you have made - but I feel that argument
between us on those issues is not of much importance here - primarily
because some arguements are based on things that must be defined with the
definitions agreed upon. Therefore, while I think several people have
posted regarding working harder as a positive toward performance and you
responded, I have no reason to continue that thread - even though certain
factors of resistance, pitch, and flexibility are what help me shape my
choice of clarinets. The obvious trap here is, were I to accept everything
you have said as pure fact for choosing a clarinet (that which YOU believe
is important), I would then say that my playing is screwed up or incorrect
because I have suffered on an instrument that causes problems with pitch,
flexibility and/or resistance by simple virtue of the design. Since I
experience none of those problems to any great degree I do not believe my
approach to the instrument is incorrect in any way. That I don't notice
any major differences or benefits of the Leblanc Opus over the Buffet R-13
Prestige that I currently play on doesn't meant that I don't play well
enough to notice your design changes. It simply means that what is
problematic for some people is not problematic for me - I think. At any
rate, to try to convince you of that is, in my opinion, unecessary - your
strength is in what you believe. I can accept that of your posts without
any problems whatsoever!
One thing that you said did help clarify for me your discussion of
embouchure and air - that is the fact that you play double lipped (I have
no problem with that - but it does change the way one approaches the
instrument - in my opinion of course) John played on my set up a couple of
years ago, he liked it but felt the mouthpiece/reed was too resistant - but
he mentioned that it is that way with most double lip players vs. single
lip players. His was my only direct experience with a double lip player,
but it is something I keep in the back of my mind when addressing issues of
pressure, biting, etc.
>>"if I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me,
>>this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very
>>best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until
>>the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't
>>amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, 10 angels swearing I
>>was right would make no difference."
>> Abraham Lincoln
I don't know Sheen.....but I admire Abraham Lincoln a lot! I'm also not in
agreement with Sheen LOLROF......sometimes right is wrong - including the
timing - ask any married person!!! But then, it is my turn to diverse hmmmm?
>Just an aphoristic echo and distillation of the above:
>WRONG IS WRONG, EVEN IF EVERYONE IS WRONG; RIGHT IS RIGHT, EVEN IF NOBODY
>IS RIGHT.
>BISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN
RG
Roger Garrett
Professor of Clarinet
Director, Concert Band & Symphonic Winds
Recording Studio
Illinois Wesleyan University
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