Klarinet Archive - Posting 000081.txt from 1999/11

From: MUSIC43@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Andrew Lloyd Webber
Date: Wed, 3 Nov 1999 16:22:06 -0500

Hello! There is a way to avoid having to carry an entire A clarinet to
a gig when you only have a few notes to play. Fortunately, I learned this
trick from a colleague who has played clarinet for approximately 60 years!!!
(He put himself through medical school by playing with the "Big Bands" in the
1930's!!) I could not afford an A clarinet at the time and was shown how to
do this simple thing to make a Bb into an A.

Take a piece of cord (as thick as a regular clothesline) about 17 1/2
inches long and attach sewing thread (about 6 1/2 inches long) with a piece
of black electrical tape at one end - at the very end. Attach black
electrical tape at the other end so the cord does not fray. Now, insert this
into your Bb clarinet between the barrel and the 1st joint (where the keys
are). Voila!!! You now have an A clarinet. However, if you play for more
than 1 hour or so, it does get a little soggy and then the tone changes. So,
if you only have to play a note or so here and there and you would have time
to pop the mouthpiece and barrel off and insert the string - it saves
carrying an extra clarinet.

Thank heavens that I have been able to afford to purchase an A clarinet
since! However, the tone on the "String" clarinet is not too far off from a
real A clarinet!!!

Johnette Halpin
MUSIC43@-----.com

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