Klarinet Archive - Posting 000737.txt from 1999/11

From: "Karl Krelove" <kkrelove@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] A reed question
Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1999 16:59:23 -0500

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ken Wolman [mailto:kwolman@-----.com]

> I decided to move up to a harder reed for my bass. This is a Marca 3.5; I
> have not yet gone beyond a 3. Playing with this thing is murder. I've
> tried it on the mouthpiece for which it was intended--a Pomarico No. 1
> facing--but also on a Yamaha 3C and Selmer D. The results are uniform
> irrespective of the mouthpiece: it's squeally and extremely hard
> to play in the clarion register.
>

It's hard to tell from your question - how many Marca 3.5's have you tried?
If, as your question actually implies, you've only tried one, you may have
picked the worst, least playable one in the box. Try several. If you've
already done that and are certain there's no serious mechanical problem with
the instrument, then really bad response should tell you that it isn't a
good match. Go back to your #3's or, if you're unhappy with the ones you've
been using, experiment with some other brand.

There are so many things other than the reed that can cause that kind of
problem in the clarion register of a bass clarinet that I'd have someone
look the instrument over carefully, especially if the 3.5's are easy and
sound good in the chalumeau (which you didn't say anything about).

Karl Krelove

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