Klarinet Archive - Posting 000743.txt from 2000/05

From: "Kevin Callahan" <kionon@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] A returner to the clarinet seeks advice
Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 17:32:51 -0400

>From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
>Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>Subject: Re: [kl] A returner to the clarinet seeks advice
>Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 07:17:44 -0400
>
>At 08:58 AM 5/15/2000 +0100, Wendy Kirkland wrote:
> >Dear list
> >
> >I have recently restarted playing the clarinet after a 12 year 'break'!!!
>....
> >I am using a Rico Royal 3.5 reed. Is this too hard? I can't remember
>which
>way the numbers run anyway, just that that's what I used to have.
> >Any help would be appreciated. I might go and have some lessons!
> >
>IMHO, a 3 1/2 is a bit stiff for restarting after many years, depending of
>course on your mouthpiece. Cut back to a 2 1/2 and you'll probably get a
>lot farther without busting lungs and popping eyes. You could no doubt
>handle those 3 1/2's just fine when your embouchure was in shape. If you
>were a marathon runner who had not run in 12 years, how far do you think
>you would get in your first race after the layoff without training first?
>Lessons would be a good idea, too.
>

One thing I've funny about my own experience, is I began on 3 1/2 Vandorens
from the very beginning. Why? Well, I was borrowing a friend's old clarinet,
and all she had for me to use was an unused Vandoren 3 1/2, and so she gave
me that. I've been playing on that size ever since. Once I tried to play on
a 2 1/2 and found my tone was SO fuzzy that when I went back to the 3 1/2s
it sounded chrisper than I remembered.

Kevin Callahan
If I hear one more "brasshole" remark, I swear I'll scream.
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

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