Klarinet Archive - Posting 000681.txt from 2000/08

From: "Kloc, Francois" <Francois.Kloc@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Plastic vs. Wood
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 10:48:43 -0400

There is insufficient evidence to believe that the sound character of a
clarinet is seriously influenced by the material of which the clarinet
is made. The only significant advantage of wood is that it is an
aesthetically beautiful material in the eyes of some. But if the amount
of effort made in constructing a clarinet of wood were spent in
constructing it of glass, plastic, metal, or any of a variety of media,
there is little doubt that you could not tell the difference between the
instruments in a blind test.

What you believe is one thing, but what the facts are appear to be at
odds with what you believe. There is a social pressure to play on
wooden clarinets, but the source of that pressure is simply the same
kind of thinking that says "Corn flakes bought on Rodeo Drive in Los
Angeles are much better than corn flakes bought in Kearney, Nebraska."

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading the posts on wood Vs plastic. I think we will never
come to an end on this topic just because both sides have strong
arguments to try to convince the other side. Let talk about the players
for a change. I have worked with several different players over the
years and still do, from different schools, with different ideas
etc...Everyone talked about the feel of the instrument, what they want
to get sound wise, the tone color, the projection.... Maybe you are
right players use wood because it looks better, personally I don't think
it is the reason why for so many years players around the world choose
to play on wood made instruments. I am not only talking about clarinets
but also oboes, bassoons, violins, viola, piano, guitars and even some
players come back to the wooden flutes I see more and more of those when
I travel and go meet with Symphony players and Professors. Lets take the
Piano for example the table in made out of wood I don't think it is just
because it is pretty I think it is because it vibrate I never saw a
table for Piano made out of plastic maybe there is some but I haven't
seen one yet. Several oboe players have instrument made out of different
wood because they have a tendency to think that they will blend better
with the flute or the rest of the section if they have a different wood
are they wrong I don't think so again it is based on the way the player
feel and play the instrument if he likes better the rosewood and he
sound good on it well it is his choice, if he thinks he sound better on
other material fine. I don't see a lot of metal clarinets in Symphony
orchestras if the material doesn't do anything to the tone color why
players are still choosing wood that cracks and change instead of metal?
To me plastic doesn't have "life" like wood has, it is my personal
opinion and I maybe totally wrong but I look around me and listen to the
players and they prove me maybe I am not that wrong. Players are
different, taste are different, many players choose to play on
instruments made out of wood it doesn't make the ones who plays on
instruments made out of Green Line or other material better or worse I
think it is just a question of what the musicians choose as a tool to
express their music. Also the instrument makers come out with instrument
that are design with musicians we spend a lot of time and money to have
professional musician test and collaborate in the design of an
instrument before we decide that it can be produce and presented to
everybody we don't decide what the market want we make what the players
ask us to make.

I do think their is a difference between materials. Even if their is
insufficient evidence to prove it.

Musically Yours,

Francois Kloc
Manager of Woodwinds North America
Boosey & Hawkes Musical Instruments Inc.

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