Klarinet Archive - Posting 000683.txt from 2000/08

From: stewart kiritz <kiritz@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Plastic vs. Wood
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 11:11:57 -0400

Anyone interested in my cast iron violin? You can have it cheap.

Stewart Kiritz

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kloc, Francois" <Francois.Kloc@-----.com>
Subject: [kl] Plastic vs. Wood

> 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.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
> Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
> Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
> Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org
>

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org