Klarinet Archive - Posting 000685.txt from 2000/08

From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Plastic vs. Wood
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 11:27:33 -0400

I'm genuinely disappointed. When I saw that Francois Kloc was joining
the discussion of wood vs. other materials (despite the title of wood
vs. plastic which minimizes the discussion), I was very pleased because
where could one find a more authoritative voice on the matter of
materials. But as I eagerly read his text, my disappointment became
palpable for his entire argument, as I read and re-read, consists
entirely of statements that say nothing more than "I think that ..." or
"I do not think that ..."

M. Kloc brings up oboes and bassoons as a demonstration of the broad use
of wood -- but neglects to mention flutes where wood has been
effectively abandoned -- forgetting that a first-class line of oboes are
made with one joint plastic and one joint wood. He also adds pianos
which is irrelevant to the discussion since the piano is a percussion
instrument with a vibrating sounding board. Thus to compare its medium
of manufacture and sound production with a clarinet is to compare a
chicken to a carrot because they are both food.

He, like all of us, have been raised on wooden instruments (though a few
of us did play metal ones in our youth and some have also even played
professionally on plastic instruments when the need to save money was
evident). And as such, seeing nothing but wooden instruments has
naturally brought us to the conclusion that there is an acoustic purpose
to wood as contrasted with, say, metal. The fact that no such acoustic
purpose can be claimed to exist in fact, is counterproductive to the
business and marketing strategy of his excellent company, whose
clarinets I used for many years, and happily, but not because they were
made of wood. It is rather that wood was the only way I could buy them
at the time. Had they made a quality instrument in something other than
wood and which was cheaper, I would have tried that. Today they make
what I understand to be an excellent instrument out of sawdust and a
binder and, if it is

> 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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--
***************************
** Dan Leeson **
** leeson0@-----.net **
***************************

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