Klarinet Archive - Posting 000693.txt from 2000/09

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Vandoren Optima Ligature
Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 05:57:55 -0400

Sweet,
Your story, relating that you don`t have much time to experiment reminds
me of a time many years ago when I had a "proper" job, (as they say - 9 till
5), and I was trying to find the time to practice, but just didn`t manage to
find very much. I tried to explain this to a new teacher (to me) I wished to
train with, and he refused to take me.
The fact that you say you don`t have much time to experiment, says to me
that you might be experiencing a similar kind of obstacle. Have you thought
of (I know you`ve bought it - and this might be a difficult decision to
make, and quite a hurtful suggestion also - I apologise) just ditching the
Vandoren, and going for >ONE ligature, where you will not need to spend any
time at all swapping and experimenting.
The post yesterday/today(?) cites the case where some guy thinks that all
clarinets sound the same. Well, your dilemma has in some ways a kind of
"opposite similarity", if you can understand that phrase. You want THREE
different sounds to carry you through your career?. I wonder what kind of
dilemma/stress/torture Vandoren has subject you to, if you find you do not
have the time to administer what Vandoren are demanding of this ligature.
Is having only one true clarinet sound not sufficient anymore? - not just
for you Sweet, but for perhaps the many hundreds of those who have also
purchased the Vandoren.
What I`m saying is, if you >don`t have time, then you must either MAKE time,
or go down some other route. The "other route" has been a well trodden and
tested route for many years. I have been playing jazz, classical, and a bit
of 20th century "stuff" ALL with the same ligature/reed/sound, albeit with
some small inflections in vibrato. I have played premiere performances
without the composer commenting - (yeah - I know). But Stravinsky or Debussy
won`t either!
Work hard, but don`t "create" pressures when there is no need to.
Best,
Tony W.

----- Original Message -----
From: <SweetMdawg@-----.com>
Subject: [kl] Vandoren Optima Ligature

> I just received the new Vandoren ligature, and was wondering which plate
is
> most preferable. I don't really have a lot of time to experiment, but I'm
> currently working on the Stravinsky Three Pieces and Debussy's Premiere
> Rhapsody. Thanks.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
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