Klarinet Archive - Posting 000487.txt from 2001/03

From: Bilwright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] First Clarinet Purchase
Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2001 02:21:52 -0500

<><> Edward=A0Stuart wrote:
Also, is this list archived? If so, where?

Yes, go to www.sneezy.org/clarinet and click on the "Klarinet
Archives" button. You'll find other useful clarinet links on the main
page as well.

(There! That was the easy question!)

As for choosing a first instrument, four months of playing may be
too early to make a valid choice. If your teacher says that your
clarinet needs repairs, perhaps (probably) repairs would be a better
investment until you've gained more experience --- even if your friend
profits a bit thereby. After all, he or she loaned you the instrument,
and perhaps a "thank you" gift is appropriate. <smile>

Another usual piece of advice is "Try different mouthpieces first
and choose one of them that you like best and get to know it before you
buy an expensive clarinet." The mouthpiece that you choose may not be
the perfect one for the clarinet that you will buy eventually, but the
process of experimenting with mouthpieces and choosing one will prepare
you for choosing a clarinet later on. Most mouthpieces cost $40-$150,
which is much less expensive than buying the wrong clarinet and then
regretting it a month later.

When the time finally comes to buy a better clarinet, play many
different brands and models before you buy. Even two instruments of
the same make and model can be noticeably different from each other.
The corollary of this is that you need to accumulate enough playing
time in order to have a stable embouchure, stable breath support,
feelings in your finger about key mechanisms, etc. Until you have
these things, any 'trials' that you do won't tell you what you really
need to know before choosing. Rather, if you happen to try a certain
instrument on a good day, you will think it is a good clarinet, or vice
versa if you happen to try the instrument on a bad day.

You asked about bore size. There are exceptions to everything in
music --- as each of us has had to learn the hard way --- but often a
big bore has a 'bigger' sound which some people associate with jazz. I
happen to have chosen a compromise myself, not as big as some, but
larger than some.
However, there are other things that will affect your choice
besides bore size, such as ease of 'blowing' (usually called high or low
resistance), accuracy of intonation for your particular embouchure and
breath support, and so on.
One of the common statements is: "<So-and-So> sounds like himself
(herself) no matter what brand he (she) plays." Until you have settled
on how you want to sound, probably you aren't ready to make a valid
choice. Have you listened to a large variety of recordings and formed
an idea of how you want to sound?

.... of course, I'm still basically a beginner. Other more experienced
people here may give you a different perspective.

Cheers,
Bill

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