Klarinet Archive - Posting 000323.txt from 2001/07

From: rgarrett@-----.edu
Subj: RE: [kl] Jumping on the Bandwagon - or jumping
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 02:22:28 -0400

At 12:09 PM 7/12/01 -0600, you wrote:
>Or perhaps, to whom is this addressed, Roger? The natural response, of
>course, is "if the shoe fits, wear it." That seems pretty evasive - if you
>have a problem with me, be direct about it.

David,

As you can see, it was not addressed to anyone. It was musings on my
part. It came into my head and I typed it down. I didn't send it until I
was sure it was not directed at anyone in particular.

I don't have a problem with you at all. Why would I? You haven't said
anything that has upset me, and I don't know you except by way of the list.

>For clarification of my own interest in this topic, I am not here to
>either a) benefit from the work you and others have done by starting a
>mouthpiece manufacturing operation, or b) publishing a paper that
>"speculates" about the nature of issues regarding mouthpieces, or gives
>measurements, et al.

My post didn't say that you are.

>I'm here to satisfy my own intellectual curiousity about the clarinet. I
>want to learn more about what is really going on with the instrument and
>my interface to it. I want to know how things can be made better. To that
>end, I will make inquiries, raise speculation about certain issues, etc.
>If those
>speculations are unfounded, fine; someone can correct me. That's part of
>the learning process. (I'm assuming that this is what the forum is for; if
>it's not, then I need to know that. But where else can one sit and have a
>chat with several respected individuals in the field, unfortunately without the
>added dimension of face-to-face interaction?)

I would guess that most people are on the list for this reason also. There
are some who are on it for other reasons though............. ; )

>In my opinion, an accomplished player could take ten mouthpieces, reeds,
>ligatures, and instruments (all of identical make/model in the same case)
>into an anechoic chamber and get very repeatable results on a spectrum
>analyzer.*

I would assert that this is a completely different issue that what we have
been discussing.

>...........in my view, such control and repeatability would at least
>eliminate part of the problems that people encounter with the instrument.
>Then, the variation between different models and makers of instruments,
>mouthpieces, ligatures, and reeds would allow individuals to choose a
>setup that did work best for them...without wondering as to whether they
>just got a lousy example of some particular component. (And, perhaps,
>publishing test results from such analysis would encourage manufacturers
>to evolve their design and manufacturing processes.)

Well, I think I agree with you in principal. I just don't plan to be the
person to publish that information.

>As an aside, I do know a couple of plastics engineers. If one of the
>mouthpiece makers on the list would be interested in having a dialogue
>with them regarding materials, I am willing to see if they are interested.
>Again, I'm not interested in being a mouthpiece manufacturer.

I'll bet Walter takes you up on this offer! : )

>Well, that's my stand on the subject...independent of whether the original
>message was directed at me. (If it wasn't, I look defensive, huh? Darned
>if I do, darned if I don't...)

Not at all...............

But you may have jumped on the bandwagon a bit too soon.

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett

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