Klarinet Archive - Posting 000230.txt from 2001/08

From: HatNYC62@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Selecting an instrument
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 17:52:05 -0400

I thought I would post here a reply I made to someone on the BB. The relative
merits of older Buffets vs. new ones were being debated and I suggested that
the new ones were the best clarinets Buffet has ever made, particularly in
terms of intonation. 'What's so important about intonation?' was basically
the question. I responded.

Good questions, actually. Here is my answer: Perhaps the most important thing
to remember about being a professional as opposed to an amateur or
afficionado (or whatever) is that I don't play just for my own satisfaction.
I have to satisfy others as well.

If I were to take 10 different clarinets and 10 different mouthpieces to work
without telling anyone what I was doing, it is extremely unlikely that anyone
would notice any tonal difference in my playing (unless an instrument was of
decidedly inferior quality, but let's assume that isn't the case). This is
not to say there would be no tonal difference, but at its most extreme, the
difference would probably only be noticable to another clarinet player. I
would hear a difference, but you would be amazed at how little
non-clarinetists (even those with very fine ears) notice very subtle tonal
character changes.

However, any intonational deficiencies caused by a difficult to tune setup
would be noticed immediately by all better musicians. This is something you
can count on every time. Slight tonal colors make little difference in (at
least the early rounds of) an audition, but play out of tune? You're out. .
.no second chance. That's how important it is.

In the big picture, one's sound quality is determined far more by internal
concept than by equipment. The final 5-10% can be enhanced or altered (or
disturbed, I suppose) by changing physical equipment, but the basic sound is
inside. Again, this particular portion is unlikely to be noticed by anyone
besides the person doing the playing.

Also, of course subtle adjustments must be made while playing to get certain
things in tune. However, if one has to do extreme embochure deviations to
get, say, a soft low register note low enough, that will affect the sound
quality anyway. And it's dangerous!

Thus, my advice is: find equipment that is easy to play and sounds good, but
MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T PLAY OUT OF TUNE. You'll get your sound regardless.

Another comment: the external perception of a clarinetist's tone quality is
inserperably linked to the player's intonation. It is virtually impossible to
'sound' beautiful or even good if you play out of tune. Try it as an
experiment when you play with a pianist. Tape yourself playing flat or sharp
on purpose and see what your tone sounds like. You'll be impressed at how
your perception is affected, I believe.

Finally, of course I try to find a clarinet with that nice 'pingy' quality
that I like. I just choose the nicest sounding ones from the in-tune
clarinets I have selected. I don't fine the best in tune of the nice-sounding
clarinets. Does that make sense?

David Hattner, NYC
www.northbranchrecords. com

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