Klarinet Archive - Posting 000525.txt from 2001/08

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Cane vs plastic (revisited) ..... Bagpipes
Date: Thu, 30 Aug 2001 04:52:04 -0400

I would love to have been a participant in that conversation with the pipers
and yourself. I don't play bagpipes, but I do make lots of bassoon reeds.

It is possible that synthetic reeds do give them more of the kind of sound
they're after, but I cant help but wonder if all the hassle of dealing with
cane reeds, the changing weather, etc., might not be a major reason. I would
further wonder if, just like in oboe and bassoon playing, not everyone gets
into the double reed making long enough and deep enough to realize a truly
superior and consistently superior product for their instruments.

Should I ever have occasion to hang with some pipers, I'll strike up that very
conversation and line of questioning.

William Wright wrote:

> I was surprised when I happened to speak with several bagpipers
> including the (now) 6-time winner of an annual all-Ireland competition,
> and the pipers felt unanimously and categorically that plastic reeds
> (double reeds in a bagpipe) produce a better sound than cane does.
> This is in addition to the significant advantage of not having to
> replace/adjust multiple reeds, and not having to deal with tuning
> changes due to temperature/humidity changes (marching outdoors).
>
> Bagpipes are a totally different situation from clarinet, of course.
> It was an effective reminder that musical techniques frequently don't
> transfer from one musical arena to another.
>
> Cheers,
> Bill
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> 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

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