Klarinet Archive - Posting 000671.txt from 2002/11
From: CBA <clarinet10001@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] clarinet setup choices are personal
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 23:58:19 -0500
Forest,
I think this idea of different people needing different paths
(and equipment) is so true. The students I encounter, show me
the opposite, which is the single most irritating thing I
encounter with students who didn't start with me.
As a favor to a colleague who referred me a student of yet
another person, I helped a student pick out an A clarinet and a
good mouthpiece the last week Woodwind and Brasswind was open in
their NYC location. We tried out over 30 instruments of
different makes and models, and narrowed it down to one Leblanc
and one Buffet R13. The R13 was a very nice one, but the Leblanc
was far superior in the way it played, and the student noticed
it quite readily. We brought the 2 instruments to the teacher,
who wasn't able to be present at the store, because she was
playing at a broadway show throughout the last week of the
WW&BW. She tried them both, and said I want you to play on a
Buffet. Schastisedhastized me for helping him find the M13 that
he really was able to sing on, because she said that her
students play 5RVs only, and it was not my business. It didn't
matter to her that the student sounded like a beginning junior
high player with the 5RV because it didn't suit him, and the M13
made him sound semi-professional. We actually had to try out 6
M13s before we found one he liked. We almost picked a 5RV Lyre
to replace the 5RV, but the last M13 was so nice and easy for
him to play on, that we opted for that one. We also tried out
Combs, Marcellus, 3 different Morgans, 5 different Bays, 2 Fobes
San Francisco, and a few others I don't remember. I tried out
all of the mouthpieces to make sure they played (not warped or
chipped, etc.) The M13 was just the one that was best for him. I
feel he is so unfortunate to have that person as a teacher, as
this student will not be allowed to find his own way with her
forcing him down the path in the direction she thinks is the
only way.
I have encountered this myopic view of the road to clarinet
playing by LOTS of band directors and music instructors,
especially non-woodwind players who don't know enough to advise
differently, but I was aghast that she, a professional
clarinetist, would actually tell this advanced student that he
couldn't use this mouthpiece without at least listening to him
on tjudgmentuthpiece to make a judgement. I had gotten the
opinion of 5 other people in the shop while we were there on
which ones sounded the best, and the concurred with the top
three choices he picked to narrow it down.
I wish we could just PURGE teachers like that, since they tend
to hamper most of their students anyway, and leave them the
scars of bad teaching for later instructors to spend years
undoing. I have studied with teachers that were like that...for
a few lessons. Then I tell them it isn't working for me, and I
move on. Most of my students play on totally different
equipment, and if there is a change necessary in their setup, we
spend HOURS at a music store trying out equipment to make sure
it is what is best for them.
I have never understood people who don't recognize that clarinet
playing is as personal, if not more so than a car choice, or an
apartment or house choice. Sure you can change later, but why
not get it right at the beginning, instead of using something
that doesn't advance your playing?
Am I the only one that encounters these "my way or the highway"
teachers on such a regular basis?
I'm getting off my soapbox again. Whew...it was hot up there!
Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds - New York City
--- "Forest E. Aten Jr." <forestaten@-----.com> wrote:
> Steve,
>
> What a good observation.
>
> I've spent a good amount of time asking many questions about
> clarinet
> manufacturing of Francois Kloc at Buffet. One of my
> revelations, as I talked
> to Francois, was that the small differences between clarinets
> is a desirable
> thing. Not all players look for the same things when selecting
> a clarinet.
> I've noticed that many people on the list are all looking for
> the same
> thing....the "perfect" clarinet. The clarinet that suits
> me...might be
> completely unacceptable in some way for Dan or Bill...or Dee F
> or you. Our
> playing environment, mouthpiece, reeds...general philosophy of
> how we play
> the instrument (and plenty of other variables) often lead us
> in different
> directions when selecting our instruments.
>
> All grapes potentially can end up as fine wine......for
> someone.
>
> Forest
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