Klarinet Archive - Posting 000164.txt from 2003/01

From: "R. Williams" <rwilliams@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Poor Qlty. Instruments, Bigotry & Dreams
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 11:52:00 -0500

Bill Hausman said; "I think the vast majority of the kids who quit band do
so for just that
reason" when commenting on poorly made instruments. I am formerly one of
those kids. The instrument in question was a Bundy and I still have
it. The music teacher told my parents that my lack of progress was because
I just refused to put any effort into it. She was one of those teachers
which in retrospect was probably burned out, didn't really like kids and
hated her job and it showed. So I suffered through two years of grade
school band having the teacher ridicule me and my parents yelling at me for
being lazy. I hated band and loathed clarinets.

Fortunately I transferred to a private college prep school and the music
teacher there talked me into at least trying again. Because of all this I'm
pretty sensitive on the issue of giving kids marginally playable
instruments, particularly if there isn't a support system to correct the
problem, which in too many cases there is not. You have to wonder
sometimes if we haven't lost another Gershwin, Copland or Goodman, because
some kid becomes frustrated and quits. It is a monumental waste!

I cannot say if Chinese instruments contribute to this problem, Bundy
certainly did in my case, so does that make me a bigot for pointing it
out? I freely admit that I am not aware of the current state of clarinet
manufacturing capabilities on mainland China, but making an observation
that in general the quality can be questionable isn't bigotry, it is simply
reporting a view based on personal experience. People are so quick to
label someone a bigot or racist for making observations that meaningful
conversation on subjects becomes impossible and at the same time it so
cheapens the use of the words, that they become meaningless.

Historically, I really see no difference in this and the situation which
existed in Japan post WWII and through the fifties. Many younger readers
of this list probably cannot remember a time when "Made in Japan" signified
a cheap shoddy inferior product copied from a US or European product and it
wasn't bigotry or racism, it was the truth. Interestingly enough, it was a
US quality control expert. Dr. W.E. Denning, who introduced the Japanese to
statistical quality control methods which revolutionized their
manufacturing processes. In Japan, Dr. Denning is considered a living
treasure and it wasn't until the late 70's and the influx of superior
Japanese products, particularly cars that US manufacturers embraced QC.

Based on my experience in living in Asia for two years and having done
business with mainland China, the Chinese are capable of superb
craftsmanship and one need look no further than their art to know
this. Manufacturing processes can be learned, quality control taught and
embraced and when, not if that occurs, if I were an instrument manufacturer
I would be worried.
Best
RW

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