Klarinet Archive - Posting 000779.txt from 2003/03

From: b1rite@-----. Rite)
Subj: Re: [kl] newbie questions about restarting Clarinet playing
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 00:08:10 -0500

Russell, you won't be able to make a reasonable choice until you've
resumed playing for a few months and your technique has stabilized a
bit. Even though it's not glamorous, consider renting a student horn
for a few months. Then begin to try out various instruments and make
your final purchase choice based on what you have heard and felt.

Some dealers will apply 3 months of rental against the purchase price of
an instrument. If your area has such a dealer, then the rental
effectively won't cost you anything.

The four trustworthy brands are Yamaha, Selmer, Buffet, and Leblanc.
There's no predicting which brand or type of horn you will end up with
eventually, but if you start with one of these four brands of student
horn, at least you won't get stuck with an unplayable instrument.

Don't be afraid of buying a used student horn if the dealer is
reputable. Many student horns are on the market simply because a high
school student was disappointed that he/she couldn't learn to be a
virtuoso in three weeks or less. Many other horns are on the market
because the previous owner gained some skills and moved on to a
'professional' instrument. Unlike used cars, there is nothing innately
'worn out' or 'used up' about a used clarinet.

Many mouthpieces that come with horns are unsatisfactory, but Yamaha's
is a decent mouthpiece for a beginner. Mouthpieces *do* differ
considerably, and the only way to choose one that works well for you ---
because it may not work well for the next person, we all have
different-sized mouths, tongues, facial shapes, etc --- is to experiment
and to *listen*, which requires time and patience.

Cheers,
Bill

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