Klarinet Archive - Posting 000054.txt from 2003/04

From: Dan Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Clarinet sound
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 15:21:32 -0500

The first consideration that you have to accept is that you are not the
best judge of how you sound. People have to get away from the source of
sound to hear it best. Did you ever notice how, during an audition, the
person judging you walks away from you? Well you as the player are
right up against the sound, and you can't hear it realistically.

But you may also be influenced by a number of things, such as excellence
of intonation, the sealing characteristics of each pad as it closes to
cover its hole, the general feel of the instrument, and other
psychological factors that combine to give you a greater affection for
one instrument over another. For example, I have a gold plated basset
horn and I think I play better on it than if it were silver or platinum.
Why? I don't know. I just like the gold and I think I sound better
with it, though I don't.

You also hear a lot how a person sounds better on a wooden clarinet than
a plastic one. It is also probably not true, but wood is a beautiful
physical medium and that affects the performer.

Dan

Buckman, Nancy wrote:
> Dan,
>
> If I can't really get this perceived sound quality, why do I think I hear a difference? I really stood in that shop for over an hour playing those Eaton clarinets. There were a few technical things that needed adjustment for me do get some better responses from the clarinet, but other than that the biggest difference, to me, was the way it sounded to me. There wasn't someone standing there telling me the sound was different, I was in a room by myself. I also had an R-13, 2 different Hammerschmidts which were so much alike I couldn't tell the difference between them and a Howarth clarinet to gauge against. I didn't like the Howarth, it was just hard for me to play. Might have been my mouthpiece or that it just wasn't the clarinet for me. The Hammerschmidts had that same wonderful sound that I got from the 2 Eatons. The R-13 was much like my own R-13 except that the bore was full of checks and it didn't have anything remarkable about it's function. The Eatons sounde
d like the Hammerschmidts, but were heavier and didn't cost what the Hammerschmidts cost, but that won't account for what I though I heard. I'm not a physicist and maybe this is why I perceive the difference in sound. Maybe I am just dumb enough to not know any better. at any rate, can you answer my question, and then I will leave you alone. Thanks.
>
> Nancy
>
> Nancy E. Buckman, Technical Assistant
> School of Health Professions, Wellness and Physical Education
> Anne Arundel Community College
> Arnold, MD 21012-1895 USA
> Phone 410-777-2316 Fax 410-777-2233
> E-mail nebuckman@-----.edu
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

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**Dan Leeson **
**leeson0@-----.net **
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