Klarinet Archive - Posting 000213.txt from 2003/05

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Reed difficulties and mouthpiece sensibilities
Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 13:57:45 -0400

Kelly, This is interesting since I'm one of those who is fussy about my
reeds/mouthpieces/ligatures. I find that the reeds vary so much with =
the
weather and the entire instrument does also. (I'm in Wisconsin) I =
recently
played on our local high school's A clarinet (supposedly "overhauled" by =
our
local music store-NOT!) for a Woodwind Quintet performance. It had been
stored in the choir room at the high school which is chronically
overheated-it's the warmest room in the school and they've never been =
able
to get the heat turned down in there. Then the orchestra director has =
the
nerve to continue to store the orchestra instruments in there!
When I borrowed the A in February it had come straight out of that
storage room and all the rings were loose and pads were incredibly dried
out. I kept it in my music studio until the concert, which is humidity
controlled for my grand piano. It was better by the time March 9th =
rolled
around but on the day of the concert I had to push like crazy to get the
notes out-particularly in the upper range. I also had some squeaky =
problems
in the upper range. The clarinet continued to sit in my music studio =
until
our orchestra concert on April 25th and by that time it was playing very
well and the rings were tight again. Now the thing is back in that =
storage
room and we'll start all over again next year. It's a Leblanc clarinet =
with
an absolutely gorgeous tone that I love. After playing it, I would have =
a
hard time I think trying to find one for myself that I like as well as =
this
one. =20
Anyway, about reeds. I've met a lucky few who don't "fuss" much with
their reeds but most people I have met like this who will slap anything =
they
can get a tone out of on their mouthpiece sound awful. LOL I =
frequently
sit next to someone like that in rehearsals. UGH! This man recently
"overhauled" his own clarinet and put new pads in it. He was so proud =
of
himself and remarked on how much better the instrument played after that =
but
I really couldn't hear any difference-unfortunately for me. A bad =
clarinet
tone is like fingernails on a blackboard. I guess some people truly =
can't
hear the difference. He has reeds that he has used for years and still =
uses
and I keep suggesting different brands to him. This man is not short of
money. Even if I bought him some reeds to try, there is no guarantee he
would use them. =20
That brings up another good question. What do you do with private
students who don't want to try anything different in the
reed/mouthpiece/ligature department? I've had high school students come =
to
me for help with solos but they refuse to try a new mouthpiece or buy a =
box
of reeds. One girl told me she didn't really care since she didn't =
think
she would be playing her clarinet after high school anyway. Why take
private lessons then? Is this a problem unique to my teaching =
experience or
have you encountered this also? Christy

P.S. Didn't that dog of your's have an incredible case of indigestion =
after
chewing on that mouthpiece? I can see it now. My dog doesn't touch =
these
things but now my kids are another story.
=20

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