Klarinet Archive - Posting 000487.txt from 2003/07

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: [kl] B45 strikes again
Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2003 10:12:18 -0400

Tuesday I worked with a high school student who was having a terrible time with her bass clarinet. Her band director had sent over the bass clarinet, a Vito, for a "make-play" overhaul, and after finishing it up, I asked her to come over and play test it.

Despite some damage from some rough handling, I had been able to make this bass clarinet play quite well - it passed my test - which is to be able to successfully play the "on the Trail" excerpt.

I had tested with my own mouthpiece.

When the young lady tried to play the clarinet, on her mouthpiece, her low register was robust, but all she could get was squeaks and squawks above clarion E.

I was rather distressed, as I had put some time into the instrument. I tried it again, first with my mouthpiece, and again, it played well.

So, after a quick sterilization, I tried the instrument with her mouthpiece.

Guess what - I couldn't play above clarion E either!

I got out my measuring tools and the B45 was totally "out of spec", with facing numbers that made no sense. The worst part was a facing length of 56. Most bass clarinet facings stop at 48.

When I supplied the young lady with a replacement mouthpiece, she was able to sail up to C above the staff on her second try. She almost cried, and I asked her what the problem was. She said she had been trying ALL LAST YEAR to be able to play those notes...and had never been able to.

The sad thing is that the B45 was nearly new........

Sigh.......

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
clarinet stuff

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