Klarinet Archive - Posting 000719.txt from 2003/08

From: "Forest Aten" <forestaten@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] The standard for professional clarinetists
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2003 12:29:18 -0400

Dan,

I don't tell my students, "You must have a Buffet to be really with the in
crowd."
I'm not sure that it's a good thing for you to imply that David and I are
indoctrinating our students (you say, "And a statement such as yours and
that of David Blumberg says to every impressionable kid"), rather than
educating these "impressionable" kids.

I go through a very careful set of selection criteria with my students as
they select a clarinet. I also make sure that the parents are involved. If
they choose something besides the Buffet...so be it.

I qualified my statement about my observations and made it clear that these
observations were only "local". No real science here.
But.....data gathered from "personal experience", when gathered the right
way, can represent a reasonably compelling body of evidence. But you know
that already.

How many professional clarinet players (do you know or have talked
to)....are we talking about in Russia?? I assume that you know about how
difficult it is for any player in Russia (and many other 2nd and 3rd world
countries) to find/buy any kind of quality clarinet. These players often
don't have the opportunity to "pick and choose" the instrument(s) they would
like to play.

Forest Aten

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Leeson" <leeson0@-----.net>
Subject: Re: [kl] The standard for professional clarinetists

> Forest, I do not mean to minimize your own perspective of the situation,
> but your personal experience does not constitute evidence. In both
> Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, you will find almost no Buffet
> clarinets. Nor will you find very many in all of Russia, or the entire
> eastern block. In Russia, the Boehm instrument is currently the most
> popular and every time I see a Russian orchestra and ask about the
> instruments, I'm told that they, in the main, are Selmers.
>
> But my analysis is no better than yours. Using a gut feel to make a
> universal statement is just bad logic.
>
> I have (or had) a number of excellent Buffet instruments. I liked them,
> but did not base my opinion of them on what other thought. , "You must
have a Buffet to be really with the in
> crowd." And that is nothing more than doo-doo!!
>
> Dan Leeson
>
>
> Forest Aten wrote:
>
> > Dan,
> >
> > All of the studio and jazz players I know use Buffets. All of my old
school
> > buddies from North Texas, doing show work....use Buffets. I know it's
not
> > more than a local sample...but it's easy to check around and find out
what
> > the active professional players are using.
> >
> > Forest Aten
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dan Leeson" <leeson0@-----.net>
> > To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> > Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 9:35 AM
> > Subject: [kl] The standard for professional clarinetists
> >
> >
> >
> >>David Blumberg wrote:
> >>
> >>"Buffet is still the standard for Professional Clarinetists and
> >>probably always will be. Sure there are others but put em all together
> >>and they still don't equal Buffet's Industry Marketplace. The best that
> >>the competitors can do is to demonize the Buffet to try to get their own
> >>model sold."
> >>
> >>Dave, your preference for clarinets is your own business and no one can
> >>criticize you for your choice. But when you suggest something about
> >>what the industry marketplace has and does, you have to be able to
> >>defend that statement other than by a smell test.
> >>
> >>What evidence do you have that jusifies such a bold statement? Isn't it
> >>enough for you to say that you have Buffets and like them? What high
> >>ground is taken when you make statements about an industry marketplace
> >>without providing statistics that confirm you assertion?
> >>
> >>If you consider the world of professional jazz players, or non
> >>Americans, I believe your assertion cannot be sustained.
> --
> ***************************
> **Dan Leeson **
> **leeson0@-----.net **
> ***************************
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
>

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/