Klarinet Archive - Posting 000311.txt from 2003/09

From: ormondtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya)
Subj: Re: [kl] C clarinet intonation problems
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2003 20:22:33 -0400

Dan=A0Leeson wrote:

I find myself being unable to understand this assertion. Nancy says on
one hand that the Selmer instruments are of good quality. But then she
goes ahead to suggest that they don't play well for her. And as a
consequence of this, she avoids purchasing one.

....but isn't this the standard advice, Dan? You must play the
instrument before you buy, you must decide if you like the way it plays
and feels, your decision should not be made on the basis of intellect
alone.

I don't see Nancy's statement as "unfounded bias" when she says "This
isn't the one for me. It may have silver keys and undercut tone holes,
and I can't point to a particular note and claim the intonation is
bad.... BUT.... it just isn't the instrument for me."

I bought my clarinet used. It really felt good to me, and when I asked
the previous owner "Why are you selling this?", the answer was: "It
doesn't have the 'magic' that this other one [I forget which brand]
has."

So far as I can tell, that's what Nancy is saying. She did not accuse
Selmer of anything in particular, their instruments just don't work for
her. Isn't this the proper and the only 100% satisfactory way to
choose an instrument (mouthpiece, etc)? Just as music can't be
quantitified, instruments can't either.... so long as we're not talking
about absolute junkers such as WalMart specials.

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