Klarinet Archive - Posting 000346.txt from 2003/09
From: Nancy Buckman <eefer@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] C clarinet intonation problems
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 20:20:00 -0400
At 06:54 AM 9/13/2003 -0700, Dan wrote:
>On the contrary. You and I are interpreting her comments quite
>differently. She did NOT say that she tried a number of instruments and
>found them wanting. The context of her comments was entirely one that
>implied her unwillingness to even try them. What she said was that she
>can't play Selmer clarinets. And what that says to me is that she has no
>recent contact with them, dismissing them out of hand without trying them.
>
>I am waiting to hear what Nancy says. It was her statement on which I
>asked for an explanation. If she says that she tried them and didn't like
>them, that's OK with me. But that is not what I think we will hear.
Dan, I don't have the time to sit and type out how many Selmers or Buffets,
etc. that I have tried. When I go to Fest every year, if there is
something new for me to try, I usually do.
Here is my take on Selmer. The last one that I played was a
Signature. The wood has a wonderful silkiness to it, quite comparable to
my Patricolas. I had three mouthpieces with me - a Selmer HS*, a Hite and
my wood Greg Smith. The Smith wouldn't fit on the socket. The HS* was
fuzzy. The Hite seemed to play well for me. My biggest gripe is the key
work. The keys just aren't where my fingers are. Maybe if it was all I
could afford to buy or was the only thing available, I would be playing on
it. But I can afford to be a little choosy and I choose to play a clarinet
that fits my hands, even more so than how it sounds. I can manipulate the
sound of something to a degree. I can't change the way it feels without
spending a good sum. It cost a fair amount to have the keys on that Vito
sized to fit my fingers. But that instrument serves a specific purpose for
me (won't go into that now), and so was worth the money, as far as I was
concerned.
I am sorry that you read more than was stated. I have never and will never
say that one brand is better than another. What is good for the goose
isn't necessarily good for the gander and maybe for many different reasons.
You like the lower clarinets, I assume, because so many of your postings
discuss them. I like the little clarinets. And here's why I think we have
chosen these instruments. Your hands are larger than mine. I don't enjoy
playing the big instruments. My fingers are short and it just plain hurts
trying to play them. You like the big clarinets and my belief is that the
sound appeals to you and they must be comfortable under your
fingers. Heck, there are probably more reasons than that.
I love the bassoon, but I gave it up because my left hand ring finger can't
reach the "C" hole and to make a plateau key changes the sound and that's
not to my liking. Does that make me biased? Of course it doesn't. It just
means that it isn't right for me. BTW, I played your Fox clarinet at Fest
when it was on display. That, too, was uncomfortable for me to hold. It
would be ludicrous to say that is was poor quality though, wouldn't it.
Nancy
Nancy Buckman
Principal Clarinet / Orchestra AACC
eefer@-----.net
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