Klarinet Archive - Posting 000291.txt from 2003/10

From: "James Hobby" <jhobby@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] [clarinet] reeds for beginners?
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 17:14:19 -0400

Gene:

I don't understand your personal opinion on Ricos, and I don't particularly
agree with it. I, for instance, started on Ricos. As a matter of fact,
when we moved back to the family home, my grandsons found most of a box of
Ricos in a table in what had been my room. 40ish years old and still played
great.

I, on the other hand, would substitute Vandorens in your sentence. However,
I don't direct band any more, and only take a few private students. I
usually start the beginners on Mitchell Lurie and as soon as they have
fairly good control, switch them over to Gonzoles FOF, with which I've had
great results.

What strength to use? Start with whatever strength they can get a sound
with. It ain't gonna matter, in the long run, because that reed is going
to be chewed up in a very short time, giving an opportunity to switch up a
bit. When I went up to the high school to help a new band director, I found
a very dispirited clarinet section. He had decreed that everyone would play
on #4 or harder reeds. Half the section couldn't get a single sound, and
the rest were wheezing like an old pump organ.

>From: "Gene Nibbelin" <gnibbelin@-----.com>
>
>Christy -
>
>I would think that starting beginners on Ricos would certainly lead to a
>large attrition of student clarinetists. The good news is that it might
cut
>down on future competition from the younger set - that survived the Ricos.

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