Klarinet Archive - Posting 000822.txt from 2004/07

From: "dnleeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Sound production as a marketing ploy.
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 2004 14:06:47 -0400

As much as I enjoyed reading Forest Aten's comments on why he
(and many others) play Buffet clarinets, I want to add that there
is still a great deal of marketing hype in clarinet
advertisement, particularly as regards to the character and/or
quality of sound production. The following items were chose
randomly from web site advertising by the manufacturers. The
stuff in quotes is taken directly from the public advertisements.
It may also be possible that the manufacturers do not supply this
purple prose, but that the final seller does. It's exotic stuff.

Eddie Daniels plays on a Leblanc France 2002S "Concerto II"
because of its "rich, expressive tone."

Larry Combs plays on a Leblanc France 1191S "Opus II" because of
"the rich, dark sound."

Pete Fountain plays on a Leblanc France 1607G/1612G "Big Easy"
because of its "famous 'fat' tone."

The Buffet Tosca Bb Clarinet, on the other hand enables a "pure
tone."

The Buffet R13 A Clarinets has a "centered tone."

The Buffet Vintage R13 Bb Clarinet "a more fluid sound." (How
much more fluid is it, and more fluid than what?)

The Selmer 37 Bass Clarinet has "a big, focused sound."

Each of the five models of the Selmer (Paris) Signature Clarinet
"produce their own unique sound." (Hard to be critical of that
statement. It's motherhood.)

The Yamaha YCL650 Bb Clarinet "produces a consistant tone."

The Yamaha YCL-CSV Custom Wood Clarinet (like the Leblanc 1191S)
"offers a rich dark sound."

Several years ago I gave a report take directly from Leblanc's
catalog which described about 20 clarinets (including alto,
basset horns, basset clarinets, etc.) with 20 different sets of
terminology describing the characteristics of that particular
instrument. One of them was said to produce a "youthful sound."
I'm looking for that clarinet.

The bottom line here is that despite the very many excellent
qualities of many clarinets made by many manufacturers, the
general presumption is that we can be captured by rather silly
marekting ploys.

Dan Leeson
DNLeeson@-----.net

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