Klarinet Archive - Posting 000846.txt from 2004/10

From: <kurtheisig@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Question about middle Bb (or: I think I'm in love)
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 08:24:38 -0400

Go ahead and use the 3rd side key up--according to Brymer that IS the Bb on
a Klose-Buffet (Boehm) system clarinet. One thing that helps immensely is to
move the thumb rest higher on the clarinet. It is less useful, but helpful
to merely flip it "upside down". Mounting a Bay thumb rest higher on the
back is the ideal way to go.

All of the students in our studios are taught that way and have wonderful
Bbs.

I have just finished a new band method, and that is the way I have written
the clarinet book.

Kurt

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michele Kaeder" <nmp@-----.com>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 7:56 PM
Subject: [kl] Question about middle Bb (or: I think I'm in love)

> Long-time reader, this is my second or third post.
>
> I've been searching for the right clarinet for myself for quite some
> time now. Since I am in a rock band, I had been thinking 'anything but a
> Buffet' (since that is the 'proper choice' for classical and I am
> anything but 'proper'). Then I played one today and realized the error
> in my thinking. My local shop has one, serial number 84xxx which puts it
> in the 1964-1966 range (by the charts I could find on the net). It plays
> like a dream and has near-perfect intonation - no note was off by more
> than 2-3 cents (even with my sloppy rock-n-roll chops). It's had a tiny
> crack pinned, but the repair was so good that I didn't notice it until
> it was pointed out to me. Pads and corks are new and perfect and it
> comes with a sweet Selmer mouthpiece that I also tried and liked. It
> even has that lovely dark reddish tone to the wood that I like so much.
> In short, it's a dream clarinet, in my hometown, for $900.
>
> Except for middle Bb. The standard fingering gives a thin, pasty, airy,
> sad little tone. The alternate fingering sounded superb, so with the
> parts that I have to play, I can easily work around it and will probably
> buy it tomorrow morning.
>
> My question is, do all clarinets have really stuffy, sub-par tones on
> the wide-open Bb, or is it just every clarinet I have ever played? Are
> there adjustments that can be done to improve that tone, or should I go
> ahead and get used to that alternate fingering? The tech at the store
> seemed to think there was nothing he could do about it, but he's also
> not a high-end tech, so I thought I'd get a wider opinion.
>
> Thanks for any feedback you can give. Also a big Thank You to the whole
> list for keeping on my case (albeit passively) about the wisdom of
> getting an R-13. I know I will not regret it.
>
> Michele Kaeder
> ---------------------------
> http://www.redvenuslovearmy.com/
> [ Note, no clarinet on tracks on website, just my saxes. I couldn't
> stand to track clarinet parts until I have the above-mentioned horn. ]
>
>
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