Klarinet Archive - Posting 000565.txt from 2005/03

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] that nice dark sound
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 17:09:07 -0500

In a message dated 3/22/2005 3:56:57 PM Central Standard Time,
timr@-----.com writes:
Plus, even if you DO perform this experiment, how will you know which
setting is "best", or even if one is "better" than another? And even if
you find an adustment that sounds "better" to you, will your audience
and your teacher agree with you? That's the key problem.
Here's another issue, and one we always seem to ignore - the effect of the
room or hall in which we perform.

Depending on the venue in which one performs, it can often be advisable to
slightly alter one's "sound" in order to get the best performance possible in
that particular environment.

I am sure many of us do this, at least subconsciously. I will often arrive
early, especially for a concert, to try out reeds in the hall. I will probably
have several candidates, but very often, one particular reed will give the
best balance between high and low overtones. I have also gone as far as to
change ligatures. I have a Charles Bay ligature that I seem to prefer above all
others that I own. But, in some halls, it can add an "over-bright" or even
metallic quality to the sound (to my ears). I might then pick a ligature that
dampens a bit more, to get the balance that I want.

I think we all do some of this balancing, between "dark" and "bright" every
time we play.

Of course, I am even worse, I might choose one mouthpiece over
another....'cause I can!

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetXpress.com
World-class clarinet mouthpieces

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