Klarinet Archive - Posting 000164.txt from 2005/05

From: "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Storage and cleaning
Date: Sun, 08 May 2005 05:23:19 -0400

Warren,

I agree. I often leave my clarinet on its stand just beside my desk at home
(where I also mostly work). Being able to pick it up once an hour and play
for five or ten minutes is very effective. If I play for longer then I just
swab it out and put it back on the stand. The need for swabbing is
controlled by the condensation in the clarinet. Sure, after a full rehearsal
I take it apart and dry every joint as well as swabbing. But you do not swab
every fifteen minutes during a 3 hour rehearsal, do you?

I don't think the compression of corks is a big deal. They are easy to
replace anyway. A useful trick to swell up over-compressed corks is to hold
the cork in the steam from a kettle for 20 - 30 seconds. (Avoid getting
steam on the wood, of course, maybe by wrapping cloth or tissue round the
wood).

A compromise would be to clean and put it away overnight.

With plastic clarinets there is no danger of cracking if left wet. I am
assuming you do not let it get to the slimy green mold stage.

The Lyons C clarinet is a really neat design and plays well. It's intended
as a starter instrument; it is Boehm system but with some duplicate keys
omitted. Not a bad choice for someone who wants a cheap C clarinet, but I
would not do regular work on it.

Keith Bowen

> Date: Sat, 7 May 2005 21:04:33 -0700
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> From: "Warren Rosenberg" <wrosenberg47@-----.net>
> Subject: Re: [kl] Storage and cleaning
> Message-ID: <009a01c55383$0b16ec40$0e1ffea9@-----.net>
>
> Just want to thank everyone who mentioned ideas on how to be
> hygenic with my clarinet.
> The potential problems with cork, etc. sound like the case is
> the safest idea.
> I just want to play more often without sitting down in such a
> "formalized"
> way as I have no pretentions of becoming a great clarinetist.
> Maybe in the next life! :-)
>
> I could easily pick up the instrument for 15 minutes several
> times a day, but it's impossible for me to sit down for an
> hour or more at a time. I wonder how many thousands of
> lonely clarinets are sitting around in dark cases never to
> see the light of day because of the necessary ritual involved
> of opening the case, greasing the cork, adjusting the reed
> just so, etc.
> etc. The poor guy/gal with a piano in his/her house just
> sits down and bangs.
>
> To say that it seems foolish to look for an easier way to
> play without assembly and disassembly a couple of times a day
> or more is hardly foolish.
> It's eminently practical.
> What would be foolish is to not get to it for days at a time.
> It all depends on one's interest. If I were a graduate
> student of clarinet, it would be foolish to worry about
> assembly, etc. If I was playing for my own enjoyment, I
> can't think of a better idea than to have a clarinet that's
> just out and about. In fact, the Lyons clarinet looks quite
> possible. So there!
>
> Thanks again for the tips. I appreciate it.
> Warren
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Daniel Fairhead" <madprof@-----.net>
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2005 3:04 PM
> Subject: Re: [kl] Storage and cleaning
>
> > Hi Ormondtoby,
> >
> > > > What about 1 piece plastic clarinets? For instance, the Lyons C
> > > > Clarinet
> > >
> > > I was trying to be witty when I posted "Isn't life's
> highest goal is
> > > to find the perfect clarinet?" --- but really, finding an
> instrument that
> > > suits oneself is a major and sometimes expensive effort.
> Choosing an
> > > instrument merely in order to avoid disassembly & cleaning seems
> > > foolish to me.
> >
> > Understood and appreciated. However, as Warren was talking
> of perhaps
> buying
> > a plastic clarinet in order for this to be possible, I was
> enquiring
> > as to the sutability of a Lyons for this purpose.
> >
> > > It happens that the Lyons C clarinet is somewhat limited in its
> > > features compared to a 'real clarinet', and of course you
> wouldn't
> > > play a piece composed for Bb or A on a C, would you?
> >
> > Oh yes! Transposition is fun! On this topic, the RSM Grade
> 6 classical
> > clarinet exam this year includes the 2nd movement of the Mozart
> > Concerto
> > (Adagio) as one of the available pieces, with the
> recommended edition
> being
> > for Bb Clarinet and piano. Is this enough to cast doubt on the
> > soundness
> of
> > the Royal School of Music?
> >
> > > > <grin, duck & run>
> > >
> > > but it's also true that saliva leaves deposits (saliva
> contains lots
> > > of stuff, depending partly on how throughly and often you
> brush your teeth,
> > > saliva is not distilled water). Eventually, if you don't do some
> > > relatively simple maintenance, you're going to have a
> mess. It would
> > > be no different than using the same dish for every meal without
> > > washing it.
> >
> > Right. If the tenon corks were not a problem (say on a 1 piece
> > clarinet), and one were to do a quick swab after playing,
> then perhaps
> > a once a week proper clean... All in the spirit of innocent
> inquirey, you understand.
> > Appologies to all the delicate spirits who read this email and are
> > shocked to the core and whatnot.
> >
> > Dan
> >

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