 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Elise
Date: 2000-03-10 15:24
Hi everyone. Pardon my ignorance, but being recently reintroducted to the WIDE, WIDE world of the clarinet, I have a question. How do you pronounce Buffet? Is it Buffet as in "Jimmy" or Buffet as in "let's eat"?? Thanks!!
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Author: Gary Van Cott
Date: 2000-03-10 15:50
Let's eat at the buffet.
In fact Buffet makes an clarinet with the model name Festival. So it is a Buffet Festival.
Here in Las Vegas where I live, the Rio Hotel has a Festival Buffet.
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Author: Joseph Brenner, Jr.
Date: 2000-03-10 17:12
After dusting off my recollection of French from sometime before the invention of movable type, I'd advise, to start, that it's pronounced like "boo fay." Such pronunciation is not perfect Parisian French because the French "u" has its own sound--you can approach the French "u" by forming your lips to say "o" and by then saying a long "e." !! Until you perfect the French "u" you can pronounce the instrument maker's name "boo fay" and people will understand you! Best wishes, joseph brenner, jr.
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Author: Mario
Date: 2000-03-10 18:16
What is important is NOT to say it like:
Buff-et (i.e. not to pronounce it like "buff" as in "buffing your car", and certainly not pronouncing the T at the end).
The previous post is excellent as a good way to say it without having mastered "u".
If we want to get very fancy in describing who to pronounce it. English-speaking people often speak French words with too much emphasis on the first syllable, as in a food "buuufet". That's the way it sounds to us with French ears. Say "bu-fè" quickly, with equal emphasis on the two syllables, and you will get close to the real pronounciation.
Now, let's try to describe how to say: Crampon. "am" and "on" have no real equivalent in English. So, start with the word "cramp", do not pronouce the M and the P, but pronouce the "cra" as if there would be the M following.
For "pon", think of the "pon" in "pontificate" (which is what I am doing at the moment). Again, take away the sound for the "N", but pronouce the o like there is an "n" following (I am not sure I am making myself clear here).
bu-fè cra(m)-po(n)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-03-10 19:45
Its just great that professional-teaching of such a "dry" subject as pronunciation can be done with real humor!! I hope I am expressing thanks for all!! Don
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Author: beejay
Date: 2000-03-10 20:11
Let me give it from the Paris perspective.Buf (u with a hint of an e. You do it by pursing your lips and saying boo). fet (the e is very open and you don't pronounce the final t). Voila. You've got it.
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Author: paul
Date: 2000-03-10 21:35
I just enjoy sitting down to a fine repast of music for hours on end. It's a fine feast full of prickly staccatos, luxurious legatos, with plenty to feed the soul. With the huge assortment in front of me, I sometimes don't know where to start at the buffet with my Buffet. But there is always plenty of fun. I have a Festival every time. I sometimes make my Schipperkes dance with my silver keys. Sometimes they croon when I'm out of tune. I just hope that the next time I try I don't make my wife cry. But now is not the time to vent, for it is time for me to again pay the rent.
Gee, you can't tell I'm about go on my Spring holiday...
See you guys later.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2000-03-10 22:18
From the Paris perspective -- bu is a combination of u and e. Purse your lips and say boo. ff is fairly forceful. et is a wide open e. Do not pronounce the t. Voila!
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Author: chogue
Date: 2000-03-11 01:22
Ya pronounce it like the Lounge Lizard announcer says Jimmy's last name in the beginning of "Slow Boat to China" on Mr. Buffett's album "Somewhere Over China."
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Author: sylvan selig
Date: 2000-03-11 05:42
OK. We get Buffet. Now just what is this "VOILA?" I think my sister plays one!
-ss-
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Author: sylvan selig
Date: 2000-03-11 05:44
OK. We get Buffet. Now, just what is this "VOILA?" I think my sister plays one!
-ss-
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-03-11 14:55
A flea market dealer once tried to sell me a clarinet he identified by squinting hard at the faint logo, which had lost bearly all of its pigment. With a most determined attempt at French pronunciation that he had probably learned in a class long ago, he finally read out the name in triumph as, "Buffet Crapaud."
"Crapaud" means, "toad."
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Author: beejay
Date: 2000-03-11 19:42
Voila? Meaningless really, but we sure do use it a lot here. In this context, it means something like period. exclamation point! Voila!
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Author: Dave Lee Ennis
Date: 2000-03-15 12:16
This is so fascinating that I thought I might join in. I have a Buffet clarinet (But a Selmer Mouthpiece for those of you on that conversation). Always I have pronounced it "bou-faye" and up 'til today, I've always got away with it. I'm doing French for A-Level so, if I've got that wrong, PLEASE tell me. Oh, and I agree with beejay on what 'Voila' means but, when I started french, it always seemed to be used in situations where we would say "There" or "here", when giving something to someone else. But anyway, What do I know? Keep the replies pouring in!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-03-15 14:11
At least in Quebec, "Voila" is used as a "here you go", "It's finished", etc.
For instance, after checking in at the hotel, when the woman gave us the key it was accompanied by a "Voila!".
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Author: Dave Lee Ennis
Date: 2000-03-16 13:14
Yes Mark, that's exactly what I was tought. Thanks for reminding me. To Everyone: Can you think of any other french words involving the clarinet, that people use? How are they pronounced?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-03-16 14:26
Dave Lee Ennis wrote:
-------------------------------
Yes Mark, that's exactly what I was tought. Thanks for reminding me. To Everyone: Can you think of any other french words involving the clarinet, that people use? How are they pronounced?
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chalumeau - shall you mow
embouchure - om bu sure
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Author: Maurice
Date: 2000-03-17 07:17
Hi there reintegrated clarinetplayer
It is pronounced:
B
U = UI like in juice
FF
E = short like in let
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