 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Susie
Date: 2002-02-28 04:26
How damaging is it to the instrument for it to be left out of it's case for a few days? I have very limited practice time and I find that if I pack my clarinet away, I'm much less likely to take the 30 minutes here and there that I otherwise have. I haven't left it out for more than 2-3 days at a time; but I've wondered if I should do even that... I know that especially in the winter with heat going, there might be humidity issues, but I wasn't sure.
Susie
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-02-28 04:33
I wouldn't worry, especially if it's indoors - which I'm thinking it is, more than likely - it might get a little dusty - but I'd not be making this a regular habit!
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Author: IHL
Date: 2002-02-28 10:16
what about dust in the case? no matter where I put MY instrument, the tone holes always manage to collect dust!
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-02-28 10:24
The tone holes collect dust (lint) from an unsuitable pull through or pad saver. How about head for the microfibre type.
I acknowledge that one practices far more if the instrument is out and ready to play.
To solve the dust problem how about put it on a clarinet stand and obtain/make a clear plastic cover to go over it - a long tube-like bag. Start with some heavy polythene (from a garden centre?) and use tape to make it into a bag.
The problem with leaving it assembled is that if the tenon corks are left for long periods they eventually remain in a compressed state, having lost their resilience. So eventually the joints may become wobbly or even leak. But cork replacement is not too expensive; you may consider this risk worthwhile.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-02-28 13:25
Susie.....not a good idea and a bad habit to boot...like leaving your credit card at the check out counter....
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Author: Kim
Date: 2002-02-28 15:09
The only time that I EVER had an instrument crack was after I'd left it out of the case for several days during the winter. It was a bass clarinet, and I think that I didn't play it for two days or so, so it got good and dried out. Then I played it, and voila! It cracked.
Sometimes I leave my clarinets out if I'm taking a break from practicing (few minutes to a few hours), but I don't even think that that is particularly wise. There is always inevitably extra water to be found when I take the instrument apart that a swab just can't get at when the instrument is put together.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-02-28 16:19
Bob,
Besides possibly getting dusty, the cork compressed, and the chance for being knocked over (which I remedy by covering the clarinet, getting the tenon corks replaced every few years, and putting the clarinet on a stand in a place that no one can walk int0), what are oyur objections to leaving a clarinet assembled?
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-02-28 18:32
In my mind, the case is not primarily for storing the instrument, it's for carrying it. Unless the case has a hermetic seal, the humidity inside is going to reach equilibrium with the humidity outside. One of my instruments may be out of its case even for several weeks at a time, until I feel like using a different Clarinet. The dust is blown off now and then, and it's disassembled every few days to help the corks stay "alive." The plastic cover sounds like a very good idea.
Regards,
John
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Author: Kirk
Date: 2002-02-28 22:28
I've often wondered this one myself as I leave mine assembled and out of its case for 2-3 days.
I take it apart twice a week and put it in the case over the weekends when I practice very little. Instead of plastic covers, I use a pillow case to keep the dust out and in a place where it won't be disturbed.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-02-28 22:37
Mark: I guess I'm from the "old school" as I feel that leaving the clarinet out of the case when you are not using it is inviting someone to accidently damage it.
Maybe it's my Navy training.
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Author: DaKid556
Date: 2002-03-01 00:11
John: I tend to disagree on part of what you said.
It is true that the case will eventually lead to equilibrium, but if you have a small humidifier inside the case, it won't be a problem. The humididty will be regulated inside the case as opposed to the outside enviroment. So from my experience, the case can be used for both. So far I've had my wooden clarinet for over two years, stored it in a case after each practice, and it's fine. Hasn't cracked at all.
Susie, what ever you decide is fine, but remember to not leave your reed on the mouthpiece afterwards. The reed needs to dry on a flat surface or it will warp.
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Author: Toby Gibbon
Date: 2002-03-01 03:41
My clarinet stays assembeld out on a stand all the time, except when I am at a lesson or with my band. That way anytime I want to play all I have to do is get a reed. I have done this for five years without a problam.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-03-01 03:44
DaKid556 offers to one and all: "It is true that the case will eventually lead to equilibrium, but if you have a small humidifier inside the case, it won't be a problem."
Ignoring the word "problem" for a moment, if the thing is left like that for a long enough period of time without periodically recharging the humidifier, you will reach equilibrium anyway. It'll just take longer, because the water will need to evaporate out of the humidifier.
Now, to examine the "problem": Likely you do not, but I live near the Mojave Desert, and the relative humidity is occasionally somewhere around the IQ of a clam. Really, single-digit stuff now and then. So if I put a humidifier in my case, it would be an awful thing to do. That's because the humidified Clarinet would begin to dry out every time it's taken out of the case, then get all nice and humidified again when it goes back. This continuing absorption and release of moisture might bring out the worst problem of all, and it would be an artificial one.
My solution is to avoid humidifying the Clarinet, rather oil it instead. If the Clarinet is carrying enough proper oil, it will have less internal room to absorb and release moisture. That sounds good to me. A recent thread on rehumidifying discussed this.
Regards,
John
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-03-01 03:51
The first paragraph in my last post presumed, of course, that the outside ambient humidity is low, as it is around where I live. If your ambient humidity is high enough, a dry humidifier would actually absorb moisture. Anyway, humidity equilibrium will always be achieved if you wait long enough, with or without a humidifier.
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Author: jez
Date: 2002-03-01 13:01
I've always got into more trouble by leaving my clarinet IN the case!
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-03-01 13:06
Many modern cases almost prevent air transfer between the inside and outside of the case.
So if you put a humidifier inside such a case do you not bring the relative humidity inside the case close to 100%. Isn't this an excellent way to encourage mould on pads and timber? And splits when it is removed from the case and played in a drier atmosphere? (humidituy still close to 100% inside the clarinet body, but lower outside.)
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-03-01 14:53
Somehow I'm reminded of a comment a bike rider offered me once about using helmets. He said, "It's up to you and depends on whether you've got anything inside your head worth protecting."
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Author: Susie
Date: 2002-03-01 15:59
Thanks for all the responses... I fully expected everyone to tell me that it 's a terrible idea... so this has been very helpful. I'm not leaving the reed on, and I have a stand, but I hadn't thought about covering it with a pillowcase, or other cover.
Susie
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2002-03-01 23:04
Habits are good things. I've made a habit of taking my clarinet apart each time I finish practicing for many, many reasons. One is one of the reasons mentioned above--it could get knocked over--even off its clarinet stand. The moisture stays between the joints and can cause problems. The wood expands and shrinks with the temperature in the room and can cause more problems. If you just do it each time it's not such a big deal and will protect your investment for the future. Cases are nice clarinet houses.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-01 23:59
Brenda Siewert wrote:
> The moisture
> stays between the joints and can cause problems.
But I swab mine after playing ... especially the sockets ...
> The wood
> expands and shrinks with the temperature in the room and can
> cause more problems.
Brenda, my case is just about the same temperature as my house!
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Author: allencole
Date: 2002-03-02 04:53
Despite some of the possible disadvantages, I think that keep your horn out (at least during waking hours) is a good thing overall for adult amateurs. Adults tend to be very busy and need to get to instruments quickly, so that small (but hopefully frequent) practice sessions are practical.
I recommend to my own students that they assemble the instrument when arriving home and keep it put together until bedtime. They have a compact routine of scale-related skills that they can work whenever a few minutes of down time arises. I would rather see them do this than blow off the opportunity to practice because they don't have a half hour to spare.
I understand the concerns about humidity, but agree with one of the above posters that we can probably regulate much of that with oiling.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-03-03 10:16
If I have my instrument out then I fill up five minutes here, five minutes there, playing. The joints won't even get wet!
If I practice for longer I can swab and then leavde assembled, as Mark points out.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-03 16:28
I'd say that if I had dogs, cats, or little ones around (or if I had parties often) leaving the clarinet assembled would be a bad idea. However, since I live part-time by myself in an apartment and even when I'm home I only have 2 of the 3 kids left in the house (with my youngest being 12) and my own office, the chances of it being knocked over are less that the chances of it rolling off my lap. <b>That's</b> happened a few times ...
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Author: Swing Band Queen Katai Katai
Date: 2002-04-07 05:06
I tend to leave mine out...that pathetic plastic Bundy that it is...I just have a nice secure little place to set it where nothing can happen and no one can see it. I like being able to just grab it, as opposed to going through all that set-up work every time I want to play
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