 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Amanda Rose
Date: 2000-12-28 22:22
Hello! Well, my marching band, as I've posted, is going to be playing in the Inaugural Parade in DC. We've been practicing outside already (in WI, it's cold)
Anyway, I rented a Selmer 1400, whatever. It works fine. But spit is freezing in it. (at least its not my R13!!!!) Okay, so, anyway, does anybody have any ideas on gloves that we can play wearing without having the cut out the tips.
Also, is my good mouthpiece going to be ruined if I have it out in the cold? How about my silver plated ligature. I have a couple, so it's not a problem switching.
Any other ideas for playing in the cold? I'm looking into plastic reeds... my teacher uses them in the winter.
THANKS!!!! Amanda
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Author: drew
Date: 2000-12-28 22:40
Renting an instrument for the parade was a great step in the right direction.
I never found a pair of gloves that would allow for the "feel" necessary to play a clarinet while marching. My only suggestion is to try a pair of thin rubber gloves.
If you can change out our ligature, do so. It's not that the cold will really affect it, but what happens if you drop the instrument? Same applies to the mouthpiece. If you can substitute, do it. No sense in taking a chance on your best equipment for a parade.
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Author: Pam
Date: 2000-12-29 00:15
If it doesn't matter what color the gloves are you may check some of the athletic stores. I know I have some really lightweight but warm gloves that I originally got from either a runners or biking catalog.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-12-29 01:02
Batting gloves for baseball, maybe?
If the horn is lightly oiled ahead of time, maybe the "dew" from your joyous noyz won't have a place to settle.
Yunz gize will rock!
Good luck at the inauguration.
anji
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Author: Todd H.
Date: 2000-12-29 02:18
A.R.- You really have put a new spin on how totally COOL it is to be playing at the upcoming inauguration.lol. It will probably be lots warmer there than around the upper midwest though, so it might not be too much of a problem.If the temperature stays even as cold as the upper 20's F the clarinet will still work fine, just like at a Thanksgiving/Christmas parade. Rico plasticover reeds are what I use for these kind of things and they work out real well. If you used a Legere reed, maybe you could see if icicles had formed on the inside of it!
Have fun with this|:> --Todd
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2000-12-29 14:34
Amanda Rose -
When I was in the West Point Band, we often had to play parades in icy weather. Even worse were "honor guards" for visiting dignitaries, where you had to stand around in the cold waiting for the Important Person to arrive.
We used white kid gloves with the tips of the fingers cut off, but these weren't warm enough when the temperature really dropped. Your fingertips got numb and the skin got too stiff to cover the holes. Finally they found full gloves with a sort of Saran-wrap area at the fingertips, which actually let you play.
When it got really cold, I put on white knit wool gloves and then the Saran-wrap ones over them. It was clumsy to play that way, but with a little practice it was possible.
Get a plastic mouthpiece cap. The metal ones get too cold. If it doesn't have a hole at the tip, make one. Blow through the hole when you're not playing to keep the reed and mouthpiece warm.
Don't use your good mouthpiece in that kind of cold. Use an old one, or borrow a junker. Music stores that have repair shops have drawers full of old mouthpieces. If you ask nicely, they'll let you borrow one, or even give you one.
A plain metal ligature should work fine. Don't risk an expensive one. Once again, music stores have drawers full of old ligatures. Another possibility is a plastic Luyben, which costs only around $5.
Your band room probably has a storage closet full of old Bundys. Look there first.
Most important -- wear two pairs of heavy wool socks. If you're allergic to wool, put on a nyon pair and then the wool ones over them. Numb feet are worse than numb fingers. You can get through a parade without using your hands, but not without using your feet.
Have fun.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2000-12-29 18:39
Another possibility would be to get a plateau model (covered holes) clarinet. I believe Leblanc/Vito offers an inexpensive plastic model though it may be special order only.
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Author: Cass
Date: 2000-12-29 21:13
For frozen fingers, try surgeon's gloves, and wear over them a pair of warm gloves with the fingertips cut out. The surgeon's gloves don't provide much warmth, but they will prevent your fingers from freezing to the keys. That can be a problem if you're a little sweaty from marching and the keys are cold as ice.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-12-29 23:40
I agree with Cass here. When they changed District Admirals up in Boston (back in the sixties) the Coast Guard Band from the Academy was booked up and they put together a rag-tag band from all the nearby units and cutters homeported there. I (from S. Texas) had never played in freezing weather before and I some found my digits in full refusal to work. The thin dress gloves were too cold so I got some slightly heavier gloves and cut just enough away to allow my finger pads to seal the holes and I wore these over some surgical gloves that I mooched from the Corpsman. I practiced with this setup to get used to the thicker fingers and it worked out fine. The only casualty was a young gunner who had to walk all the way back to the ship with his trumpet MPc stuck to his lips.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2000-12-30 05:22
Don't count on it being much warmer in DC. The past 3 weeks in South Jersey have been much colder than usual and this is forcast into mid Jan at least. Weather in DC has been similar. We've not been above freezing all week, very unusual for us in Dec. The advice about socks is right on!
I was in a cold parade just once in HS, the New York City St Patrick's parade in 1967. The temp was 12 with a light snow falling. Most of the band had instruments in the bins under the bus, mine was with me though. As a result, we never "warmed up" played one song and marched the rest of the route to a drum cadance. Two members had to drop out en route, an adult chaperone went with each, and we only had 2 adults along. They taxied to the end of the route and met the bus. Probably the worst thing I was ever involved in but... there are a lot of contenders for that honor.
Good luck, stay warm, and I'll bre thinking of you when I watch on TV. (Did you ever post the school name?)
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Author: John
Date: 2000-12-30 19:56
Congratulations to your band and your director. My wife went to high school with your director. She and I marched at UW-La Crosse for many cold weather events. A plastic reed is a good idea. Also, find another mouthpiece/ligature combination - just in case.
Get yourself aclimated to the weather so that you can enjoy the nice stroll through DC! We'll be cheering for the SHS Band as we watch from the warmth of our living room!
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