 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MSK
Date: 2012-08-14 00:33
I just learned from my son that his band-mate started on a closed hole clarinet. I never heard of such a thing (unless you call it a sax). I'm not sure if the kid was careless or the instrument was junk, but it broke in two and has since been replaced with an ordinary Bundy. Since it was a yard sale find, probably the latter. My son reported that the kid had a difficult time transitioning to an ordinary "open hole" clarinet. Don't flute students do that all the time? At any rate, I'm just curious about closed hole clarinets.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2012-08-14 01:18
They're called 'plateau' clarinets. I'm not sure if any are still in production.
Vito used to make a plastic one. The only time we used to recommend them was for young students with very small fingers. They're not very common.
They're also occasionally useful for older players with hand problems - arthritis, etc.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2012-08-14 02:43
Lohff & Pfeiffer has plateau Buffets. I tried one. They are very fine instruments.
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2012-08-15 13:58
It may be difficult to transition to an open-hole instrument because on the OH instrument finger placement is much more critical. One reason teachers discourage the use of plateau horns.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-08-15 14:06
If you play sax or oboe/cor regularly (as well as alto, basset horn or bass clarinet), playing a plateau clarinet doesn't feel as strange as it does if you've come to it straight from playing a ring key/open hole clarinet.
Have to admit when I played an old Jacques Albert and a more recent Vito plateau clarinet, I prefer the feel of the keywork compared to a ring key clarinet - it felt far more secure, precise and positive to play.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2012-08-16 13:55
Yeah! I have an old Keilwerth plateau clarinet that is ridiculously easy to play. Too bad it's high pitch.
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