 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mdi
Date: 1999-01-28 15:50
Does there seem to be any significant difference in the learning curve moving from one manufacturer's horn to another. For instance ,from a Vito to a Concerto would be within the same physical confines of the manufacturers physical parameters where a move from a Vito to an R13 might entertain the placement of keys that are slightly different in terms of kinesthetic knowledge.
Basically the question becomes, is it more difficult to become familiar with a new horn when you change makers?
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-01-28 17:08
The transition difficulties I personally had upgrading from a Yamaha intermediate grade clarinet to a Buffet premium pro-grade clarinet included the following items. Note that I'm not specifying any brand or model here. These are generalizations based on my transition from one class of horn (intermediate) to a higher class (pro-grade). I believe that you will find an even larger difference between the horns' behavior if you attempt to step up from a student horn to a pro-grade horn.
1. Air support - the pro-grade horn demands better quality air support. It's not necessarily just more wind down the pipe, rather I consider it a concentrated effort to produce that "just right" amount of air for the need. The pro-grade horn is much more flexible in its response, if you know how to make it work.
2. Leaking keypads and other minor adjustments. I purchased both horns brand new, so this is considered normal in the initial break-in period. A leaking pad in one of the upper side trill keys (either Bb or B trill keys) can produce all kinds of interesting and undesirable results, especially in the altissimo register. Ditto for a mouthpiece with an uneven lay. Both of these problems were fixed on my pro-grade horn, with almost instantaneous positive results. Most shops are more than happy to fix minor problems like this for a token small fee or even for free.
3. Key response and key feel. The pro-grade horns tend to demand very crisp fingerings. You can't be sloppy and leave your left forefinger on the throat G# key and expect the horn to behave itself. Been there, done that. Other fingerings are equally sensitive to sloppiness. I believe a pro-grade horn will demand more discipline out of you in this area than a more forgiving student or intermediate model. Expect it. Take the time to do the boring but absolutely essential drills to work out sloppy fingerings into very accurate ones. In exchange, a long time down the road, you will understand how to "shade" notes for fancier effects. But, that's much farther down the road. The pro-grade horn is that sensitive and responsive.
4. Richness of sound and intonation (being in tune). The pro-grade horn will produce a much better sound than either a student grade or an intermediate horn. The pro-grade horn will also tend to be easier to get in tune and stay in tune for all notes played on it. There are some generally weaker notes on all clarinets, such as high chalemeau (throat) Bb, clarion A, altissmo D, and a couple of others. That's the nature of the beast. However, you will find that the pro-grade class of horn will still be a bit weak on these notes, but they will be better than the other classes of horns.
Yes, there are differences between classes of horns, no matter what brand you buy (all LeBlanc, Buffet, etc.) or even if you cross over into another brand (like I did). The better horns cost more because they are hand built and customized until the factory technician is satisfied that the horn can produce the highest quality sound. The better horns tend to be much more flexible in playing technique, but you must have the discipline to learn the proper technique first. The better horns sound great and stay in tune, if you learn how to get there.
However, with all that said, you can see that the person playing the horn is the part of the equation that's the most subject to change. Learn how to play whatever horn you have now very well, so it won't matter what horn you have in your hands. In the end, it's the player of the horn that makes it all work.
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Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-01-28 18:13
By "kinesthetics" I'm assuming you mean the placement and "feel" of the keywork. Yes, there are small differences between brands, and even between models of the same brand. Student horns are *usually* built to have rugged keywork and to be tolerant of inconsistancies in fingering technique (to a certain degree).
In the course of teaching, I make it a point to play all of my students' horns, ranging from old Conns to Vitos to Buffet E11s and R13s and anything else you can think of. I play their horns to make sure that they are properly adjusted and don't offer any resistance to learning to play properly (leaky pads, mis-adjusted bridge, etc.). I don't have any problems switching between clarinets - it takes all of about 10 seconds for my fingers to adjust to the different key positions. The general position of the keys are fairly standard, I think (with the exception of clarinets with LH Ab/Eb levers - these are all different).
The thing that *is* different from horn to horn is the "feel". Student horns tend to feel more rigid and I feel like I'm playing "on top" of the rings - touch pieces feel "heavy". Intermediate and pro horns feel "lighter" and the feel on the rings is "deeper". But the way a horn feels can be adjusted by a good repair tech and, in fact, many pro players have their own preferences on how their horn should feel.
There are more important things to consider when switching to a better horn than the "kinesthetics". Like the blowing resistance, intonation, and tonal characteristics. These things take much longer to adjust to than slight differences in key placement or feel.
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Author: Rick2
Date: 1999-01-28 18:55
I found that going from a Leblanc pro horn to an Evette was relatively easy, but there were occasional problems with the exact placement of the left hand little finger keys, I'd sometimes hit two at once. Other than that and a little rougher feel, it's no big deal.
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