 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Jerry
Date: 2003-01-31 13:39
Is it better to leave the clarinet assembled over extended periods of time, e.g. for a week at a time (played daily and thorougly swabbed during and after each playing) or to disasseble it after each playing? This would seem be a matter of balancing the stresses of disassembly and reassembly against the risk of moisture remaining between the joints (if such minute amounts are indeed harmful). Between playings it would be kept vertical on a clarinet stand.
The second part of this question: Is the potential for cracking increased or decreased from the instrument remaining assembled while not in use or disassembled while not in use, between daily playings?
Thanks, Jerry
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2003-01-31 14:36
I vote for disassembly for the following reasons: 1) a significant amount of moisture does collect in the joints and should always be "swabbed" to prevent possible cracking and the accumulation of all sorts of "gunk;" 2) to prevent damage to the instrument resulting from knocking it over (inadvertantly, of course), other people "messing around" with it, pet damage (use your own imaginations), eccess collection of dust particles from the air possibly clogging the key action, etc. There are probably other hazzards or reasons for leaving your instrument out between practice sessions--these are just a couple that come quickly to mind this AM.
As for cracking--who knows???? IMHO, there is no reason to believe that leaving a clarinet assembled on a stand would cause--or prevent--damage. Unless there is a drastic, rapid temperature change in your practice room (I assume you would not leave your instrument on a peg outside), your clarinet should be safe from cracks, just as it would be in it's case.
As a "handyman" about the house and as a result of being raised in a rural country do-it-yourself environment, I have always advocated--especially to my wife--the importance of always putting your tools away after each job is completed. That way, I know exactly where to find them the next time they are needed and they do not (mysteriously) become "lost." Carries over to my musical instruments, I guess.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bart Hendrix
Date: 2003-01-31 14:43
And then there is the issue of keeping the corks compressed for long periods of time and what that can cotribute to the breakdown of the cell structure.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-01-31 15:00
I heartily agree with Wm and Bart, dont leave it assembled for any lengthy period of time, I dry my horns out as best I can, and leave my bass cl case open for airing joints and mp/reeds. I have found that leaving some of my "oldies" assembled for show-off, even with considerable cork-greasing, before long they are very "tight". A real case in point was a friend's bari sax mp on neck [for months at least!], which neither I nor a stronger repairman could remove!!! It required picking the neck cork apart to remove, cost $20. My friend [and I] learned quite a lesson. Be careful, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob
Date: 2003-01-31 15:04
Another controversial subject. Personally, I'm of the opinion that you should put it away in its case when you're done playing.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ginny
Date: 2003-01-31 15:14
I used to not disassemble one old clarinet. It got stuck. I have left my Festival assembled a few times and it got stuck! I suspect that unsticking puts more stress on the structure than gently disassembling it frequently. The slip point against friction requires a quite a bit of extra energy.
Its difficult to break things when they are stowed in their cases. I never know when an earthquake could come along or a foolish child or weary adult for that matter.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gary Van Cott
Date: 2003-01-31 15:27
Also, instruments left out for long periods of time will pick up a lot of dust and grime from the air.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: bob gardner
Date: 2003-01-31 15:29
when you own a Mastiff you don't want your clarinet standing out there to be knocked over.
bobu
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: janlynn
Date: 2003-01-31 15:38
i was wondering the same thing - on another post about practicing, some people said their instruments were always ready to be played so that if they had 10 or 15 minutes they could just pick it up and play. I thot this was a good idea as I sometimes have a little time in the morning, but between assembling and disassembling and cleaning, doesnt leave much playing time. ive left my clarinet together during the day sometimes and sometimes for 2 without a poblem, but im afraid to find out what extended time out of the case might do. Would the same apply to plastic clarinets? Lets say i left a plastic Bundy assembled for those xtra practice minutes?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Sylvain
Date: 2003-01-31 16:13
janlynn,
Swabbing, assembling and disassembling your horn might take as much as 30 seconds, It doesn't take that much off your practice time.
The clarinet, when not played, is happiest in its closed case. Who would want tomake its clarinet unhappy ?
-S
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: janlynn
Date: 2003-01-31 16:28
-S .. youre right! guess im just slow lol .. actually ive been almost too careful about taking care of my clarinet. i was not taught when i was younger and ruined my Buffet R13. ive only had my Selmer Signature for 2 years so ive been taking more time. swab several times, take it apart, wipe out each side of the barrell, the inside of the lower joint where the cork would go in. and the other pieces for good measure. it take me 3-4 minutes which is a long time if you only have 10 minutes to use. (of course thats just added time to the normal practice time)
but again - what about leaving a plastic clarinet assembled?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Thomas Piercy
Date: 2003-01-31 17:07
correct assembly required...
I have a student that puts his clarinet together SO carefully that it takes him almost 10 minutes to get it fully assembled and ready to play. This process is reversed at the end of the lesson with some additional time for cleaning, wiping and swabbing. He tells me he practices 30 minutes every day (he is in 4th grade) and laughs when I point out that 20 of those minutes are spent assembling and disassembling. He smiles and is very proud of HOW he puts his horn together and takes it apart.
I must say, his perfect assembly/disassembly could be used for a How-To video -- if only sped up. Now to get him to actually spend more time playing as "perfect."
I suggest you put your horn away when not practicing....
Tom Piercy
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-01-31 17:13
I disagree with almost all the posts, for my particular case:
If the clarinet is at hand and ready to go, I'll be much more likely to practice/play than if it's in its case.
I disassemble, swab, dry, and re-assemble and put it on a stand.
Corks don't cost all that much (and a hot knife blade & water will swell a loose cork up no problem).
I don't have little kids or animals that have legs, either.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Peter
Date: 2003-01-31 17:22
I have five one-piece instruments, two ebbies and three Bbs, and four of their cases are designed to nest them with the barrels on. I have never noticed any ill effects from putting them away with the barrels on and the corks compressed.
I'm not saying there aren't any, just that in the few years I've had them, I've only had to replace one, so far, and that one was already several years old.
The two plastic clarinets I have, an ebbie (one-piece) and a Bb, never get taken apart (including the mouthpieces) unless I'm going to travel with one of them. The corks don't seem to suffer very much over it. They also live vertically on a stand, all the time.
The ebbie's upper tennon cork was replaced last year, after eight years of the last one; the Bb is four pieces, five years old, and I haven't had to replace a cork yet. They are all tight.
Of course, I grease the corks pretty well when I do take them apart, so that, at least, the parts won't get stuck together.
My good instruments are *ALWAYS* well cared for: Taken apart, dried, wiped down, polished, and put away in their cases *RELIGIOUSLY* after each use. And as Don said, cases are left open to finish air drying in the case.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clarence
Date: 2003-01-31 18:25
My primary instruments are always assembled and ready to play. I even leave the reed on. Every 3 or 4 days, I disassemble each and clean and do maintenance. Then I reassemble them. I'm not worried about corks going bad and if a joint swells, I'll disassemble and let them dry overnight.
The important thing is that the instruments be ready on a moments notice 24 hours a day. Just ask my neighbors. >:)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tetiana
Date: 2003-01-31 21:46
I disassemble my R-13 after I'm done, as I'm paranoid about my house having electric heat and the air being too dry, about my dog deciding to chew on it, etc. But when I played on my plastic Yamaha, I kept it on the stand.
A recorder teacher I know has a whole selection of her instruments (and they're fantastic, expensive wooden ones) on stands, covered loosely with individual plastic dust jackets. I don't see why that wouldn't take care of at least one of the problems with keeping the clarinet on a stand. The other issues would be to assure the room you store the instrument in has suitable climactic conditions and that your pets (and children) are properly trained.
tetiana
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Peter
Date: 2003-01-31 22:01
Todd,
Fish or snakes? Fish or snakes?
How about a quadruplegic frog in a tiny, frog-sized wheel chair with a shallow water basin for a seat that Mark began taking care of after feeling sorry for him following his having run the frog over with his car while backing out of his driveway in dead winter in Detroit?
Sure, it's easy to think about the easy ones, like fish or snakes, but when I think about all the poor quadruplegic frogs...
Well, it could be...
O.K, I guess I'll just quit now...? Huh?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: John Kelly - Australia
Date: 2003-02-01 01:17
I like to have the instrument fairly readily available to play, so I leave the bell and bottom joint connected and resting vertically on the stand (don't think there's any horizontal cl. stands are there?)so moisture drains downwards to the less critical part of the instrument.
I disconnect the m/p, barrel and top joint and place them on a nearby shelf, ready for quick re-assembly so that I can partake of a short practice if time permits and, additionally, the m/p gets a good wash before and after use with the aid of tap water and a disposable paper towel which I use to get in to the mouthpiece itself and to partially dry the reed. I'd LIKE to be able to do all this in 30 sec, by the way, but washing is necessary, I feel, to maintain hygiene.
I tend not to swab either except on jobs when the instrument will need to go immediately back in to the case. I think air drying is just fine and am of the opinion that (possibly)constant use of a swab will minutely wear away the bore. I don't have any real proof of this but am taking the advice of one of Australia's finest jazz players. It seemed a fairly logical thing to me when explained, although unfortunately I can't think of the detail of the explanation right now.
Attaching the reed to the m/p is a considerably fiddly exercise for me even after 30 years of doing so, particularly with the handicap of short sight, lefthandedness (the ligature nut is on the right) and leather ligature itself which seems to have a mind of it's own, so these come apart about twice a week for an extra thorough clean. I dislike the use of reedguards too and I have found that these tend to weaken the strength of the reed - yes this is true!! - for me.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Karel
Date: 2003-02-01 01:30
Since no-one is responding to the question of disassembling plastic clarinets, here goes. It would seem to me that swabbing can be done to an assembled instrument, but since it is plastic the benefit will be limited to the pads? And as Mark says, cork is cheap, so eventual damage from prolonged compression will cost little to repair. Only other problem I see is the acquisition of a bad habit.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-02-01 01:47
Karel wrote:
>
> Only other problem I
> see is the acquisition of a bad habit.
What bad habit?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-02-01 10:06
Leave it asembled, hence play it often. No need to swab it after short spells of playing. Deal with corks if/as they deteriorate. On a stand. Get rid of the dog. Train the kids in self control. Make a clear plastic (tubular?) cover to keep dust off. Clear for visual inspiration to practice.
That's what I advocate but have never done, because I have never been that serious with clarinet. But I became proficient at flute by similar means. No tenon cork on flute. No timber. User friendly.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hans
Date: 2003-02-01 14:44
I take my clarinet apart and clean it after each use because I never know how long it will be before I get a chance to play again. I let it dry the rest of the way with pad savers inserted and the case closed so that it does not dry too quickly and completely, avoiding stress on the wood. After 43 years of playing (15 years on my current clarinet) this system has not caused any problems and the clarinet is in "pristine" condition, to quote my repair technician . Only two pads have needed replacement.
(I have fish but they are outside in a pond.)
Hans
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jerry
Date: 2003-02-01 16:53
A summary of the principles and practices of instrument storage between playing sessions thus far is this:
Most feel it is wise to disassemble, thorougly dry, and return the instrument to the case, case closed, between playing sessions.
This is done...
1) So there are no water pockets between the joints,
2) So that any moisture that does remain in the wood drys more gradually, putting less stress on the wood.
3) So the joint cork doesn't swell causing difficulty and undue stress separating the barrels when it is time to break down the instrument. I find this particularly true for newer instruments on which the cork is still robust. Older cork may not exhibit this problem as much.
4) To keep animals or small children from molesting the instrument, and
5) To keep the dust off (over extended periods).
There are a number of reasons and options for doing other than returning the instrument to the case that resolve the above issues:
1) If the instrument is taken apart, throughly dried at the joints, and reassembled (overcomes the "moisture between the joints" problem).
2) Cover the instrument with a dustproof cover (if it is left assembled out of the case for several days or more...otherwise how much dust will collect if you play again the next evening or in a few hours?
3) Train, trust, or have no small children or pets.
4) The convenience of the instrument being visible, ready to play, may outweigh perceived benefits of keeping it in the case, again, with the above caveats 1), 2) and 3).
All of this depends on, of course, the value of the instrument, wood versus "crackproof" material, the time period between playings, and the festidiousness of the owner.
I appreciate all of the valuable feedback offered on this question by each of you. Being the proud owner of a new instrument, I will, in addition to regular and frequent swabbings (that I doubt will remove even a trace amount of wood in my lifetime), after my daily practice sessions, I will totally dry the joints and return the baby to its case daily to minimize cork swelling that causes difficulty in separating the barrels later on. But otherwise, I will keep it handy and visible for my intermittent practice sessions on weekends.
Jerry
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Karel
Date: 2003-02-02 01:52
Mark, I meant the "bad habit" of not disassembling and swabbing a wood clarinet in later years when one has graduated up from plastic.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-02-02 02:03
Hehe! After Jerry's summary the rest of the thread can be deleted. Jerry, how would you like to summarize the other threads? LOL!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jim lande
Date: 2003-02-02 02:29
Jerry: please add to list:
1) (Mentioned above) For wood clarinets, leaving them out of cases may allow the instrument to dry too rapidly and THAT may cause cracks.
2) Keys will tarnish more quickly if the instrument is left out. This is much more of a concern with silver plating.
Can you imagine what Shadow Cat would do if Lelia left a clarinet out. Especially if she left out the clarinet and a meat grinder.
Shadow Cat -- you listening?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-02-02 02:52
jim lande wrote:
>
> Jerry: please add to list:
>
> 1) (Mentioned above) For wood clarinets, leaving them out of
> cases may allow the instrument to dry too rapidly and THAT may
> cause cracks.
My good ol' Selmer 10G has been out of its case for most of 10 years, in the Detroit area (hot, humid summers, cold, dry winters), Interlochen, MI (really cold & dry winters) and Austin, Texas (not so cold & dry winters, REALLY hot & dry summers). No cracks or and other problems. Been oiled twice in its life.
> 2) Keys will tarnish more quickly if the instrument is left
> out. This is much more of a concern with silver plating.
My silver plated keys have not tarnished appreciably in that time.
I personally think (but don't actually <b>know</b>) that those people who try so hard to keep their clarinets from cracking by extrordinary means are wasting their time. If it's gonna crack, there ain't a blasted think you can do about it. I take what I consider reasonable care (I try not to drop the thing often, I don't leave it in the car in the hot sun, I don't leave it outside on really cold days, I swab after playing, stuff like that ...).
Now, I must say that I've visited a number of professional players over the last ten years or so, and I've noticed that at least one clarinet seems to be assembled and ready to go in just about each one's home. Now, I can't guarantee that the assembled one is their best clarinet, but one always seems ready to play at a moments notice. And, I might add, most of the time their desks are littered with upper & lower joints, bells, barrels, and mouthpieces just waiting to fall off!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
