 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-03-02 06:14
What is meant by this? I hear people saying that Leblanc has very "friendly" keywork or that different clarinets have different keywork. I thought of the keywork as Boehm or Oehler, or full boehm, or stuff like that. What is the difference? And if Leblanc has such great keywork, why aren't people switching over instead of staying with a clarinet that has worse keywork?
Just curious. I've always wanted to try a leblanc (simply cause as a clarinet brand goes, it just sounds so exotic to me. Many people play a buffet, selmer or yamaha, but how many people play a "Leblanc"?!) Plus apparantly it has some great keywork?! Thanks.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-03-02 11:01
Slight differences in such things as:
- The ergonomic attention to the location of keys & levers relative to eachother.
- Spacing between keys, e.g. between upper 'banana key' and C#/G#.
- How easy it is to slide form F to the throat key.
- How easily the register key can be operated while the thumb ring is closed
- Size of open tone holes.
- Diameter of ring keys
- Difference between diameter of ring keys and the diameter of their respective tone holes.
- How vertically pads lift off tone hole - especially side keys.
- How much friction is involved where linkages are concerned.
- How much venting is required to get a clear note.
- How much finger travel is need to achieve this venting, i.e. ......
- The location of the fulcrum for any key's pivot
- How much friction is involved in the action of flat springs.
- The 'sluggishness of needle springs, which relates largely to their diameter versus length ratio.
- The precision of the pivots.
etc, etc.
Note: I am just writing generally, not making any statement about Le Blanc specifically, nor any other make.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2003-03-02 16:52
Gordon has pretty well covered it. Many of these points are subtle but can make a noticeable difference in how easy it is to play certain passages, and in just the general "feel" of the instrument.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2003-03-02 17:33
Hi,
I tend to prefer my Leblanc Dynamcic 2 over my Selmer Series 9 and 9* clarinets. The key is very beautiful but more importantly, the hand position (although ever so slightly different) fits me much more comfortably. Buffets that I have owned over the years we also good.
The main problem now is I like the sound of the Selmers and in certain situations they are much better in tune. Can't have it all, I guess!
HRL
PS But I still tell my wife that the perfect clarinet is still out there for me to find!
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Author: PJ
Date: 2003-03-02 17:55
I know that the Eatons' keywork has limited the difference in feel between the Bb and A, making a quick trasition a little easier on the player. Still, I'm used to the keywork on my R13's and find it sometimes a little difficult to switch to something that has a redisigned layout. This is merely my oppinion...
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Author: Peter
Date: 2003-03-02 18:00
It's funny that this post should come up now.
Yesterday I was visiting with a good friend who happens to be a repair person and he had a bunch of "dead" instruments laying in a corner that I started to look through.
He stopped me and told me that there was only one thing there I could possibly be interested in, dug into the box and came up with a plastic Leblanc Vito that looked in nearly new condition, but at which I scrunched up my nose. (Even though I'm a Leblanc person through and through, I've never been much for the Vito models.) The corks were new, the pads looked like they were recently replaced, etc. and I wondered what that clarinet was doing in that pile of "for parts only" instruments.
But he insisted in repairing it in front of me, anyway. When he got done straightening out some keys and such, he played it and it sounded great, so I tried it.
The thing was as easy to play as one of the more expensive Leblanc models and going over the break was as easy as just holding it in your hands and moving your fingers in the relative direction required. NO EFFORT WHATSOEVER.
Then I noticed it had undercut tone holes(!) and when we rotated the barrel and bell to put the logos off line with each other, the tone and intonation changed for the worse, which, I assume, might mean they stamp the logos on after trying them out, something unheard of in a cheap instrument line. (I wonder if it might be coincidence or just "wishful hearing," although we both agreed it was so...)
He finally told me that he would let me have it for the small (actually very small) repair charge, but I wound up making a horse trade for it instead. Last night I did some really excellent and positively productive playing sitting in my back yard.
As many of you know, I've usually kept a Selmer 1401 put together all the time to have something that doesn't absolutely require regular maintenance before or after playing when I get lazy (which is often,) and can travel with me to places where I don't care to take a better instrument.
Well, I just changed over to the Vito for that purpose and I still can't believe the Vito is so easy to play, and sounds, not nearly like a good professional horn, but incredibly well, nevertheless.
The Selmer is pure agony to go over the break and, even though I've played it for a long time now, I still miss fingerings, at times, and squeak, etc., something that never happened with any of the better Leblancs or Imperials I'm used to playing, otherwise.
The left hand pinky keys on the 1401 also seem to be too close together, or at a level too close to each other, or something, but I find them difficult to touch accurately unless you are focused on taking the particuar action. On the Vito I don't have to think about it at all, my pinky finger falls right into the correct place every time.
With the Vito it was like coming home to cool, tranquil comfort after being away in a bad place for a long time. Why I didn't pay attention to the Vitos before, even though several people on the WW/BB have touted them, off and on, I'll never begin to guess. My loss.
There's what happens: When you have user-friendly keywork it's a pleasure to play and you can concentrate on the music instead of on struggling with the instrument.
Peter
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-03-02 20:07
If you like the Vito a well adjusted Yamaha plastic is probably worth a try too.
I find plastic Selmers distort my fingers into very uncomfortable positions, but then I suppose they suit the hand os some people.
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Author: Bradley
Date: 2003-03-02 20:22
I have a Selmer 1401 for marching band, and I hate the left pinky keys. They are a lot bigger than on my Leblanc ( especially left hand pinky C) and they just dont allow me as a player to glide over them like I would on a Leblanc.
When I was playing a Selmer Series 9* I also found the keys in general were just too big for me to cope with, even though I find I project more with it than my Leblanc.
Leblanc just has a great Inline Trill Key mechanism design, and the keys are very comfortable to play. If you can get used to the Offset Trill Key design they have on the Opus and Concerto, I have heard that is even better in the long run. I have not tried or heard anything about the Concerto II's Hand Sculptured keys, but I am assuming that this is another developement for the better.
And to Alexi- many people play on Leblanc, but not as much maybe as Buffet or Selmer, but I think more people are going for the new Leblancs rather than the new Selmers ( Artys, Oddysse, Signature). More people play on their older models.
Also, please do not go for any brand just because it sounds "exotic".............
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-03-03 04:51
If you want exotic sounding names, how about Hammerschmidt, Chapelain Fernand, Ernst Riedl, Helmet Schuster, Orfeo Borgani, Schenkenkaars Eindhoven, La Couture, Thibouville Lamy,, Henri Dubois, or simply KT. Hehe!
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-03-03 06:53
lol. Sorry about the exotic crack. I guess I could reference it to someone who buys a mercedes instead of a BMW cause they've always wanted that "mercedes" name. I, for some reason, have always wanted a Leblanc. Ever since I heard of it and since I've heard how good those clarinets can be. I've literally have dreams about winning or buying or finding leblanc opuses and sonatas. I guess I'm a freak for dreaming about a clarinet that I WANT. I bet not many people do that. Well, thanks for the advice. I'll keep all that in mind (with the keywork and stuff) for when I buy a new clarinet. Hopefully in a year or so.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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