 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-09-10 20:39
I finally got my clarinet back. It spent about three weeks away from me. One week transit to New Mexico where Graham pretty much overhauled it (except for new pads/cork unless it needed it), oil submersion bath (which from what Graham told me it REALLY needed), and tuned. I also had Graham attach his "wooden key touches" to the LH B and C# keys, extending them, and making a little more surface area to press them on (since I had troubles with my pinky slipping off of them.) And in response to what I think would be the points posed by the replies to that, yes I know it depreciates the value, but I intend on buying a professional clarinet in a few years when I graduate college and hopefully can afford it anyway. In the meantime, I like it. He also gave me a choice of two Bartolai barrels that he felt fit the clarinet and it's tuning. Although not as popular as Moenigg/Chadash/Grabner/etc., I'm going to test them out. For half the price, if there's significant improvement, I think they'll serve my purposes.
I'm excited that it's back, and when I went to play it, I sounded like crap. Not the clarinet, me. My fingers were clumsy, I had dificulty playing the most simplest parts of the works that I was familiar with, my tongue was slow, and my tone was . . . . I don't know if there's a way to describe it. However after about two hours of running through a few old songs and some scales, I saw decent improvement. How long do you think it would be before I'm back to where I was?
As for the clarinet, it sounded very nice (after I got a little warmed up). I checked it with the tuner and it was much better than before (although not perfect, but what can you expect with a 1970 E13 that I didn't even get to testplay before getting it?). But once again, it is definitely better than before, and once I was warmed up, I think it sounded pretty good! I wasn't quite hitting all the right notes, but the wrong notes sounded nice anyway!
I'm a little worried because of that slight "evaluation" that I have tomorrow evening (although not too worried). But I hope after some more practicing tomorrow I'll be able to get it.
Well, I just wanted to quickly share with you my joy of Clarabelle's return, and ask you that one question. I'm going to start going through my newly purchases Baermann III and hopefully improve over the rest of my college years. Maybe I'll make it to Clarinet I in my community band by then! Then again, maybe not . . . . but I'll try!
Alexi & Clarabelle
4-ever
(or until I get a new clarinet, whichever comes sooner)
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: msroboto
Date: 2003-09-11 02:12
Alexi -
sounds cool....
and I name all of my clarinets Clarabelle so therefore it can be Alexi & Clarabelle forever just might be Clarabelle II or Clarabelle III.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: LeWhite
Date: 2003-09-11 02:50
Alexi - I just got a brand new LeBlanc Concerto!
It's already had one trip back to the store, because of one particular ring key that was SO hard to press down!
The other problem is a buzzing coming from somewhere on the instrument... I'm going to have to leave it there for a day so they can find out what it is and fix it.
But I can't live without it for even one day!
I don't what to name it, or even if I'm going to. I didnt name my old Buffet, someone else named it for me, and called it Muffins, so I don't think I'll get someone else to name this one...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: leonardA
Date: 2003-09-11 04:33
Alexi, congratulations on the newly improved horn. I'm amazed that your technique slipped that much after only three weeks. It's scary. Hopefully it'll come back quickly.
Leonard
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
