 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Donnie
Date: 2003-12-07 17:38
Hello!
This is my first post to this BB but I have been reading past posts and find this an excellent resource!
I am a band director at a private middle school and I am a percussionist by trade. I also play with the Memphis symphony.
This is just my second year at this middle school but because of the size of the school (small) I have decided to turn the full band into two ensembles; a percussion ensemble (meeting at one time) and a woodwind/double reed ensemble (meeting at another time). This will just effect the students who are starting this year and I will not be switching any brass players over.
To do this what I feel will be the right way I am going to have the school purchase all the instruments instead of the kids renting cheap plastic instruments. My plan is to buy E11's for the students to use during their first two years and R13's to use to use during their last two years. I am also buying (1) Eb R13 and (2) Buffet clarinets model 1180.
So, does this sound like a good idea or are there better solutions?
Thanks!
Donnie
PS...I should also mention that once a week I have either the principal clarinet from the symphony or ed. students from the college coming over to work with each section. Also most of them take privately.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-12-07 18:42
Congratulations on your teaching at a school which enjoys such extraordinary wealth. Many schools are struggling to buy music, or even to retain a music program at all, while you plan to outfit your better middle school students with professional-grade Clarinets. Wow! A budget such as I never imagined!
I am truly too overwhelmed to offer any helpful comments.
Regards,
John
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2003-12-07 19:10
Ummmm, it's great that your school has that much money but if these are middle school students serious enough to be taking private lessons don't some of them have their own clarinets?
I went to private school and I wish my school could have done that...
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Author: Donnie
Date: 2003-12-07 20:06
Right now they all have instruments; well sort of; they are all renting through the local music store. The frustration I have with this is that for what they are paying monthly for a Yamaha plastic beginner they could be buying an R13!
This is why I want the school to buy all the instruments and then the kids can rent from the school.
Donnie
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-12-07 20:32
If the school will retain ownership of the instrument, your program is hideously expensive - and an insurnace nightmare.
There's nothing wrong with the same kids playing the same hard plastic instruments - that they could buy outright for under $400!
Better you contact some of the larger retailers about a bulk purchase.
********
Kids value things that they pay for.
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Author: Henry
Date: 2003-12-07 21:00
I tend to agree with Botch. I think the program is rather extravagant for what are really beginners without proven dedication, talent, and endurance. What will these youngsters have left to dream about in terms of upgrading their clarinet once they are getting really serious? But then, I am a born Dutchman and, therefore, let's say, "fiscally conservative". As Botch says, there is nothing wrong with a good plastic clarinet. On the other hand, if these kids (or rather their parents) are very rich, the school could charge rents that will return the initial investment within a year! It keeps SOMEONE's economy going!
Henry
Post Edited (2003-12-07 21:14)
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2003-12-07 21:01
I think you need to ask yourself why the local music store charges so much for rentals. If you are right and the music store is making a huge profit, then perhaps the school should go into the rental business.
But I think you will find that the reason rentals are so expensive is that most people don't look after rented instruments. I think you will find that if you give E11s to beginners, you will end up with a lot of cracked clarinets.
Unless you have real evidence that kids learn quicker on an E11 than on a B12, I suggest you stick to plastic instruments for beginners, and try to hammer out a better deal with the local music store.
I am also a bit puzzled why you think it necessary to give kids an R13 after two years. Do you also think a child learning the piano can't make progress after two years unless he practices on a Steinway concert grand? If the kid is a prodigy, sure it may be worth it. For the other 99%, I'd rather spend the money on teaching and encouragement.
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2003-12-07 21:39
It would be nice for middle schoolers to have R13s, but high school kids can't even get them. Usually student model clarinets have physical differences (like in bore size) that allow the student to play with less trouble. Getting a professional horn might not be very good for them at this stage where they are still building up their embouchure and air flow, etc.
If you are convinced that you want an R13, maybe just buy one and circulate it between the students. It could almost be a treat or reward for doing something well.
There also other options in clarinetland you can consider. If you don't like that the students are playing on plastic horns, maybe consider some student/ intermediate horns like Noblet or Selmer (wooden student modes). Plastic instruments are not bad for new clarinet players. I used a Bundy up until high school, until my dad bought me an R13 when I turned 16 because he knew I was serious about playing.
You can buy horns for your school at much lower costs if they are not professional, and just because it isn't professional doesn't mean it's a bad instrument.
The upkeep of wooden instruments might also be more than you can handle. I know kids wouldn't want to swab their instruments, and that could become a problem with cracking or warping, and just plain gunk build up. I also remember playing baton with my clarinet in middle school... I dropped it too. You would be paying in repair costs then.
Good luck!
--Contragirl
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Author: Donnie
Date: 2003-12-07 22:50
Whoa there guys I think a couple things have been overlooked. First the kids will rent the instruments from the school. If at the end of the 4 years they want to keep their instruments then we will just have them pay the difference in what they have already "paid in". Secondly, I don't know what others school financial situations are like. The high school were I am the percussion coordinator is a public school but all of their clarinet players in the top band have R13's and they average about 7 clarinets in All State band a year.
I don't think any of you on here would discount the good of even an E11 over a plastic clarinet. The students in the past that I have had switch there is a HUGE difference in their tone.
Donnie
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Author: Krisat
Date: 2003-12-07 23:41
I'm a high school junior, and I only very recently recieved an R13 because my parents knew I was seriously about playing. I can honestly say that in middle school, I wouldn't have had any idea how to care for this instrument; to me, thats still a very immature age group. Kids really have a lot of other things going on in middle school and I agree that you may end up with a lot of ed clarinets. I know of not one student who ever took the time to run a swab through their instrument when band class was done (in fact, I still really don't know many) It is really disappointing that the students are paying so much in rental charges, however I would not suggest buying so many expensive instruments w/o first making sure these are VERY serious students. Perhaps just one instrument one be sufficient, and the student who plays it must be reminded of the importance of taking care of it. It hasn't been that long since I was a junior high student, so this is just based on my experience.
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Author: hans
Date: 2003-12-08 01:16
Re: care of instruments..... I help (as a volunteer) a music teacher at a nearby elementary school, and she has trained her grade 6, 7, and 8 students so that they all swab out their clarinets at the end of each class before putting them away. So, it can be achieved (and I admire the teacher for it).
Hans
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Author: Lisa
Date: 2003-12-08 03:53
Just to throw a monkey wrench into the conversation, I almost made Pennsylvania All-State band on a plastic Bundy clarinet my junior year years ago. (I got second chair second.) Then I got a wooden clarinet soon after that.
Did you go to a college with a good marching band? If so, than you probably heard some admirable plastic clarinet playing on the field, since it's unrealistic to have wooden clarinets in marching band.
While I totally agree that the tone of wooden clarinets sound far better than plastic ones, don't forget that it takes a good player to sound good on a good clarinet. There's an older gentleman in community band that bought one of the top of the line Buffet's because he can affort it. Yes, he has the horn of my dreams, but he honks pitifully on it!
Just some things to think about...
PS Do most middle schools in your area rent (good) clarinets for their students? Where DO those high school students you mentioned get their R13's? Do they rent to own from their high school, too?
I'm just wondering where you got the idea for such a lofty school purchase.
I'm not trying to be smart, but if you want "top of the line" clarinets, are you also thinking to order open-holed flutes? (That would be a huge transition for the students, and may frustrate them needlessly).
Post Edited (2003-12-08 21:37)
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Author: Donnie
Date: 2003-12-08 04:09
First I want to say that, although this was not quite the response I thought I would get, I do really appreciate everyone's honesty.
Now let me go into a little more detail about our particular situation.
The groups I have are very small (10-18) in a class and students are very well screened before they are allowed to join band. Before they can join there is a mandatory meeting with myself, the parents, and students that they must all attend.
I am a big believer in it's all how you start and what you expectations are. Not one of my kids would ever dare put up their horn without properly cleaning it. That's the way they are taught from day one and they know that is what I expect.
Also I am trying to build a top notch performing ensemble by lower the numbers to just woodwinds/double reeds. I want to push they kids to max and have an extremely high caliber ensemble.
I sense a little bit of resentment on our ability to purchase these instruments and I'm not sure why this is. As educators we all want to see students succeed. I am just trying to give my students the best opportunity that I can.
Finally each students see's a professional on their instrument at least once a week. This makes a huge difference from everything from breath support to instrument care.
Donnie
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Author: Lisa
Date: 2003-12-08 05:16
I apologize if I sounded harsh or resentful. It's just that I'm not sure why you seem to think that having all wooden clarinets will make your middle schoolers automatically sound far better than they do right now. That's why I gave the examples of the honking gentleman in our community band and the great sound that can come from a plastic clarinet with a quality player.
I've learned on here that about half of all new wooden clarinets crack, even if treated properly by pros. You may want to think about repair costs to pin then fill the cracks half of them will eventually get. Have you asked the opinion of your clarinetist from the MSO that works with your kids?
I asked about new flutes because I'm a teacher and know that kids appreciate fair treatment--what's good for one is good for all. Which leads me to ask about new saxes, double reeds (do you have oboe AND bassoon players?) too, LOL.
I have nothing against affluent schools; I teach in one myself, but not as a music teacher. I also applaud your program of bringing pros and music ed students into the school, showing community involvement. I'm sure your kids get a lot out of having both you and longtime clarinetists teaching them.
Post Edited (2003-12-08 21:39)
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-12-08 06:54
Clarinets operated by middle school students (and some higher, some lower) acquire an inordinate number of bell tenon cracks because of improper care. Carelessly waving the thing around when assembling or disassembling it is a big cause. Of course, proper regimentation could prevent this, just as appropriate instructor control can overcome lack of swabbing.
I play plastic Clarinets (Vito V40) more than all my wood Clarinets put together, and I do own some wood Clarinets that are at least excellent. *There is nothing intrinsically wrong with a plastic Clarinet*. It is less expensive to replace if damaged, and using plastic outdoors avoids all potential wood-related problems.
Surely, I hope you do not think I have some childish resentment against your great funding. Nor do I suspect any other poster is actually resentful. Envious, perhaps; resentful, hardly. Many of us have been there and would have loved to be in a situation such as yours. But I suggest that many feel you could be missing possible better solutions to your "problem." There's nothing wrong with buying the very best if it's appropriate, but doing it primarily because you can may not be appropriate,
If you indeed buy a parcel of R13s, I suggest they should be Greenline. At least those will minimize problems associated with outdoor playing.
Regards,
John
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-12-08 08:27
I wouldn't think it's an issue of resentment of all the money, rather it's a "think of what else you could do with that money" rationale. With such good funding, perhaps the program could be expanded to include more students, with maybe an "upper" and "lower" ensemble? Or perhaps some in-depth attention to other musical concepts, such as ear training, that are so sadly neglected in most of the U.S. until you get to the university level.
Thinking back, in sixth grade I was wailing away on a hand-me-down flute, could play all the notes the music called for, only practiced when the music was "hard" note-wise, and had a marvelous time in the weekly rehearsals and sectionals, paid for by parents, out of pocket. Back then, I wasn't thinking high-caliber, I was thinking "ooh, cool sounds! I can play fast!" Come to think of it, that's how I played throughout high school on clarinet too until I was introduced to the wonderful world of musicality and *gasp* tone quality.
I suppose there are other factors that we're not privy to, such as the size of the school in general. Regardless, it sounds like you have quite a nice program going!
Do you have brass players, Donnie?
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-12-08 12:24
There are several leasing programs that make more sense than having the school retain ownership.
The residual value of a clarinet is low, even when properly handled.
I recommend the Ridenour TR147 which is *horrors* of composite construction...
The primary source of tone and tuning is the player fitted to a proper mouthpiece... the clarinet itself can have a genuine effect on tuning, but tone color comes at tremendous cost.
I would spend the money on charts before gear...
(Those should serve your department forever.)
If the kids sound better on wooden horns, it may be from the power of suggestion, which leads to longer practice time.
But what do I know?
SyBo
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-12-08 13:11
I should read all your posts so I get the full picture but one thing strikes me and that is allowing middle school children to play on expensive instruments that the taxpayers are paying for. Guess I'll leave it at that.
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Author: george
Date: 2003-12-08 14:11
Donnie said it's a private school--why would the taxpayers pay for the instruments?
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Author: Donnie
Date: 2003-12-08 16:41
Again just to clarify a couple of points:
We are a private school and thus, funded privately
We do NOT at anytime play outdoors
I cut brass from the program to concentrate all of the time on woodwinds. There was just not enough time in a class to teach brass and woodwind properly
We do not have bassoons! LOL
The school will be leasing the instruments and will have in place a repair policy
Hope this helps to clear some things up
Donnie
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Author: johnsonfromwisconsin
Date: 2003-12-08 18:27
I don't see exactly what problem you are solving. I do see some possible problems you may be submitting to, however.
who will be servicing these instruments? A well regulated student instrument plays better/easier than a neglected/missadjusted pro-level one.
How much more money will the school be handling.
Clarinets aren't that expensive. Why does the fact that many rent bother you? Let them purchase their own if they choose to. I personally think it would be a waste spending all that money on something so personally affordable as a clarinet. I'd consider putting the money elsewhere, like on Basoons, Contrabass Clarinets, English Horns, Baritone Saxophones, and things that a student can't be expected to purchase themselves.
Not an expert, just my opinion.
-JfW
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-12-08 19:43
My first teaching job was at a small, well endowed public school, in a low income area, whose policy was to provide the majority of the instruments (flutes, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, trombones) to the students on loan at no charge, as the school had a large inventory of school owned instruments. Albeit, these were not R-13's or Mark VI saxophones, but high quality beginner level instruments which I had selected.
What became very apparent was in spite of constant and thorough training that the students received in handling and care of these musical instruments, they still often needed continuous repair. Students were careless in their day to day use.
However, once a parent made a committment to finally purchase an instrument for their child and forego the school's loaner, the care which the student showed with his/her own new instrument significantly increased.
Perhaps your students are atypical of the ones I taught, but I have visions of your new school owned R-13's being badly abused.
I hope I am wrong...GBK
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Author: ron b
Date: 2003-12-08 19:55
I read with interest and agree to responses above but, I wonder, why in the world would you want to cut out the brass players? Not everyone WANTS to play a woodwind instrument. Maybe the school could afford some overtime pay (looks like they can easily afford that), if that's all it takes, so you could include brass players in your music program. Concentrating your energy exclusively on woodwinds seems way out of balance to me.
Did you also cut percussionists from your program?
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2003-12-08 20:15
Wait, so... were there just not enough brass to even worry about concentrating on?? That would make sense if you had like a million woodwinds and like 3 brass. As long as the students were open to leaving their life of brassdom.
OR! You might want to keep some french horns! They are always involved in woodwind music.. always meaning sometimes. :P
--Contragirl
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2003-12-08 20:32
Out of curiosity, does your school have a string program?
I'm not sure of the rationale for only teaching woodwinds. Many kids love brass instruments and wouldn't play anything else. And a school with your resources could develop a strong string program.
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Author: Donnie
Date: 2003-12-09 04:10
Again I am really confused as to some of the responses here. Here are a few more key points:
This is a small school. We offer either percussion ensemble or woodwind/double reed choir.
The students will be renting from the school with an option at the end of the 4th year (or before) to own the instrument.
The students are under the supervision of myself and/or a professional clarinetest.
We do not offer brass because of the limited time in class. There is just not enough time to teach both sections properly and I would rather focus on one and have it be very good than doing both "so so".
We will have a repair policy in place from the company we are leasing from. If some goes wrong (it always does) then it will be covered. We will a couple extras to cover the students when this happens.
I guess I'm a little bummed at the responses I've been getting. No one has had anything really constructive to say. The only feedback I've gotten is why it's a bad idea to do what I'm doing (although I have gotten a few very positive private emails of support that I really appreciate). I feel very lucky at the situation that I have and the fact that I have local professors and musicians willing to help with the program. If my goals are achieved maybe you'll be hearing us at like Mid West Band and Orchestra covention in a few years! : )
In retrospect it would have just been nice to have a little more helpful feedback. This board is a great resource and I am very thankful for that though.
Donnie
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Author: johnsonfromwisconsin
Date: 2003-12-09 14:34
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I guess I'm a little bummed at the responses I've been getting. No one has had anything really constructive to say. The only feedback I've gotten is why it's a bad idea to do what I'm doing (although I have gotten a few very positive private emails of support that I really appreciate). I feel very lucky at the situation that I have and the fact that I have local professors and musicians willing to help with the program. If my goals are achieved maybe you'll be hearing us at like Mid West Band and Orchestra covention in a few years! : )
In retrospect it would have just been nice to have a little more helpful feedback. This board is a great resource and I am very thankful for that though.
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Er, so, because we all aren't patting your back and falling in line with your idea, we aren't being 'constructive'?
didn't you ask with your opening post:
"So, does this sound like a good idea or are there better solutions?"
-JfW
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Author: Donnie
Date: 2003-12-09 18:07
Here are the issues I am taking a little offense at:
- The amount of money we are spending always comes up with some sort of negative spin on it
- This is a clarinet community. I am a percussionist by trade band director who is not only seeking to provide my students with the best instruments that I can but I am also seeing to it that they have one on one time with industry professionals.
The "comments" I was hoping for would have been like "hey you should try this mouthpiece with that model or this ligature etc". Not "why are you buying those? your wasting your money".
Is there one person on this board that will say that 7 beginning clarinet players properly taught will sound way better on E11's than on plastic horns?
Donnie
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-12-09 18:59
Donnie asked: "Is there one person on this board that will say that 7 beginning clarinet players properly taught will sound way better on E11's than on plastic horns?"
Perhaps, but certainly not from me. Because it just is not so. That, of course, is my opinion, which I'm sure is not universal. And I fail to understand where you got the idea that plastic Clarinets are doomed to provide inferior sound, or how you determined so irrevocably that Schreiber's "Buffet" E11 is the best Clarinet on Earth for beginners.
While it may not seem so at times, we do have a tendency around here to answer the questions that are asked -- eventually, at least. You initially asked if your idea sounded good, and if there are netter solutions, and you got answers to those questions. Opinions all, true, but from a diversity of views. Had you asked what kinds of mouthpieces and ligatures might be better than the stock items for certain instruments for early students, you'd have received a lot of responses appropriate to the questions. Frankly, it seems that your mind is made up, and you really would prefer to hear no adverse comments about your plan.
Donnie, none of us seems to think that a plan such as yours has ever been executed before. Maybe it's a great idea. Maybe we're all a bunch of fuddy-duddies, because we're usually talking about how to keep students away from junky $250 Clarinets, rather than why should they or should they not play instruments that are almost unheard of for beginners and other middle school students.
Ignaz Semmelweiss tried to get his colleagues in the medical community to wash their hands before touching patients. They laughed at him. And it was quite a long time before everyone realized Semmelweiss was right (unfortuntely, after he had died of a bacterial infection). So, maybe after fifty years, yours may be the model for early Clarinet instruction. That is undeniable. But, please excuse me, I doubt it. But at least we are offering our opinions, not laughing at you.
By the way, please don't think my comments about your funding were negative, I was just bowled over, that's all. Wish I had been as fortunate as you are!
Regards,
John
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Author: supernova_khr
Date: 2003-12-09 19:18
Having just survived the middle school years with a young clarinet player, I'd think that a new Yamaha/Leblanc/Buffett plastic instrument might be a better choice to supply the school players with. And, even more importantly, get all the kids a good mouthpiece to go with it. (And perhaps a few teachers here might be able to recommend a good beginner mouthpiece that's not expensive.) We also found, given middle schoolers' tendency to not be as careful as one might like, the flexible Rovner ligature was nearly indestructable (which I got after a few standard metal ligatures were bent by who knows what means!). It made it through 6-9 grades, but eventually got lost when it fell off during marching band.
I think it's wonderful that a school would be able to supply instruments for the band program. My son's middle school had the larger more expensive instruments (bass clarinet, bassoon, tuba, baritone, baritone sax) that we could rent from the school at a nominal cost, but not the more common instruments. There were some kids that simply couldn't afford an instrument, and it would have been a wonderful opportunity for them. I imagine that's not the case in the private school you teach at, but it's still a great idea.
Kay
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Author: David
Date: 2003-12-11 18:23
My 2p.
Nothing wrong with plastic Clarinets.
I do agree with the general feeling that R13s are a bit over the top for learners. If the child is progressing, it is likely also to have its own opinion about what sort of fancier clarinet it might like when it does move on. They might even go Boosey and Hawkes.
Kids really are thugs with instruments. Except percussion. You are supposed to hit the things They don't mean it, but they have this accellerated entropy field that'll honestly kill anything short of steel and concrete in very short order.
And as for the agonizing first few months of ownership, waiting for the split, I'm not sure which way they'd go. Probably less traumatised than us, but possibly more likely to be impatient / lose interest at having to wait for the white glue and G-Clamps to come off. And they will have to wait. Your reparman will be busy.
I did like the comment about having a good robust basic instrument that'll hold its adjustment better for longer under the same level of casual abuse than a top-notch thingy that needs constant coddling. Wise words.
I really do not think you got anything but valid suggestions here. People on this board really know what they're talking about. (Well, them over there do anyway, I'd hesitate to offer anything other than a temporarily appropriated 1st / 9th Amendment comment).
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2003-12-11 19:28
Donnie--
Let me try to be constructive.
Professional quality wooden instruments are great to have. However, at this level, the difference in playablility, tone, etc., that you will receive from pro-level wood instruments versus quality plastic instruments will be totally unnoticeable. The player, the reed and the mouthpiece, in that order will have much greater effects.
On the other hand, plastic instruments are much more durable. They will not crack. The tenons will not break from improperly assembling/disassembling the instruments. They are unlikely to break if dropped on the floor. And, no matter how much you watch over them, a large portion of middle-school-aged students are going to be careless or clumsy. Shoot, my typically responsible daughter dropped and broke her violin in orchestra class when she was in high school.
Now, let's consider the possibility of the students continuing with their clarinet studies in high school. Chances are high that they will be in marching band. Chances are also high that each of the students will have only one clarinet, be it plastic or wood. Plastic clarinets are not subject to cracking in extreme temperatures or humidity changes. And again, they are less susceptible to damage if dropped on the marching field. I don't think any high school or college student on this board would risk using his/her good wooden instrument for marching.
Bottom line: There is little to be gained by providing high-quality wood instruments, even if they are a gift from heaven. On the other hand, plastic instruments are much more durable.
My opinion is that no matter how the instruments are provided and/or financed, quality plastic ones would suit you better. If you have the means to give professional wood instruments to the students as high school graduation presents, more power to you.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-12-11 19:58
As a Dutch Uncle in training (one that has actually taught grade school kids) I can speak with some authority on the subject of school property;
Kids value things they pay for.
For this reason, I won't sell an instrument to a child under 13 unless Mom or Dad has extracted some token from their allowance to pay costs.
That shows committment.
We're not trying to derail the process, but we were asked.
******
It seems typical on this BBS to deride contrary opinion.
It ain't an encounter group.
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Author: KENOLD
Date: 2003-12-12 07:34
Donnie: Threads on this BB sometimes go off on tangents. Inertia builds and the direction of discussion may not be what you originaly intended.
Don't give up. The best thing to do is start a new thread with a more specific question.
Ken
Learn to perform even the things you don't like, as if you love to do them.
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Author: calvinc
Date: 2003-12-14 08:19
WOW!
I wish my teacher would have let me have an e11 at such an early age. However, I have had the pleasure of owning one recently last year. As well as upgrading certain things such as mpc and lig.
Yes! The tone quality is always better than plastic clarinets. Yes! They are expensive. Yes! they are hard to take care of especially in environments that are cold etc. Yes! If you succeed you will probably make the musical experience more enjoyable for your kids.
But, I believe that if you have the money to pay for r13's, e11s, or whatever you may want, you should go for it. The problem is that you must truly believe that your kids will be able to be responsible and mature enough to truly appreciate what you have given them.
I'll end with this. If anyone has seen "Together" (it's a chinese movie with english subtitles about a violin prodigy), you can see who wants to learn and who doesnt. Clearly the little boy who plays scratchy notes on his violin and doesnt practice doesnt deserve to be privledged to play on such an instrument because he is not willing to learn nor is he willing to take care of his instrument.
So basically, go for it! But remember, your investment is very risky and with all of the successes your program can have, you have to weigh in the failures that may occur along the way. Remember to value which kids should have which instruments. Good luck.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-12-15 06:07
calvinc writes of the E11: "Yes! The tone quality is always better than plastic clarinets."
Calvin, "always" is such an encompassing word, this is a remarkable conclusion. How was it reached?
Regards,
John
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Author: Clarence
Date: 2003-12-18 04:27
Why don't they make a R-13 in plastic and sell it for 350.00 dollars ?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-12-18 11:57
Clarence wrote:
> Why don't they make a R-13 in plastic and sell it for 350.00
> dollars ?
'Cause the material costs wouldn't make that much difference (In other words, the wood might cost $100 and the plastic $2)
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Author: Wes
Date: 2003-12-18 21:40
My granddaughter's Yamaha plastic entry level clarinet seems very fine to me, well in tune with the Hite entry level mouthpiece. Not quite as good to me as my great R13, but very acceptable. Air support is the key to woodwind tone. Good luck!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-12-19 11:01
"why don't they make..." You can already buy a plastic Buffet if you want one.
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The Clarinet Pages
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