 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Alyra
Date: 2003-12-30 06:00
1. How long does it take to break in a reed? I bought some Van Dorens the other day and think them much better than the stupid ricos I had (which I through out except for the one I keep in the mouthpiece when I'm not using the clarinet). I'm noticing though I'm having a few more problems - perhaps because the reed is not broken in? (The grade is 2.5, lower than the 3 ricos I was using).
2. How do you know when your keys need oiling?
3. The care kit I bought for the clarinet came with a mouthpiece cover thing that is basically just adhesive plastic to protect where I bite - should I bother putting it on, or does it not matter?
and
4. For a general concert band, at what standard would you expect a clarinet player to be?
Post Edited (2003-12-30 06:37)
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-12-30 06:20
1. I use a ten-day process (a few minutes a day on each reed) before I play any given reed for a rehearsal or performance. There are a few good books out there, I have the Larry Guy book on reed adjustment, a search on the board will suggest a few others. Don't keep a reed on the mouthpiece when you're not using the clarinet.
2. Don't know
3. I find them quite helpful, especially to keep a better grip and to isolate some of the vibrations.
4. Not quite sure what you're asking.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-12-30 06:38
1. For me, it depends on the reed. Some use a rather fixed schedule. Perhaps you should experiment and do what works best for you (always a safe suggestion, eh?).
2. "Practically never" is my best answer. I do not think the average player should be trusted with key oil. I know it seems simple, but to me, that's an operation best left to a good technician. By the way, when your tech reassembles an instrument, its mechanism should work freely without oil. But don't play it that way.
3. If you have a plastic mouthpiece, the pad will help keep your upper teeth from gouging out the top of the mouthpiece. Other than that, some people like the feel of the pad, and it can help keep the teeth in place. Your choice.
4. Beats me. I think.
Regards,
John
(May I try number 4 again?)
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Author: Markus Wenninger
Date: 2003-12-30 09:21
1. As with nearly all "do"'s and "dont"'s concerning woodwindplayers, it's a question of choice, mostly. As far as I'm concerned, a reed has to function instantly, put it on the mouthpiece, and if it doesn't work the very moment, all this fuzzing around with sandpaper, wetting and playing it for minutes, or rotation schemes of "excellent, next to fine, ...shitty reeds" is just personal paranoia - I enjoy some of those thoroughly, being no different - it is a wate of time, objectively speaking. There may be days when in 10 reeds You may find more than the average 3 not working to Your satisfaction, brass players ridicule us because of this, A LOT, but hey, this is how we work, nervous breakdowns are our 2nd christian names, aren't they.
2. If they rattle. As far as oil is concerned, less is more. (You might come across scores where You are required to rattle keys, but those will be amongst the most fascinating ones to play!).
3. I don't like them, but my wife will not play without them stuck on, as posted before, the grip might feel better, less vibrant.
4. I doubt there's such thing as a standard; the most satisfaction is, I think, to listen toplayers playing at the highest risk possible to them, on the brink so to say, doing their utmost best.
Markus
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2003-12-30 10:08
Re question 4 on concert bands....
The standard of your playing may not be the issue. Most of the stuff I play in band is much easier technically than pieces I play on my own, but I can still make a terrible mess of it.
To be effective in band, you need to be a good sight-reader (and I thought I was till I joined the band), to be able to play tolerably in tune with others and to be able to keep with the tempo regardless of how many mistakes you make. You'll also have to get used to finding it very difficult to hear yourself play (I sit just in front of the solo trumpet...)
The only way to learn is to go do it. You will probably look at the music, think, "hey, this stuff is easy, no problem" then get a horrible shock as soon as the rehearsal gets under way. Just stick with it.
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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: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-12-30 10:55
2. The left hand low levers (F#/C# & E/B) tend to be the first to rattle - when moved from side to side, although this is sometimes caused by damaged silencer skins.
One way is to unscrew a short shaft, such as register key or side Eb/Bb pivot rod. If either of these has signes of oil, then oiling is probably unnecessary.
These days, I think ONLY top quality oils that leave no residue and are very slow to evaporate should be used. These will not be found in most homes, and are not likely to be sold in musical instrument shops. The viscosity is segnificant. I use two different viscosities on most clarinets - one for the rods and one for the point screws, where there is less rubbing contact area. Higher viscosity reduces noise better, and is slower to evaporate. lower viscosity is needed for pivots with large bearing surfaces, especially where the 'fit' is very accurate from high-precision manufacture.
A first class oiling job cannot be done without removing the keys. Anything else is a makeshift top-up, and is not too successful if the pivots are quite dry or gummy. For such top-ups, lower viscosity oil is often needed. Ideally, there should be a 'reservoir' of oil established oin the cavity inside the end of the the rods, beyond the end of the pivot point screws.
However, to reduce costs, most technicians would just do top-up lubrication during routine maintenance.
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