 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-13 18:19
Every summer I spend 2 months in Texas to visit family, and today is my second day in TX. And either my upper clarion on the Bass is responding extremely better than it did in Alaska, or I've gone insane. It's a high school maintained beater Artley, and back in AK, upper clarion notes were almost impossible to hit unless slurring into them. Now that I've played it here, it just seems to be playing better, especially with the aforementioned boost in upper-clarion-isity. I don't believe it's a wood instrument, either. Anyone else had experience with an instrument playing a lot different when changing environments (even if those environments are indoors each time)?
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Author: Henry
Date: 2004-06-13 20:18
I do believe what you are saying.
It's in Jersey I'm normally playing.
I recently visited Texas, how "cool"!
To play for my grandkids in school!
The whole class was really swaying!
Henry
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2004-06-13 20:37
Have you tried different reeds? Because you should!!
Just remember that a reed is made from wood and that it changes extremely in response if the circumstances are different..
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-13 22:15
I used to play on Lavazz, and switched to Van Doren when I moved to Alaska. It's a shame, too. New Mexico + Lavazz = beautiful. I'm still searching for reeds that play really well in that cold climate that can throw anything at you in the way of humidity.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-06-14 01:42
"I'm still searching for reeds that play really well in that cold climate that can throw anything at you in the way of humidity."
Try some Legere reeds--they are unaffected by humidity, which makes reeds taken from one climate to another change so drastically.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2004-06-14 06:39
Could it have changed adjustments in transport to Texas?
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-14 06:50
William - I've heard good things about Legere, but also that they have a lot of break in and mod time. I might try them still, though.
Wes - Possibly. When I first tried it out getting here, the E4 felt extremely airy, and I suspected that it had fallen out of adjustment. Now, however, that problem is no longer there, and of course, the key used to make E4 has a lot to do with the entire upper clarion. "Two wrongs don't make a right", they say. Well if it's an adjustment issue, I'll have to disagree entirely with "them"! An already out of adjustment key being fit much closer to where it should be by unfortunate airline handling seems unlikely, but I suppose it's still a better choice than taking it the local Horn Doctor. Perhaps I'll have to take my instruments on plane rides more often!
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2004-06-14 07:12
Igloo Bob,
Try also Fibracell reeds, I personally like them better than lègere reeds.
http://www.fibracell.com/
Wes,
Quote:
Could it have changed adjustments in transport to Texas?
The reed it self doesn't change most likely, but the humidity changes.. so a hard reed could become a soft one (compared to what you normally play) and a soft reed could become a hard one....
Eddy
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-06-14 07:17
If your reeds have a thick, swollen vamp,
It's because they're perpetually damp.
When they play like a brick,
The fix is quite quick.
Dry them under a flourescent lamp ...GBK
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-14 08:55
...wow. Unless I misread from FibraCell's website, one Bass Clarinet reed = $16.50, and not that less expensive for Soprano Clarinets. Ouch.
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2004-06-14 11:25
Quote:
...wow. Unless I misread from FibraCell's website, one Bass Clarinet reed = $16.50, and not that less expensive for Soprano Clarinets. Ouch.
I believe that a lègere isn't less expensive?
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2004-06-14 13:18
Whar in Texas are ye?
Heat and humidity can sometimes do wonderful things to clarinets and reeds. Your clarinet is no doubt in conditions not normally found in Alaska and is responding better.
Now check yourself with a tuner to see if you're sharper than normal.
--Ralph (in Corpus Christi)
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-06-14 14:26
I find that variations in temperature cause the biggest changes in response and sound quality
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2004-06-14 14:54
Maybe it's not the reeds, but the pads. I really doubt the reed makes the difference because it spends most of its time in your mouth, which should have the same temperature and humidity in both locales.
Perhaps the change in altitude, humidity or even temperature affected you pads in such a way that they seat better in Texas, closing off one or more small leaks.
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-14 19:01
Quote:
I believe that a lègere isn't less expensive?
Bah, you're probably right. I'm just cheap.
Quote:
Whar in Texas are ye?
Heat and humidity can sometimes do wonderful things to clarinets and reeds. Your clarinet is no doubt in conditions not normally found in Alaska and is responding better.
Now check yourself with a tuner to see if you're sharper than normal.
--Ralph (in Corpus Christi)
I'm in Abilene. I'd check my tuning, but my tuner bit the dust recently. I should really get off my lazy rear and go buy a new one. One of these days.
Quote:
I find that variations in temperature cause the biggest changes in response and sound quality
I had never considered that, but it seems to be true just from this instance as example alone. *sigh* I quite miss the oven of a stage we had last year at my high school that they just tore down to create a new "better" one. I'll gladly pull out a bit for the improved intonation and response! Turn the oven back on!
Quote:
Maybe it's not the reeds, but the pads. I really doubt the reed makes the difference because it spends most of its time in your mouth, which should have the same temperature and humidity in both locales.
Perhaps the change in altitude, humidity or even temperature affected you pads in such a way that they seat better in Texas, closing off one or more small leaks.
Certainly a possibility. The fact that it's school-maintained with no decent clarinet technician in the area (or in the state for that matter) could most certainly point towards a lot of pads being out of adjustment.
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2004-06-14 19:30
<< I'm in Abilene. >>
I thought Abilene was closed.
Ha! I kid, of course. Just a little Texas humor. I've been to Abilene a couple of times. Wholesome, quiet (save for the roar of B-1s out of Dyess), a real family place.
Speaking of AK, when I was a wee thing my family lived in Kodiak.
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: Kalakos
Date: 2004-06-14 19:32
Hi:
All of these ideas seem valid. Maybe this is crazy, but what's the difference in altitude between your home and this place?
Once when I had to play in Denver, we began to practice after we had arrived. However, the clarinet sounded terrible (like a beginner's weak tone). I tried changing reeds etc., but it was still bad. Then I blew twice as hard (or so it seemed anyway) as I was used to, and the tone came back.
I had just come from Stockton (at or below sea level), and Denver was a mile or so high. Maybe this is a factor for you in reverse? Probably irrelevant, but I thought I'd share the information.
Kalakos
Kalakos
Kalakos Music
http://www.TAdelphia.com
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-15 00:53
Quote:
I thought Abilene was closed.
Ha! I kid, of course. Just a little Texas humor. I've been to Abilene a couple of times. Wholesome, quiet (save for the roar of B-1s out of Dyess), a real family place.
Speaking of AK, when I was a wee thing my family lived in Kodiak.
I don't understand the humor, but that's probably because I've lived in Texas a total of maybe 2 years of my lifetime. Sorry! Ah, Kodiak. Very beautiful place. Most of the smaller towns in Alaska are. It's a great place for nature lovers, just not quite as good for musicians.
Quote:
Maybe this is crazy, but what's the difference in altitude between your home and this place?
Once when I had to play in Denver, we began to practice after we had arrived. However, the clarinet sounded terrible (like a beginner's weak tone). I tried changing reeds etc., but it was still bad. Then I blew twice as hard (or so it seemed anyway) as I was used to, and the tone came back.
I had just come from Stockton (at or below sea level), and Denver was a mile or so high. Maybe this is a factor for you in reverse?
I have no clue on the elevation differences, so I'm afraid I can't offer anything much to that. Is there scientific sense backing up your situation? I wouldn't know, Science is by far my weakest subject.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-06-15 01:33
Well, Denver is only a mile high [5200 ft El.] at some points, I played bari sax in Silverton, CO, 9300 ft!, quite rarified air, could sometimes make 2 measures without passing out. Barometric pressure is about 1/2 of that at sea-level. Thats the greatest effect I could find from elevation. Humidity is another ?, affecting both the person and the inst/pads. It varies in TX from the Gulf to the Panhandle, been there! Learn to adapt !! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2004-06-15 04:44
Abilene gets a rap for being dull -- i.e. I went to Abilene once but it was closed, they roll up the streets at 8 p.m., they charge $3 to get in and $5 to get out. Geddit?
Like Corpus has room to talk -- last year we burst a water main and had low water pressure citywide for 48 hours and were advised to boil our water before using.
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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