 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MSK
Date: 2005-05-06 01:09
What is the best thing to do with your clarinet during long rests? I've had a couple of pieces where there were rests of 60 or 70 measures or even entire movements. I've seen people put it in their lap and others prop it on their thigh. Do people do something different for shorter rests like maybe 10 measures?
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-05-06 01:21
I either lay it across my lap with trill keys UP (so spit won't go into the tone holes and make the nasty gurgle sound) or I will put it vertically down inbetween my leg. Usually 10 or less is between the legs and 10+ is on the lap with side trill keys UP.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-05-06 02:03
Might want to invest in a clarinet stand (I recommend Blayman). Set it there during long periods of rest.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: bflatclarinetist
Date: 2005-05-06 02:47
Prepare 5 bars ahead and don't fall asleep and miss the entry. Or you could hire a person to to hold your clarinet and give it to you when you need it and a page turner for you. Pay them 50 dollars a concert. I'm joking.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-05-06 13:37
For our present series of concerts, I play bass cl for all pieces except one, "Fantasy on Yankee Doodle", on alto cl. If there is seating-room, I "store" my alto on an extra chair, and hold the bass [low Eb ] on my lap when on alto. I play with only one neckstrap, and peg on bass. Having glass mps on both, I'm VERY careful, dont use stands, and may put alto on floor, beneath chair, with caution. Take care !! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-05-06 13:42
Resting your Bb Sop clarinet vertically allows condensation to drain, hopefully, out the bell. Resting your clarinet across your lap invites someone to ruin your reed.
My current quote to live by: "I abhor quotes to live by."
Bob Draznik
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Author: William
Date: 2005-05-06 14:16
Blayman instrument stands are simply, The Best there is (are). But, they are expensive. A more reasonably priced single clarinet stand is the K&M collapsible stand that stores in your bell when not in use. It is sturdy and reliable.
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2005-05-06 14:30
A zillion years ago my high school band director had us rest bell on right knee, vertically, during long rests. (End up with mosture on your knee)
The Wind Symphony I play in now has no set rule, but most of us rest them horizontally at an angle across our laps. In my opinion it looks better if everyone holds them the same way.
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Author: Tyler
Date: 2005-05-06 22:21
My technician always 'yells' at me for not holding my instrument vertically at all times. Therefore I would say that vertical is safest, but if you insist on holding it horizontally, beware of moisture and spit in your tone holes.
LOL to DavidBlumberg- I enjoy stealing lines from other sections, as well
-Tyler
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Author: Pam H.
Date: 2005-05-06 23:45
Learn to play a sax or flute also and then get a multiple instrument stand. You'll never run out of fun that way.
Personally, even when not doubling, I use an instrument stand.
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-05-06 23:51
K&M stands in the bell?! Mine certainly doesn't fit inside the bell when stored inside the case! You must be referring to another type of the same brand....hmmm...
anyway, I keep mine on my thigh/knee of put it on my clarinet stand. Sometimes the spit leaks out on my pants though, so the stand is more preferable... I know a guy who thinks it's rude to take the clarinet stand up on stage during a performance (if you don't have another instrument to switch to), but that kind of defeats the purpose of a stand altogether. I find that resting the clarinet on my lap does, indeed, put the reed at risk, and no matter which way I position it, it almost always gets spit in the tone holes.
-Lindsie
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Author: GoatTnder
Date: 2005-05-07 21:03
My current teacher reccommends resting the clarinet against your left shoulder, kinda like a rifle. Angle it back so the spit/condensation runs down, and turn it so that none of the tone holes are in the line of wetness. Thus, your clarinet is relaxed, safe, and draining. The wet stuff will get on your hand or pants or dress... but such is life for a clarinetist.
Andres Cabrera
South Bay Wind Ensemble
sbwe@sbmusic.org
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-05-08 13:14
Some stupid customs seem to persist despite common sense. Why would anyone lay a clarinet across his/her lap.......or use the same foot for accelerator and brake!
Bob Draznik
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Author: William
Date: 2005-05-08 15:24
"K&M stands in the bell?! Mine certainly doesn't fit inside the bell when stored inside the case! You must be referring to another type of the same brand....hmmm..."
Yup.....I just checked my case for sure. it's a K & M single clarinet stand that I carry stored the bell of my Concerto Bb inside my soft side Yamaha double clarinet case. (would fit as well in the A bell) The foldable legs are attached to a base that screws into the hollow bottom of the upright peg support and the whole thing stuffs right into the bell. However, for gigs where I use two or more clarinets, I have a Blayman that holds my clarinets (up to four) quite safely--but this single K & M is what I use for incidental wind ensemble gigs and home practice sessions as well. I seem to recall the cost being under $40.00 (US).
Sorry, I could not find any model or style designation--just K&M.
Post Edited (2005-05-08 15:28)
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-05-08 19:42
It's impossible for me to keep one clarinet on my lap while I am playing the other. Why? My legs are too short! They angle down when I am sitting, so either the clarinet will roll off my lap and onto the floor or I have to sit with my tippy toes on the ground that will lift my upper legs up so my legs are at a perfect 90 degree angle to that the clarinet won't roll off. Neither of those are preferable, so when I am doubling, I simply just use my cheap Pac-A-Stand. It works fine and hasn't broken yet.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-05-08 20:20
Clarinetgirl06 wrote:
> so when I am doubling, I
> simply just use my cheap Pac-A-Stand. It works fine and hasn't
> broken yet.
The Pac-A-Stand is an accident waiting to happen.
Save up your money and get something sturdy, like a Blayman...GBK
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-05-08 20:23
Used to put it in my lap when I wasn't playing. Now that I've gone to using a neckstrap, it's always in my mouth, vertical on my knee, or on a stand.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-05-08 20:35
GBK- I don't have any money right now to buy a new clarinet stand. I very RARELY double. I have only had to double a few times: during the school musical and during contest last year for band. Right now, I think the Pac-A-Stand does fine, but as I get older and into more professional settings, I'll definitely buy a better stand, such as the Blayman. Just saying that the Pac-A-Stand suffices fine for my rare doubling occasions.
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Author: Contra
Date: 2005-05-08 20:39
I gently lean the thing over and try not to bash the bass clarinets or the first trumpets that sit on either side of me.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-05-08 20:44
Clarinetgirl06, just answer this:
Would you put your Clarinet just upright on it's Bell without a stand at all?
The K & M single clarinet stand is only $15 - consider getting something like that when you can as it will protect your instrument from falling over much more.
If you were moving and bumped your Clarinet with the pack a stand, you probably wouldn't feel the instrument on your leg before it fell over. At least with a longer based stand you probably would.
Lots of us have owned a pack a stand at one point and gotten rid of it (me included)
Post Edited (2005-05-08 21:01)
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-05-08 20:59
I'll take the Pac-A-Stand to my church orchestra rehearsal tonight (which we have 9 people in). I have no people sitting to my left so I will put it there. I will try knocking it over from various angles at different momentums and such. I'm bored at those rehearsals anyways-it will give me something to do. (I'm not being cheeky, it's just that those rehearsals are seriously boring!) But for me, when you only have $95 and no job, $15 is a lot. I'm not complaining, just stating. I see your point though. I bet there are a bunch of better stands out there! When I get an A clarinet, a great stand will be a must and I will pack the Pac-A-Stand away. Maybe I can find someone who has a spare stand somewhere that they don't use and offer to buy it from them for $5 or so.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-05-08 21:06
Carrie, the violinists might think you are insane if they see you doing that 
Hey, maybe you could duct tape the stand to the floor?
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-05-08 21:31
"Would you put your Clarinet just upright on it's Bell without a stand at all?"
I've seen it done, at a concert no less. I was nervous for it the whole time, as the second clarinetist also seemed to be.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: RosewoodClarinet
Date: 2005-05-08 22:06
I use Pac-A-Stand all the time and am fine with it. Just be careful not falling down. Well, I am a very careful person.
RosewoodClarinet
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Author: RosewoodClarinet
Date: 2005-05-08 22:13
By the way, I know a student in my school who mistakingly or incautiously played notes, which are not written in music, during clarinet tacet and such calm and beautiful moment. Conductor did not realized, but bassoonists and myself on first chair were so upset with him. He was not sorry at all.....a student in music college.
RosewoodClarinet
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Author: VermontJM
Date: 2005-05-08 22:57
My K&M stand fits in my case just fine and it's sturdy. I like the metal legs and they are wider than the Pak A Stand. The Pak A Stand is plastic and the legs broke- had to throw it away.
Oh yeah- I keep the clarinet vertical most of the time. Occasionally, I put it across my lap and sometimes (especially during those REALLY boring rehearsals where the strings are getting yelled at) I find myself spinning the clarinet on it's bell between my hands on the floor. Grand fun in the woodwind section!
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-05-08 23:28
some other options: (observed in all-state, all-new england, and my own band)-
1. rest the clarinet's ligature (still attatched to the clarinet) on the music stand...let it dangle...
2. rest the clarinet length-wise on the stand
3. rest the clarinet length-wise on your chair, behind you (for this you must sit at the edge of your chair...for obvious reasons)
4. Stand it up on its bell on the floor in front of, or next to you or your stand
5. if you are bored, balance the clarinet on one finger. Have competitions with those sitting next to you to see who can balance it the longest
6. Take it apart in the middle and leave it on your chair. If you leave and come back, make sure to look before sitting, lest you place your rear on your horn
7. hold it between your legs. hands are optional.
8. Have the person sitting next to you hold it
9. Take the clarinet stand of the person sitting next to you, they won't mind...
-Lindsie
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-05-08 23:31
vermont- the k&m stands with metal legs...the one with only THREE legs..are far from sturdy. Both myself and my clarinet teacher have had our clarinets topple over on those things. I would suggest a stand with four legs...like the K&M stand that has foldable legs that go inside the base. it's sturdy plastic, not like those pack-a-stand thingies people have been alluding to here. I have seen those and they look flimsy to me.
-Lindsie
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-05-09 01:46
So, I tested the Pac-A-Stand. I did it before church at my house because I was so curious! Results: When hit with little to moderate force the stand did its job very well. Say the clarinet got kicked or was hit with a bunch of force, it would topple over. Then I did the same test without the Pac-A-Stand and just put the clarinet on the bell. The clarinet could only be touched with minimal force to stay upright. Anymore force and it fell over-don't worry, I made 100% sure that it wouldn't fall on the ground. So David, I'm sorry to say that the Pac-A-Stand IS SAFER than just placing it on the bell. Also, we have a violinist in the summer only, so it wouldn't bug her because she wasn't there. I sit by my sister who's the flute player.
Things a Marching Band Clarinet Section Leader (ME!) Notices That Her Section Does:
1. One kid hates the clarinet and throws his clarinet on the ground on purpose.
2. Many of us (I am guilty of this sometimes) balance our clarinets on the palms of our hands.
2 b. Many of us do this while we are marching charts.
3. A few of us daring/stupid ones (me included) throw our clarinets up in the air say between 2-8 feet and let them spin really nice and then we catch them. I've never dropped mine so far and I have done this at least 50+ times.
4. A few of us make flag routines with our clarinets and spin them auxilury style.
Although all of the above are terrible to do, we are young and are stupid and are very bored! Maybe we should make our clarinets wear neckstraps (me included) so that we don't end up breaking them! Long rests=trouble for a young clarinet player! Ahh!
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-05-09 02:03
Lindsie and Carrie, I am in pain.
Sadly, I've seen most of those, and I think in elementary school I might have done Lindsie's #4 with a flute.
A couple to add:
1. Take it apart in halves, and stack one on top of the other on your vacant chair.
2. (marching season) Place your finger between the clarinet and the RH Bb key. With proper balance, you can twirl it like a baton.
I've also seen someone overgrease their middle joint so that the top half flew off when said person went to parade rest.
=======
I've been quite happy with my four-leg, up-to-four-peg K&M doublers' stand
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-05-09 02:11
lol! I think that overgreasing thing for a parade rest is hilarious! I'll have the kid that throws his clarinet on the ground do that-his clarinet is already dead!
I'm glad that you are happy with your stand Alex!
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Author: rc_clarinetlady
Date: 2005-05-09 12:18
We use stands in our orchestra if we have long rests but for short ones I stand my clarinet on my knee. We also use long rests to swab out our clarinets.
Okay, so you're bored. I'll give you another one to do. This one was done to me my freshman year in college. I left my clarinet (my Buffet R 13 ) laying on a table in the locker room of the music building and while I was away someone ( I still don't know who ) placed a nickel between my barrel and first joint totally blocking the bore. I went in for rehearsal and just about exploded from the pressure trying to get my clarinet to play. Had no clue what was wrong with the thing. It looked fine but I couldn't get a sound on it. Everyone was laughing in the band room. Ha Ha!
That was over 25 years ago and to this day I won't leave my clarinets anywhere alone. I even carry them both during intermission in concerts. 
That's an old one and probably everyone knows it but it's still the grandaddy of the clarinet tricks in my book. I am so gullible that it was especially fun to play it on me. Hhhmmmm.........I wonder if I could resurrect it for someone in our orchestra??? Just kidding
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-05-09 12:45
I had (had is the operative word here) a student who was stupid enough to leave his Clarinet on a classroom desk at a concert while he was in the next room playing video games.
His Clarinet got knocked off of the desk not once, but TWICE.
Once is bad, and unacceptable, but twice is just stupid...........
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-05-09 19:20
ooh- I just remembered some (witnessed in orchestra):
1. place Bb (or A) clarinet on top of resting A (or Bb) clarinet (on its stand). The bell fits nicely over the A's barrel
2. switch your clarinet barrels (this does not solve 'what to do with clarinet during long rests, but at least it defeats boredom). Don't forget to switch 'em back...don't want your A to be uberly out of tune!
rcclarinetlady- that is GOLD. heh heh. maybe rehersal won't be so boring after all...
ps I HATE when people swab their clarinets out during long rests! not only are you defeating the purpose of tuning (unless you know EXACTLY where the barrel was), but it just looks rude. when i am at a concert and I see someone do that (and this one woman did it after EVERY piece), I want to yell at them. Sorry, I have played for 6 hours and have not had spit accumulate in my tone holes, so don't give me the old excuse "she needs to get the spit out!" try cigarette paper!
-Lindsie
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Author: rc_clarinetlady
Date: 2005-05-09 22:07
Lindsie............,
Ouch........that was harsh. Why would you yell at people for cleaning out their instrument?? Do you yell at horn players or trumpeters for blowing spit out of their valves? Of course not.
I'd rather swab out my clarinet very discretely than gurgle in a very exposed , beautiful passage in an orchestra concert. Our last concert was an hour and a half long with an intermission but the second half was comprised solely of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. There is a place in the second movement ( I think) that has 56 measures of rest. There are some beautiful, exposed places in that piece. All three of us swabbed out our clarinets during that break. The audience doesn't even see it. Only the orchestra members. Cigarette paper is a band-aid and only clears the spit from the pad temporarily. It will continue to roll into the pad if not cleared from the bore. I'd rather get it cleared out and be assured of a beautiful sound. I guess it just depends on what's more important to you. Appearances or sound. To each his own.
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Author: Merlin
Date: 2005-05-09 22:56
Let me just contribute to the evidence that Pac-a-Stands are a disaster waiting to happen.
I used one for a year or so and thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Then one day, one of the small protrusions that snaps into a hole to set up the stand broke off, dumping my clarinet on the floor.
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Author: claclaws
Date: 2005-05-09 23:19
I even saw a soloist swabbing his clarinet during the rests in the 1st mov. of Mozart's K.622.
Lucy Lee Jang
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-05-10 00:30
I'm with Rebecca on this one. I'd rather be seen swabbing than have a beautiful solo or passage (any passage) that was ruined by spit gurgle. During Seussical the Musical at school, I swabbed my clarinet probably 5-10 times per show because my clarinet needed a repad really bad and would collect spit and gurgle in about 10-15 minutes. Did anyone see it? No. Did it look funny? Yes! Did my clarinet gurgle? Nope!
Think about this: Would you rather hear a beautiful vocal solo on a CD and find out that the soloist was really ugly OR would you rather see a soloist who is really attractive but their voice sounded bad?
I pick musicality/tone over stage presence (when it comes to the swabbing issue). Now stage presence is an important issue, but when it comes to swabbing I don't think it matters!
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Author: VermontJM
Date: 2005-05-10 01:06
I see no issue with swabbing as long as you can be disceet about it... and I swabbed during my junior and senior recitals- you have to.
And yes, I really do build up that much moisture and my Bb/Eb tone holes LOVE to fill up with water!
On the K&M stand- I have a four legger, and I LOVE it. 'Nuf said.
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-05-10 01:47
okay- I was at the US coast guard band concert and this clarinet player, right on the edge of the stage no less, swabbed out her clarinet everytime it wasn't in her mouth (for a prolonged period of time). It was insane! Sometimes the horn gets spit in it. Just because there is spit in there DOES NOT mean there will be spit in the keys!! Like I said, I have gone long periods of time without swabbing and my tone holes are dry, so no spit bubbles. I think it's a bit excessive (and obsessive) to swab the thing after every song! AND I still stand by my wonderment at how someone who keeps swabbing their instrument stays in tune! If you take the barrel off, you just took away all the time you spent tuning with the band, and sure, you could put it to where you THINK it should be, and adjust with your embochure if needed, but I think that is wasted energy and risks the player of being out of tune, which would bother me just as much (if not more) than a spitty note. But I think people are overly paranoid about spit in the key.
Maybe if your in the woodwind land at the back of 50 violins and no one could ever dream of seeing you, unless they are in the balcony, in which case you are a speck, then sure, swab it, but not when you're on the edge of the stage in plain view of the audience. just my opinion. you dont have to agree.
-Lindsie
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-05-10 01:54
music_is_life wrote:
> unless they are in
> the balcony, in which case you are a speck, then sure, swab it,
> but not when you're on the edge of the stage in plain view of
> the audience. just my opinion. you dont have to agree.
Clarinetists routinely swab their instrument between movements of works, and during long rests if needed, whether on stage or off. It is foolhardy not to do so. Attend ANY solo recital, and you will see clarinetists bring swabs on stage or take one out of their pocket. In this era of overly cold, air-conditioned halls, condensation in the instrument can be a major problem.
Just as violinists retune after each movement, oboists change reeds, and horn players clear their valves and crooks, clarinetists must swab.
Why is this such a big problem? ...GBK
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-05-10 02:12
Frequent swabbing is necessary if you are putting enough air into the instrument to get condensation built up.
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Author: rc_clarinetlady
Date: 2005-05-10 07:57
Lindsie,
What you saw with one person MAY have bordered on excessive with the swabbing after each piece played by a clarinetist but you also don't know her situation and until you do it's really hard to sit in judgement of her. She may have been fighting some issues that you don't even have a clue about. There's a wise, old, saying that goes something like, "Never judge someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes." Basically good stuff to live by. I try to keep that in mind when I'm ready to judge someone else's actions. I could list the reasons for why the clarintist may have been swabbing but that misses the point of this comment.
I will say this about my tuning. In our orchestra we tune every week to A 440. I have my A and Bb barrels chosen so that they play right, straight, dead on with the tuner at A 440 when they are pushed completely in. It is a rare occasion if and when I ever have to pull my barrel for tuning purposes. If I'm flat I put on a shorter barrel. That's how I get around the issue you describe with the tuning probelem. Besides, I usually pull my mpc to swab my clarinet out, not my barrel. I don't take the individual pieces apart, just once through while it's together and that only requires the removal of the mpc. How do you swab yours so that it affects your tuning barrel?
Rebecca
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