 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Scott
Date: 2005-06-10 03:46
I haven't played clarinet in 25 years. Any suggestions on clarinet brands? I purchased a cheap clarinet on ebay called a "Schill" by German Engineering. Has anyone heard of these? I'm having a hard time playing notes in the upper register softly. I hope it's this cheap clarinet and not me. Any suggestions, help would be greatly appreciated!
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Scott Beard
Celebration Orchestra
Post Edited (2005-06-14 03:43)
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-06-10 04:11
I'm recently back, too. I abandoned my '61 Buffet R16-1/2 (now referred to as a full Boehm R-13), so I had a good starting point when I restarted.
After the new wore off of the Buffet, I learned to hate its lousy, constipated response, and lusted for a Selmer. It turned out that when I returned to it, I was able to greatly improve the clarinet by swapping mouthpieces and ligatures. I've told many folks to lay in a collection of cheap, used mouthpieces. Then, test, test, test.
I've loaned my baggie of mouthpieces to a number of people, who've always found one that improved their playing.
Good luck, and welcome aboard.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Scott
Date: 2005-06-10 04:27
My mouthpiece is a Vandoren 2RV - I must have picked it up years some 25 years or more ago. Any comments on this one?
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Scott Beard
Celebration Orchestra
Post Edited (2005-06-10 04:32)
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2005-06-10 17:52
While the clarinet you bought will probably need to be replaced with a higher quality clarinet if you continue for any length of time, mouthpieces and reeds frequently account for difficulty in playing high notes softly.
You should try several brands of student mouthpieces, such as Hite Premier, to see if any of them work better for you. Also try different reed strengths to match up with the mouthpiece you choose. There is nothing wrong with Vandoren 2RV, but your current embouchure may not be up to it.
Post Edited (2005-06-10 18:19)
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Author: szyJYM
Date: 2005-06-10 18:11
I'm not trying to be fascisious, and please forgive me if I appear to be, but how does a musician give up an instrument for such a long length of time, and then return to it later? What were the circumstances?
--Mike
Wide-eyed music student entering college this fall
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Author: TonkaToy
Date: 2005-06-10 18:37
"I'm not trying to be fascisious, and please forgive me if I appear to be, but how does a musician give up an instrument for such a long length of time, and then return to it later? What were the circumstances?"
Well, start with...
1. The realization that you're probably not going to get that job in the (insert major symphony orchestra here) followed by the dismal prospect of
2. A lifetime stuck in a regional symphony with more bad violin players than you can begin to imagine, a lifetime of Sunday mornings playing, "Dropkick Me Jesus Through the Goal Posts of Life", and two lifetimes of teaching beginning students at the community music school, followed by incipient
3. Alcoholism and tendonitis. Mix in a liberal dash of
4. No health insurance and the retirement savings of a Third World peasant. Bring to a generous boil with the reality of a
5. Pregnant wife. Simmer slowly for 20 years while you
6. Go back to school
7. Start a career 10 years behind everyone else
8. Work 14 hour days trying to get ahead in aforementioned career before
9. Suddenly coming to the realization that there was a reason why you played the clarinet in the first place; you loved it more that almost anything in the world and your life was a far bleaker place without the misery of reeds and mouthpieces, egotistical conductors, and the drudgery of getting your chops back in shape. So one day you find yourself in the basement with a book of Rose etudes and to your surprise you can still, to this day, play most of the Baermann exercises from memory. You find the perfect place in time where your reed is sweet, you have the chops of a young god, and you're once again moved by the majesty of Brahms or Mozart not speaking to you but speaking through you.
Well, that's my story and i'm sticking to it. Your mileage may vary.
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Author: archer1960
Date: 2005-06-10 18:37
szyJYM wrote:
> I'm not trying to be fascisious, and please forgive me if I
> appear to be, but how does a musician give up an instrument for
> such a long length of time, and then return to it later? What
> were the circumstances?
>
In my case, being in the Navy (though I did play in the OCS band while I was a student there), then a demanding job, family, etc. As the kids have gotten older and I have more leisure time, I've started picking up some of the hobbies I enjoyed when I was younger: cycling, music, etc.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2005-06-10 19:24
Scott, the Vandoren 2RV is almost identical to the 5RV and is a good all-purpose mouthpiece that works well with 3-4 reeds. You would probably do quite well to stick with it because it works quite nicely with almost all brands of instruments.
As for the cheap clarinet--get a better one as soon as you can afford it. It's been my experience that a bad instrument can really hinder a player who's returning or beginning.
If you want a good student/intermediate instrument you might try the new Forte (a sponsor of this board). Do a search for the positive comments about it.
Or, if you want a wooden instrument--you can get a good deal on a Buffet E-11, or a Yamaha 52 or higher model number. Or, if you can find a good used Buffet E-13 at a good price (500.00 to 700.00 used)--you'll probably have a lot of fun with any of them.
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Author: Scott
Date: 2005-06-10 19:47
Thanks for the input everyone. Well, the reason I left it was because I graduated from High School and put it in the garage for 25 years. Then, one day, while cleaning out the garage, I got it out and found my old music (the school is probably look for it) and a letter from my Orchestra teacher thanking me for my hard work and dedication. I used to be first chair in a rather large system.
I started to notice in my church (which is also rather large - some 7,000 members) that our Orchestra only has 1 clarinet player. Something got resparked in me and I decided to buy a cheap clarinet (because mine is so old) off of eBay. I got what I paid for - a worthless piece of junk that's almost 1 entire note off key.
Today, I took my old clarinet to the store and found that it's somewhat of a collector's item. An old Vito. I'm having it repadded, etc.
I am truely amazed that I still remember where the fingerings are - by heart - and that I can still play music. I must admit that when I went to practice on Wednesday night, I was very scared. First, the cheap clarinet was off key and I had never seen so many sharps in my life!
However, I found that the people in the Orchestra are very friendly, patient and were happy to have another player. I also found out that the microphone will be under my chair and we're on TV as well. What a way to come back!
Wish me luck.
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Author: leonardA
Date: 2005-06-11 14:49
I returned to music three years ago first sax and then clarinet, and I think returning players make fast progress because they practice and apply themselves. I'm sure you will too. I have a Hite Premier mouthpiece and I like it a lot. I understand that the Clark Fobes debut is also a good beginning mouthpiece. Good luck and welcome to the board.
Leonard
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Author: szyJYM
Date: 2005-06-11 18:02
Ah. I see. Well, I'm first chair in my arts high school, but I sure hope that doesn't happen to me. Music is really the only thing I've got going for me, and it's really the only thing that separates me from my family (whose company I can' tparticularly stand... at all). Well, at least I'll have a good 4 years more of it in college.
--Mike
Wide-eyed music student entering college this fall
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Author: rc_clarinetlady
Date: 2005-06-11 20:52
In my case I had 3 boys in 5 years and just didn't have time to practice anymore. I also got Lyme disease here in the Midwest that went undiagnosed for 7 years. I got real sick so nearly 20 years flew by before I knew it.
Our community started an orchestra about 2 years ago so me and my husband auditioned and .....we made it. I, too, found myself able to play the Rose Etudes with the ease I once played them and found myself able to play the Mozart Concerto from memory. It's amazing how music gets into the deepest part of your soul and never really leaves. I'm happier now than I have been in years.
My lip.....well, that's a totally different story. Your mind and your fingers will remember the music but your lip will take time. I got into a biting situation just to make the sound come out for a longer practice session and that's such a bad habit. Be patient and let your lip adjust to playing again in the right way.
Good luck to you Scott. You really know how to come back don't you? Go for it!
Rebecca
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Author: Scott
Date: 2005-06-12 02:52
I practiced a lot today. I worked on all my sharps and flats. Seems like all the sanctuary music has 3 or more sharps or flats for every piece. I wonder if you had a C clarinet instead of B flt - would the music be transposed without all those sharps?
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-06-12 04:12
You'd play everything 1 whole step down. Also the timbre of the clarinet would sound different. I'd say just to learn the flats and sharps and it will make you a better player in the short and longer term. Good luck!
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Author: marzi
Date: 2005-06-14 03:34
Hi Rc,
I also returned to playing after my youngest was 1 or 2 with a vengeance(my other 2 sons are now in high school and the youngest headed for 3rd), which meant I only occasionally picked up my clarinet in 20 yrs, I could not justify more time spent away from them when they were all young when I was already working fulltime, but now it will take alot to pull me away from playing in our community groups. The house may be a bit in need of cleaning , but i will practice! And it didn't even scare away my middle kid from taking up clarinet as well.
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