 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-01-01 06:26
Attachment: GuyDeplus1.jpg (54k)
Attachment: GuyDeplus2.jpg (28k)
We had something called 'Clarinet Days'. It is every year and every year there is a new theme. This year it was French clarinet music (as in classical composition for the clarinet) with a special guest Guy Deplus.
There were a few students playing pieces and Guy commented. Guy had good advice about reed strength and different mouthpieces. If I remember correct Guy plays a Vandoren M30 mouthpiece and a Tosca clarinet. He sounds amazing. He talked a lot about how it is unatural to play too hard reeds and it exhausts yourself. He also played all the clarinets and mouthpieces of the students that played for him, and although they were pretty good, he sounded better on each setup than the student who was used to it! Then he sounded even better on his own setup.
His level as a musician is incredibely high, but just as important, if not more, he was a very good teacher, and a very nice, funny and smart person. He knew all the pieces so well. His comments got very specific, especially about rhythm. It always amazes me how some classical students have such a high level of technique (both in the fingers and articulation) but such a poor rhythm.
Guy also showed a lot of fingering suggestions. For example, he said he sometimes change a fingering during a long note when it starts from ppp and goes to f, because he can make it more in tune that way. Some of the students tried it for the first time and couldn't really make it sounds smooth, but when Guy did it you couldn't hear he was changing fingerings.
Another intresting thing is he uses a turkey feather to clean his clarinet instead of a swab. He said they are hard to get now around christmas  You can see the feather in the second picture (although it is hard to see).
Overall the three hours of the mastercalss didn't feel a long time at all. I hope everyone will get the chance to hear Guy Deplus play.
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Author: OmarHo
Date: 2006-01-01 19:12
That must've been a great experience. Did Guy say why he uses a turkey feather rather than a swab?
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Author: Phurster
Date: 2006-01-02 02:01
In the Buffet artists listing. It says he plays an RC Clarinet and a B45 mouthpiece. He may have changed his set up though. Fabulous player.
Regards Chris.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-01-02 05:51
He said that he turns the turkey feather so it cleans the holes too, but he didn't really have a reason for using it instead of a swab. It looked like he was used to it and it's working for him. He said most oboe players were using feathers but a lot change to swabs now.
About his setup, it wasn't clear if the M30 mouthpiece is his only mouthpiece, but I'm pretty sure the information on Buffet's website hasn't changed in a while, so it's from before the Tosca even came out I'm guessing.
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Author: Stephane
Date: 2006-02-22 13:48
Has anyone seen the Guy Deplus video available for sale on the Vandoren website?
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2006-02-22 14:26
Desplus taught me for a breif period in France and was a superb teacher and understands every element of the clarinet. He was also the star clarinet of Domaine Musicale which he help found with Boulez....I really think it is wonderful that he is teaching more transaltlantic students...he is an amazing man and very kind to boot!
David Dow
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