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Re: Arioso versus Allora

Author: sherman
Date: 2006-07-31 20:31

Response from TomRidenour to question of blindfold test:
There were several tests carried on in several different venues over a number of years. Tests were both formal and informal, planned and spontaneous.Results were consistent.
First, I tested the models back to back in the process of development. Without exception the hard rubber was superior.
What do I mean "superior"? Nothing subjective, believe me. You cannot afford yourself the luxury of prejudical subjectivity when you are developing instruments. So what do I mean?

I mean some very concrete and easily quantifiable things: things that concern themselves with the objective demands of actual performance. Specifically,in the hard rubber models the response was more even at all dynamic levels, transitions from register to register were smoother, hardly requiring any change in embouchure/air pressure, the high register was more stable in pitch, color and shape in dynamic changes; upper clarion did not "undertone" at the soft dynamic nearly as readily in the rubber clarinet as it did in the wood, and the tones stayed fuller and rounder. Tuning was more stable and consistent horn to horn within the same model. These are all objective and concerned with the demands a particular instrument makes upon the player's playing techniques to actually phrase music with elegance, security and inspiration.

In blindfold tests here in Texas 17 out of 17 band directors picked it as best in a field of 8 clarinets, some wood, some composite. In another blind fold test 31 our of 33 band directors picked it as best in a field of six clarinets, most wood. In another test I was not present for I was told my hard rubber clarinet received the most first and second place votes, but I don't recall how many other clarinets were in the blind fold test and how many band directors. It was a large ISD, so I imagine there were at least 20 band directors or more.

I have tested the clarinets in blindfold tests with clarinetists and non-clarinetists scores of times, and other players have written me about tests playing for their colleagues or spouses. They usually write me because they are amazed. A friend who recently performed at Kennedy center in D.C. with a chamber music group had a chance to record rehearsals of his concert on both my clarinet and his R-13. He told me the music was easier to play on my clarinet and it recorded better than his R-13, so he played my clarinet on the concert.
The results are so consistent as to be uncanny. Yet, people are so prejudice for reasons I cannot even guess they come to a conclusion without even being open to test things out for themselves. I'll bet the people who believed in a flat earth or a heliocentric universe reacted the same way when they heard the earth was not flat and the sun is not the center of the universe...hmmmmmm, now that I think of it, some people still believe the earth is flat.
Tom Ridenour

Post Edited (2006-07-31 20:33)

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Arioso versus Allora new

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2006-07-29 17:36