The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SirAdamWilliams
Date: 2006-11-19 20:21
Well, yesterday I brought a brand new Selmer "Saint Louis" clarinet, and I love it. The sound, response, intonation, everything...is flawless. The only problem I have is with the left hand Eb/Ab key. When I go to finger B/E and C#/F#, I keep hitting it. Do you think I'll be able to adjust to the new key? The store I bought it from(Pro Winds, Inc.-Bloomington, IN) has a one week return policy, and after that I guess it's mine permanently. Please help! Thank you.
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Author: crnichols
Date: 2006-11-19 20:43
Usually it's easy to take that key off. That instruments alternate lever is actually in a pretty good spot compared to the Buffet Prestige Bb from the late 80's that I have. The place they put that key makes it absolutely useless.
Christopher Nichols, D.M.A.
Assistant Professor of Clarinet
University of Delaware
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-11-19 21:47
The key can be removed. If you want to keep it, there are a number of repair shops that can alter the shape.
Ken Shaw
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2006-11-20 03:00
I'd say get used to it. you'll come back in the future and find passages to be easier with the left hand eb. That and the key can be removed. it is a gorgeous clarinet and designed to their best abilities. I tried my friends r13 clarinet with an aux eb key, and i complained about it too. but when i asked him if it distracts him, he just told me that he got used to it.
kinda like wearing braces. someday you find your tongue rubbing against it, other days you don't even know its there. unless you get food caught in it.
nice score
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: DaveF
Date: 2006-11-20 03:47
I got a Selmer Signature one year ago, and also was worried about the LH Eb lever. But I got used to it. I make a point of using it to avoid slides when drilling through all the keys in scales and arpeggios, but have to admit only coming across one or two passages in solo and orchestral literature so far to use it.
Dave F.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-11-20 03:54
C2thew wrote:
> you'll come back in the future and
> find passages to be easier with the left hand eb.
MANY pros have gotten along just fine without a left hand Eb key.
When I once asked Stanley Drucker why he doesn't have one on his Buffet, he said that he never had a need for it and had played too long to try and adapt to having an extra key ...GBK
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