 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clive
Date: 2007-07-21 16:10
Hi list
As a novice I use a Buffet B12. Early in my "career", my tutor got me to play his R13 ( with my mpc) to see if there was any problem with my B12 (I was so squeaky!), which there was not.
However, I noticed immediately how free blowing the R13 was, and this surprised me, since I had assumed that the pro. instruments would simply have a superior tone, but not in any way be easier to play. I also found it significantly lighter, which surprised me in view of the wooden construction.
Fast forward a little.... I had always found A ( above open G) to be rather raucous, but as I moved to harder reeds, this seemd to improve, and at strength 3.5 this is much improved. However I still find, even at this strength that I am very raucous in the altissimo register. I'm going to move further to strength 4 shortly but do wonder if this will really improve matters, or whether there is a natural barrier in quality with a student instrument?
I would not have thought this to be the case, but since, as I describe above, I found the R13 so much easier to blow I do wonder whether the need to push so much air through the B12 is militating against a mellifluous tone in the altissimo register, even with medium/hard reeds? To spend the kind of dosh asked for an R13 would seem ludicrous for a novice. However, I am fairly serious about getting where I want to be, and am likely to be perennially dissatisfied if I feel my tools are limiting me, even though my execution is far from adequate as yet.
Your opinions welcome.
Clive
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2007-07-21 17:15
Try as many as possible/practicable/feasible before buying. You happened to play an excellent instrument. Not all are like that, maybe one in twenty. And then there are the mpc, reed, ligature, venue, and you as another set of variables.
richard smith
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Author: Philcoman
Date: 2007-07-21 17:25
I had the same problem in the altissimo register for a long time, and then suddenly -- I didn't. And once that happened, the reeed strength didn't make much difference. I found I could achieve different things with a 2.5 vs a 4, but both worked. There are lots of reasons why you might not sound as you'd like way up in that register. If you still have a teacher, have him/her play altissimo on your B12 and see how it sounds. If it produces a decent sound (and it probably will), it might come down to the mouthpiece or, as I found in my own case, an embouchure adjustment.
Maddening, isn't it?
Best of luck!
"If you want to do something, you do it, and handle the obstacles as they come." --Benny Goodman
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2007-07-21 17:31
Without getting into particulars (you'll get plenty of particulars from others on the BBD), given the SAME mouthpiece/reed/ligature combination, various models of any horn, professional level or student level, have different blowing resistances. For example, my 1963 R13 Bb is much less resistant than my former Opus, yet somewhat more resistant than my current Rossi. And my Rossi A instrument is significantly less resistant than my former Opus A, but about the same as the Selmer 10G that I played for a while.
There are two main points to "answering" your question about blowing resistance, though countless other factors may come into play too:
1. You have to fit your mouthpiece/reed/ligature combination to whatever horn your playing, not the other way around.
2. You need to concentrate on the sound you're producing first, and learn to play the instrument that you perceive sounds the best, not choose an instrument that's immediately comfortable to play, but doesn't sound as well.
It takes at least a month--and sometimes years, for a high-level player--to get used to a new instrument--to learn to play it the way IT needs to be played. Making an evaluation on the basis of ten minutes of playing won't do it because you'll naturally be playing any new instrument as you would have the one you're used to playing.
As for the difference in quality of a student instrument compared to a professional instrument, especially in the altissimo, I'd suggest that you find a really GOOD teacher to listen to you play and make suggestions. Could be your mouthpiece, could be your reeds...and it could be your clarinet, but given adequate equipment (note that I said "adequate equipment," not "professional equipment") my guess is that it's not the equipment that's the problem, it's your embouchure and/or breath support.
Going to harder reeds WILL help a little, but it's a trade off: for most people (even pros) playing a harder reed than is "good" for their equipment and their embouchure and breath support will fatigue them and PROBABLY muddy the sound in in the chalumeau and lower registers if they overdo it with the reed strength.
With a good mouthpiece with a medium tip opening, a 3.5 should be a good choice for anyone with a fairly well-developed embouchure (though one manufacturer's 3.5 may be another's 3.0 or 4, and also you haven't said what reed and mouthpiece you're using).
Playing a 2X4 or changing instruments are not solutions that you want to pursue at this point. Look to your embouchure and breath support first. Find a good teacher who can evaluate what's happening and suggest changes before you start changing reeds, mouthpieces, and instruments.
Hope this helps.
B.
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Author: leonardA
Date: 2007-07-21 19:11
I was amazed by what a beautiful sound my teacher got out of my plastic Vito. Enough said.
Leonard
Post Edited (2007-07-21 19:12)
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Author: BobD
Date: 2007-07-21 21:47
In my experience a horn...properly adjusted.... should not require a lot of effort to "blow"....given that the mp, reed and ligature are OK. If, as you say, your instructor's horn was easier to blow then perhaps your own horn needs some adjustment....or you need a different horn. When you "find" a horn that blows easier than what you are used to it is a revelation. Yes, even a Vito can blow easy and sound good. My guess is that you have a pad or pads that are leaking.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2007-07-22 05:54
You play 1000 hours a year. You have a $5500 superb pro clarinet. You keep the horn 10 years. You pay $0.55/hour --about the cost of reeds.
Don't worry so much about the cost of the clarinet; worry about its adequacy.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Clive
Date: 2007-07-22 09:49
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice.
I guess I can see the relevance of the commnents, since I was initially having terrible trouble with low G, F and E, ( squeaks) and now these don't really seem to be a problem, and clearly the only thing that's changed is me!
I'm presently taking a tuition sabattical, because I feel I just need much more personal practice to perfect already acquired techniques, before progressing. Thus the option to have my tutor play altissimo notes on my horn is not currently available. In addition, I'd have to confess to not being a very good student, since I am no longer in the first flush of youth.
We'll get there!
Clive
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2007-07-22 18:40
yeah, focus on airflow first, embouchure second. When these are good and squeaking still happens, make sure the instrument is in good playing condition. Then, try different mouthpieces if still the squeaks. Then the reeds. Yeah, put some time into it. 15 minutes every day is better than 2 hours once a week. Focus for the full 15 minutes especially on airflow and longtones, then move on to scales and tunes when that's good. Good luck.
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