 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jerry
Date: 2000-08-11 01:53
I am considering learning the clarinet (late age crisis -- 60+ years here) and have never had a music lesson (can't read a note -- what's a note anyway?). What type of clarinet should I consider if I want to play jazz?
Thanks ~ jerry
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-08-11 02:38
Jerry your post could have been written by me less than a year ago. It all comes down to dollars and how motivated you are. At this point in time i would look for a good quality wood clarinet, get a good mouthpiece, good reeds, take some lessons and just pratice, pratice and more practice.
You will find this board of great value. I have.
I'm 65 and really find this is good for the soul.
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Author: Graham Elliott
Date: 2000-08-11 08:22
If you use the search facility on this board, using "fountain" then you will find a good discussion from a few months back on whether there is such a thing as a clarinet particularly suited to jazz.
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Author: Cyril Weinkove
Date: 2000-08-11 12:45
Wonderful. I am 62 and have been playing (badly) for years until I got a teacher. Absolutely wonderful to have some oldies on this bulletin board. Isn't it disgusting how good the youngsters are? I play with a clarinetist who is in his 80s. I agree that you must get a really good clarinet, you can always leave it to your heirs!
Cyril
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-08-11 14:01
I went through the same search as previous posters, last year. The surprising thing to discover was the variety of sound being generated form different mouthpieces. Many of the earlier players would insert a dab of chewing gum to "brighten" the sound of the horn. Here's my two cent's worth... find a good teacher in the area, one that deals with adult students. Tell them what you have in mind (sounds like you might want to play in a combo), and take their advice seriously, particularly if they DON'T sell equipment. Then, go to a local repairman for deals. I got great feedback from the "Clarinet doc" who is on the resources link. Feel free to contact me through my e-mail for further info. Oh yes, practice twenty minutes every day!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-08-11 14:35
Congrats, Jerry, for a great decision to join in our fun. Yes, there are quite a few oldies on our BB, I just turned 81, and still play in BDWY musicals, coommunity bands, church orchs, occasional Mozart duo-trios, more bass than soprano, a bit of alto, and some sax as well. That plus a bit of repair work keeps my interests active, I recommend it all. As to clars, most of us "think" the big-bore [15.0 mm] horns, older Selmers and P F LeBlancs, are best for jazz, I do OK on the mediums [14.8's] and can play "classical" as well. So, I guess my advice is to find a good quality used cl to start with and leave major investment decisions until you have a "feel" for it. Luck, Don
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Author: Bob Sparkman
Date: 2000-08-11 15:36
Well, Jerry, I'm about to suggest something that will probably get me into trouble with prior advisors, but I am 72, have played jazz clarinet for 60 years, both professionally and semi, have owned Buffets, Selmers, LeBlancs, Penzell-Muellers and a Quesnon, have tried mouthpieces from Selmers and VanDorens, to Meyers, Portnoys, Brilharts, O'Briens, Woodwinds and others and have finally found the best jazz setup, and the easiest to play, is a (used) Vito (plastic) clarinet with an A prefix serial number (VERY important), a short barrel (60mm !!), soft reed, and a Clark Fobes Debut mouthpiece, and a RELAXED embouchure. If I'd known all this years ago, I'd have saved myself a lot of grief! Practice with records and listen to Louis Armstrong !! The used Vito should cost you $150 to $200, the Fobes Debut mouthpiece $34, so if I'm wrong. It'll probably be the cheapest mistake you ever made ! Good luck, and remember, practicing is really half the fun.
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Author: jerry
Date: 2000-08-12 01:49
MY gosh I cannot believe it..............what enthusiasm. SOUNDS great thanks to all for your input. Sounds like a great bunch of folks here. Enjoyed reading every word and was disapponinted when I ran out of something to read........so I guess I'll go read some of the other posts.
Thanks again.
PS Just found out today that my boss (54) played First Chair in HS.
~ jerry
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Author: Sara
Date: 2000-08-15 03:26
Wow. I would love to say in 50 something years-' Oh yeah I've been playing clarinet for 54 years now. But after all those years haven't you really pretty much played everything out there, I mean in the past 4 years alove i've probably played at least 10 bigger pieces that have different movements like Mozarts Concerto and a ton of the smaller ones like Fantasy piece. How do you keep finding new and not to mention interesting stuff?
Sara
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Author: poordad
Date: 2008-11-25 19:46
I have really enjoyed reading all the posts on this board. I am 66 and picked up the clarinet about a year ago. I have played alto and tenor sax for just about 50 years. I was told early on in school band that if you started out on a sax you would never be able to play clarinet. Not knowing any differently I accepted the band director’s advice. I finally picked up a Selmer Signet at a garage sale in good shape for twenty bucks and began playing. Since then I have picked up a Jean Martin Paris on Ebay and installed new pads and and tenion cork I had a Brilhart number three medium long and started using this on the Martin and really like this setup. Since then I have purchased a Selmer Omega on Ebay that is in like new condition and decided to try the Brilhart and like it better than the Selmer C85 / 105 mouthpiece that came with the Omega. Both of these clarinets play just about the same although the Martin has a slightly more mellow tone than the Selmer but really enjoy playing both. If you are looking for a really good clarinet for around fifty or sixty bucks look on Ebay for a good Jean Martin Paris wood clarinet. You may have to repad and install new corks but in my opinion they really have a great sound.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2008-11-25 19:52
The only clarinet one should consider for ANY type of playing is the Buffet R-13*
*An armed thug from the Buffet Mafia has ordered me to write this, while holding what appears to be a French-licensed Luger to my temple.......
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-11-25 20:43
Much luck, Dave, hope he doesn't hit me and make me "dis-advow" my prized Selmer C T for playing to my clar f[r]iends at our retirement home. We have a Happy Birtthday "girl" today who likes "Smoke Gets in Ur Eyes", makes me work on the bridge !! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-11-25 21:27
David, if it was a French-licensed Luger, it probably wouldn't have worked, anyway. Those things were never fired, only dropped on the ground a few times! ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif)
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-11-25 22:16
I'll go along with Bob Sparkman's used Vito suggestion for a couple of reasons...but don't know about the "A" prefix necessity. One reason is that you might just change your mind about clarinet after awhile and if you do you haven't invested much money. And you can always find a buyer for it. Another reason is that if you do progress satisfactorily you might decide that you should play sax and if you do the Vito will make a decent doubler.
Bob Draznik
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2008-11-25 22:53
while acknowledging the power of the Buffet mafia over Mr. Spiegelthal, I believe the perfect clarinet for playing jazz is the Boosey & Hawkes "Fogware". Especially if you can find a plastic one with pot-metal keys........
but seriously there is no "best" clarinet for playing jazz. If you want to play dixieland you could even (this is GREAT heresy...) consider an Albert system - those pinkie roller keys are great for slurring a flatted third...
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2008-11-25 23:09
Now that the pesky Buffet thug has gotten tired of me and left the premises, please permit me to state for the record that I don't own any Buffet instruments, and thoroughly disliked the R-13 my private teacher had me buy when I was in high school. While I have overhauled/worked on some really excellent Buffet clarinets, I've worked on at least as many dogs from that manufacturer.
There are many, many decent clarinets out there, and only one of them is marked "Buffet". End of seriousness.
As for a "jazz" clarinet, it really doesn't matter. It's the player. 100%.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2008-11-26 12:17
Jerry,
I completely agree with David's last sentences. While some players may consider a large bore clarinet a "jazz clarinet", if you'd do a survey among jazz guys and doublers you'd find a wide variety of instruments and set ups being used.
One of my doubler friends took the hook on a Pete Fountain Leblanc clarinet a year or so ago. Guess what? It's gathering dust in his closet. For whatever reasons, he didn't get along with it and stuck with the clarinet he had been using.
It's my personal opinion that the key things are to develop yourself as a clarinetist and use a set up that is a good match for you as an individual player and your particular tonal conception of the clarinet. Then, PLAY.
PS, it would also help greatly to study with a clarinet teacher in your area who is also a jazz player. That, in itself, would be one of the best things you can do for yourself. Also, if you want to play jazz listen to a wide range of musicians and styles -- from the 20's to today. Explore and discover. You'll have the time of your life doing it.
Good luck!
Roger
Post Edited (2008-11-26 13:33)
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Author: Sea Dog
Date: 2008-11-26 16:57
Good for you Jerry. I also started to play the clarinet at the ripe age of 71. I didn't know one note from another. I did it the hard way by teaching myself how to read music and play the clarinet at the same time. After five years of practing I can now read music and almost play the clarinet. I'm the first one to admit that not taking lessons from a profesional had tought me very bad habits and my playing is not as good as if I had taken lessons. Never the less I do have a lot of fun doing it. At the moment I have an R-13 clarinet. For Jazz I use a Vandoren 5JB mp. Vandoren recommends a soft reed to play with. Somewhere around a #2. I like the Mitchell Luri reeds myself. I find them easier to play than others. At the moment I'm using a Vandoren M13 mp and a Luri #3 reed. I think I can get a better sound out of this combo. There are many ligatures in the market so I will leave that to you. For one thing the ligature that came with the clarinet I didn't like at all. Hope that this will help you. Good luck and good playing.
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Author: leonardA
Date: 2008-11-26 18:11
I have a Selmer C85 120 mouthpiece that projects very well and gives a bigger sound for jazz. The 120 is the tip opening. Also comes in a 105 and 115. I'm 65 and started clarinet just a few years ago after playing sax first. It's definitely the harder way to go, but stay with it.
Leonard
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2008-11-27 18:05
my apologies sir, I did not mean to imply that you are in cahoots with the Buffet-Leblanc (yes they have merged) mafia, but (having read many of your posts) only that the only way they could influence you would be at gunpoint. We must be on our guard about these unscrupulous mafia types, many of them masquerade as legitimate clarinet teachers
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Author: Mike Blinn
Date: 2008-11-28 06:41
Jerry's last post was over eight years ago. I wonder if he ever got a horn...
Mike
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2008-11-28 22:11
Mike Blinn wrote:
> Jerry's last post was over eight years ago. I wonder if he ever
> got a horn...
>
> Mike
I noticed that, too, but that never stops people from giving advice.
Steve Epstein
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Author: Shi-Ku Chishiki
Date: 2008-11-28 22:47
Here we go again. Here's another post subscribing to the thought that all the worlds ills will be solved with a "Buffet R13". There are others of us here that think differently.. thank God!
Shi-Ku Chishiki ShiKu.Chishiki@Gmail.com
It's not the clarinet that makes the player, but the player that makes the clarinet!
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