 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rapidcif
Date: 2009-12-14 22:10
a few quick questions. For most of you this will probably take a few seconds to come up with an answer.
1. I heard from a friend that a method to "unstuck" a stuck barrel is to put it in the refrigerator. But for a wooden clarinet, doesn't that risk cracking it? (i don't have a stuck barrel, just wondering.)
2. In a long rehearsal, how long should you go before you switch reeds? Because i hear wetting a reed too long will make it warp, especially if the bark gets wet.
3. Do physical problems affect clarinet playing? Whenever i get only 4 hours of sleep, the next day when i play clarinet my sound is really bright. I also have asthma and whenever i'm weezing because of it, my sound also gets bright. Anyone have similar experiences?
4. How do some people still wear shorts and a t-shirt in 30 degree weather???
thank you all.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2009-12-14 22:38
1. Not necessarily. I recently gave in and put the lower joint of my clarinet in the refrigerator for a couple of hours when, after a day and a half of trying, I couldn't get the bell off. Of course, it should go without saying that you shouldn't even think about playing the instrument until it's had a good long time to come back up to normal room temperature. Wood is most prone to crack when it expands quickly from being warmed suddenly. I don't think I'd leave it in the fridge any longer than that. though.
2. Switch when the one you're playing on doesn't play well. I normally don't switch during a rehearsal at all unless I'm trying to test out a newer reed near the end of its break-in period. But sometimes a reed seems to collapse or it starts getting stuffy as it soaks up saliva. If that happens, I switch.
3. I have no real opinion about a real effect of a player's physical problem on what comes out of the clarinet, especially tone quality, but it could certainly have an effect on your perception. Your hearing might be slightly affected by an asthma flareup. If you're very tired, you may not put the same energy into playing, your attention may be less focused and you may tend to exaggerate the flaws you hear.
4. They're indoors?
Karl
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2009-12-14 22:45
1. It's worked for me with no problems.
2. I use cane reeds for no more than 2 hours max before switching out. No scientific evvidence to back it up, just general practice for me. You could also look into a synbthetoic reed. They're great!
3. Can't say.... no experience. Still, I think you perform better at anything when you are rested and relaxed.
4. I work at a local college, and some idiot was wearing shorts last week. We're in Michigan, and the high that day was in the 20s. Eventually Darwin will catch up with him.
Jeff
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-12-15 01:24
Iceland clarinet wrote:
> About question #4 I guess you are using 30°C.
I think he meant 30°F (-1°C).
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2009-12-15 01:44
Iceland clarinet wrote:
> -1°C is not cold at all to me
Nor is it to many of us ... and, BTW, I'm still wearing shorts and a t-shirt to the gym. As long as it's above about 15-20F. Nice short run from the parking lot to the door!
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-12-15 02:26
1- I agree, it is not a problem if you let it sit for a while afterwards to allow it to become room temperature before playing it. Cold by itself will not hurt the wood, only going from one extreme to another to quickly.
2- As far as the bark getting wet, that should have nothing to do with how long you play it because there's not reason the bark should get wet by playing it. You should always rotate your reeds but how long you play on any one depends on the reed. You can check my reed page on my website to see what and why I say you should never get the bark wet. Some people don't agree but it works for me so the reed won't warp.
3- I would assume that physical problems will have an effect on your playing and possibly your tone but I have no experience in this matter to give you an opinion.
4- I'm not sure what this has to do with playing the clarinet but one of our horn players has a very high tolerance for cold and he told me it has to do with the nerves in or below his skin. He said some people are not as sensitive to the heat and cold as others. In some rare cases it can be very dangerous when it is an extreme because a person can actually burn them selves without realizing it until it's too late. That would of course be the reverse of cold but the same reason. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: marcia
Date: 2009-12-15 03:31
4. How do some people still wear shorts and a t-shirt in 30 degree weather???
Partly depends on where you live. I definitely wear shorts and t-shirt in 30 deg. weather. However I suspect my American friend south of the border probably bundles up in 30 deg. weather. ![[happy]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley12.gif)
Marcia (north of the border)
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2009-12-15 10:02
1. Change the temperature slowly, I'd expect you'll be fine. Also I'd consider bagging the parts to keep wacky humidity changes out.
2. Switch when the reed stops working.
3. Being tired can't help.
4. Ah, trick question. Because it's summer and you're in the North of England. ;-D
Like that one 'You're in a cabin, all the windows face south, a bear walks past the window. What colour is the bear?'
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2009-12-15 10:11
>> Like that one 'You're in a cabin, all the windows face south,
>> a bear walks past the window. What colour is the bear?'
I don't know I'm colourblind 
To the questions in the first post:
1. Doubtful if anyone can say for sure. But, by far most clarinets I see don't crack. Only a few of the clarinets I see crack. I've never seen a clarinet crack from being put in the refrigerator. The longest I know of a clarinet in a refrigerator is about one day (over night).
2. If you are not overly obsessive with reeds, and for some reason believe you have to rotate and switch reeds after some time, because you have experience proving it's possible to play one reed for very long, then you can play any reed until it doesn't play good enough.
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Author: TianL
Date: 2009-12-15 14:47
3. When someone doesn't sleep much, it's as if he's drunk (there is an actual research on this. I forgot the numbers but if someone stays awake for 24 hours, it's like ?% alcohol in blood. The "?" is something quite high.)
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Author: kathryn777
Date: 2009-12-15 16:00
They're used to it. I live in Texas... i bundle up in 50º temperatures!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2009-12-15 22:11
Quick answers:
1.Y
2.6hrs
3.Y
4. Comfort
Bob Draznik
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Author: justme
Date: 2009-12-16 02:45
Same Here kathryn777!
It seems to get a bit chilly if it's under 70F.
But those yankees can't take 100-110F in the shade and 95% humidity either!
Just Me
http://woodwindforum.ning.com/
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