 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2006-01-31 21:19
I just received my first brand new clarinet. No cleaning, no repadding, no recorking before playing, woohoo!. (It's a wooden Amati from a firesale, btw).
I assume it isn't clever to go berserk with it from day one. What is the sensible approach of breaking it in? Just a quarter of an hour at a time? Just ppp instead of fff?
--
Ben
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Author: chazman
Date: 2006-01-31 21:28
Ben,
Check out this link...great information, be patient and take it slow
http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/Care/Break-in.html
Have fun with it and best of luck
Chuck
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Author: Danny Boy
Date: 2006-01-31 21:28
I'm in the same boat, 'breaking in' a pair of Buffet Toscas.
http://www.eatonclarinets.freeserve.co.uk/
Some good advice here on care for new and old instruments.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-01-31 22:06
Then there are those that preach the following:
"With a new clarinet - USE IT - play the @#$%&* out of it from the beginning"
If an instrument is made of wood which is unstable, it is going to crack eventually, no matter how careful you are.
Isn't it better to find out during the first year, when the clarinet is warranted for cracks, rather than a few years down the road, when you would be fully responsible for the repair or replacement of the joint?
...GBK
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2006-01-31 22:34
I never abuse a clarinet when it is new--or even when it is old--but I am careful with it. I don't expose it to extremes of anything; weather, long playing sessions, etc. But, I don't limit my time to 30 min. the first time and then 1 hour the next, etc. like some recommend. It's not unusual for me to play about an hour and a half or two hours the first day.
And, I've never had one single crack in any of my numerous (check the bboard for some of them) clarinets in the 46 years I've played. Perhaps that's just lucky, or blessed, but that's the way it is.
Part of the initial breaking in period is to acclimate the pads. So, I'm sure to allow the instrument to be at room temperature before playing it. Don't just bring it in from the car and start playing. Wait 30 min. or so and then play.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-02-01 05:21
I'm with GBK on this. Play as much as you want/need but make sure you swab it afterwards. If you play for a long time maybe even swab every once in a while.
I personally swab every part and then use my fingers for the edges, which I think is best. After having a lot of cracks when I didn't swab properly I think this is very important.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2006-02-01 07:19
Play it. Swab it. Keep it somewhere not too hot, not too cool, not too damp, not too dry. Watch the joints don't get tight, or the rings loose. It'll acclimatise eventually.
What does anyone reckon about bore oil?
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Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-03-11 13:19
@GBK: Please don't spread such an unprofessional opinion!!! ;-( The wood of the clarinet needs "aging" by a periodic wetting-drying-procedure until a stable equilibrated condition. An adult (aged) wood is nearly stable against humidity alteration. And this depends on the "horning" status of the wood cells.
If you blow the fresh or dry clarinet until wettness and dry it more times, the cracks are preprogrammed definitely.
A new or long time rested horn is to blow very careful and not until wetness but humid. Then it's to swab and to dry well (not heated, not in very dry ambient). The playtime should start with only 5-10min and could be increased every day some minutes more, but in the first one or two months not more than 30min one cycle. That's the best way, to get a stable, fine sounding and "water resistant" instrument for many many years.
Yes of course, cracks could occur, but your published method forces them - without any senseful mind ;-( That's like a stupid man buys a new car and fires it up to vmax immediately...
kindly
Roman
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Author: BobD
Date: 2010-03-11 14:14
Ben...since it's a Czech clarinet you should have seen the caution note in the instructions that you are supposed to drink dark Czech beer before and during playing for the first month.
Bob Draznik
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Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-03-11 14:16
;-) But I assume, he has to drink one dark beer every time, he wants to play it... ;-))
kindly
Roman
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2010-03-11 16:15
If the moisture content and temperature are not uniform through the thickness of the clarinet, the hot/dry side will be in tension. The numbers work out such that it is not at all difficult for that tension to pull the wood fibers apart and crack the wood.
SO, you must be sure that you minimize temperature and moisture gradients through the clarinet.
Consider a dry, cold clarinet --such as the one that just arrived in your possession.
NOW imagine what happens when you subject the bore of that cold, dry clarinet to 98.6-deg saturated air! The moisture and warmth will swell up the bore, and BANG, POP, you've got a crack!
It is important that you go about "breaking-in" the clarinet in light of slowly equilibrating the moisture through the wall of the tube --and that you don't suddenly warm it up from the inside.
For a good summary of how to go about this:
http://taplinweir.com/care_maintenance.php
This gentle treatment applies to any wooden instrument that has been dried out since last being played.
I mean, why tempt the wood-cracking fates?
Bob Phillips
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-03-12 15:01
I believe all the major clarinet manufactures suggest that you "break in" their new clarinets. The shop that I buy my students clarinets always reminds them to do that. I don't think you need to be ridiculous about how you go about breaking it in but I suggest playing it about 15 minutes a day the first week, half hour a day the next week etc. until you reach an hour a day. Always swab carefully and don't take it out into extreme temperatures for at least a month or two. It's better to be careful than to regret it later. Wood does need some time to adjust to it's new surroundings and getting wet to dry. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: GBK
Date: 2010-03-12 15:19
I can certainly understand Buffet's (and other makers) cautious instructions about breaking in a new clarinet, to prevent unhappy customers from inundating them with crack warranty claims.
But, after following all the careful break in procedures to the letter, how many of the numerous clarinets still cracked?
That is why I echoed what many players now do:
Play the $#@#$$ out of it right away. If it is going to crack, it's better to find out sooner, than years later.
And yes...I realize that clarinets can crack at ANY time, regardless of age.
...GBK (who owns 12 R13's and never had one crack)
/ knock on (uncracked) wood
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Author: BobD
Date: 2010-03-12 22:08
Many of today's automobiles require no break-in and I don't see any connection between auto and clarinet manufacture. IMO: Let a cold clarinet warm up to room temperature before playing it too hard. Swab it properly after playing and try to store it at "normal" temperature and humidity levels. If you're really uptight about it then play a non-wood horn.
Bob Draznik
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Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-03-13 07:14
@GBK: Yes, some clarinets crack if they were handled with care too. But the question ist, how many these are and how many would be with a tougher procedure. Now it's a percentage lower than 2 I would estimate, but otherwise could be 30?.
My opinion is, that excellent craftmanship should be worth to handle this products with respect and care.
@BobD: And the cars are not free of "warm up" phase! I'm repairing and restoring cars for many years, and the number of capital engine damages within the first 10.000km is not really less than before. The service is better organized, and the monitoring of unplanned changes inside the engine warns you earlier to avoid a total crash. Some active control installed in the intelligent fuel intake also helps to protect the engine against a rigid driver ;-) That's the reason, not the unnecessary warmup.
kindly
Roman
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2010-03-13 13:05
RoBass wrote:
> I'm
> repairing and restoring cars for many years, and the number of
> capital engine damages within the first 10.000km is not really
> less than before.
Hi. I work for Ford. You are absolutely, incontrovertibly incorrect going back over at least the past 10 years, and I believe at least 15 years.
Warranty work is the most expensive work to do on a car (direct reduction of profit) and every car maker works to reduce those costs - at least until the cost of the repair ends up being less than the retooling.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-03-13 15:51
Just for the record, after four years I consider it broken-in. :-)
(And yes, I do swab after playing, I do wipe the sockets with kitchen paper towels, I don't drink neither beer nor soda while performing.)
--
Ben
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Author: David Niethamer
Date: 2010-03-15 03:33
> GBK (who owns 12 R13's...)
Still trying to find a good one?!?!? ;-)
David (Yamaha Performing Artist)
David
niethamer@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/index.html
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Author: BobD
Date: 2010-03-15 11:17
Hmmmm...Ben...You don't drink neither! Never? Ever? Together?
Bob Draznik
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