 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: curious
Date: 2001-01-29 18:55
Pardon my ignorance.
From what I have read on this BB and elsewhere, a clarient 'resolates' in one's head
So if i have a cold, I cannot play properly?
Not asking for a cold remedy, but what do really good players do to improve or maintain their tone when they have a cold?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ron b
Date: 2001-01-29 22:16
Curious -
I don't know what the really good players do. I usually try to stay reasonably warm, drink plenty of fluids, have some tissues handy (and just keep honking).
My understanding is that wind instruments do not 'resonate' :]
ron b
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-01-30 03:13
Stay away from clarinet. It will be contaminated by flu viruses.
By the way, I listened to a doctor on radio telling an interesting thing:
We usually made it a rule to sleep well and keep ourselves warm when caught cold and flu medicin had only effects to alleviate flu side effects such as fever.
But now doctors found a few very effective medicins to kill flu viruses directly
such as a medicin used for Parkinson desease. So, now we had better consult with a doctor as soon as we feel like catching cold since those better medicins can get good results only in the early stage of cold.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-01-30 18:15
You can't re-infect yourself. When you get over a viral disease, you have developed immunity to that virus. The reason you get more than one cold is that the cold virus is constantly mutating.
If you can play without too much discomfort, go ahead.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2001-01-30 20:58
I remember in college, the entire band would all get sick at once (surprise). There are some throat infections that seem to live in your horn and reinfect you. In truth, most of it is in the reed in my expierence.
I found that I could stop the cycle by soaking the reed in hydrogen peroxide for a little while (until bubbling slows). This didn't seem to oxidize the reed enough to effect its playability, but it certainly did kill whatever was in/on it.
Often vinegar (1:10 with water) is recommended to clean a mouthpiece. If you don't mind your reed being a bit sour, you might try the same with it. The nice thing about the hydrogen peroxide is that it directly attacks living organizms, and you know when its done its work because it stops bubbling.
Beyond that, wash your swabs and if you're feeling aggressive, sterilize your mouthpiece with the vinegar and water bit. (Insert standard warning that hot water can (will) ruin a mouthpiece.)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Willie
Date: 2001-01-31 00:02
We just had a big discussion about germs and viruses at the school band hall today. That deadly menengitis(sp) crud that is spreading in N. Houston is down here now with our first case in OUR school. I asked them how many germs and stuff was in that mouthpiece they were using (a lot of kids think its neat to swap horns). I then grabbed a clarinet mouthpiece and yanked the reed and showed them some real crud build up. I pointed out too that those brass cups had just as much in the tube. They got a pretty squeemish look on thier faces but, hopefully they will stop borrowing and swapping horns for a while.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-01-31 08:43
Resonation in throat, mouth etc.
1. Surely a cavity needs a lining of hard surgface to resonate. Just imagine an echo (ie a lingering resonation)coming from a cave lined with shag-pile carpet or polystyrene. It just doesn't happen. A mouth cavity and throat have a very soft squishy lining so I cannot imagine any resonation at all. Perhaps players with empty skulls would get some resonation! Surely this all this resonation stuff is psychological imaginings.
2. However what may well be relevant is the turbulance of the air through the throat and mouth. Turbulence is caused by obstructions such as the uvula, teeth, and tongue. This is very relevant on the flute. You don't have to be a flute player to try it. Blow through a slit between the lips as if playing the flute. Now gradually raise the tongue near the roof of the mouth. At one point the air through the lips suddenly becomes turbulent, slows down (feel it against the palm of your hand), and makes a lot more noise, just like the garden hose does if you put a kink in it while the water is flowing out the end. One can achieve the same effect on a flute by raising the embouchure (ie lips) slightly towards the nose so that the top teeth protrude into the air stream..... noisy turbulence again. When turbulent air is directed towards the flute much of it strikes the wrong place at the wrong angle and at the wrong speed so it makes a weak fuzzy-sounding tone.
Tone changes on the clarinet are possibly brought about by turbulence also.
This is my own observation. I suppose it is documented somewhere. Id be interested in rational, informed comments.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: George
Date: 2001-01-31 14:31
I can vouch for hydrogen peroxide not harming reeds. I soak my reads in H2O2 (5%, from drug store) after every use, while I am cleaning the rest of the horn) and have done so for years. It seems to prolong the life of the reed, and it stops the black fungus which grows in humid weather and ruins the reeds. It is also non-toxic , since it is completely gone when dry, and leaves no taste. It certainly can't hurt, and may help prevent reinfection.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
