 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: 2E
Date: 2011-09-12 03:21
Just curious, where do we get the term "Eefer" from?
2E
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2011-09-12 06:13
Probably from "e-flat" which phonetically would be "ee-flat" and so ...
Consequently, the standard soprano would be a Beefer.
--
Ben
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2011-09-12 07:38
...and bafe and contrabafe clarinetf :-)
Sounds a bit like the Cockney alphabet.
'Ay for 'Orses
'Eave a brick
etc...
I picked up the term on this board.
I've also heard the Eb called the Swine Pipe. I don't know is that's because it squeals like a stuck pig, is a pig to play, or its sound is only fit for hearding pigs
Iike calling a piccolo a shieking or poison twig, a trombone a slush-pump or any other daft names for our (least) favourite instruments.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-09-12 11:00
If Eefer is to Eb clarinet and Beefer is to Bb clarinet, then what's an equivalent term for an A clarinet? And A-er? And a D and C clarinet?
An Ab sopranino will be an Aefer!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2011-09-12 11:40
How'bout Ceener and Deener, and Ayner? (from "C natural" etc)
I sense some silly or naughty Limericks coming up...
--
Ben
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Author: 2E
Date: 2011-09-12 12:17
Are we all agreed that the term is a result of the British accent? haha
When I read "Eefer" I prounounced it how you would pronounce "F" in the alphabet followed by "er" instead of pronouncing "E" in the alphabet followed by "fer" if that makes sense? I trust thats incorrect?
Must be a 'straylian thing 
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-09-12 13:10
It's similar to how the word (and later brand name) Jeep came about - from the abbreviation G.P. which was shortened to Jeep.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: FDF
Date: 2011-09-12 13:26
There once was a clarinetist who played eefer,
Who to B-flaters, had to defer.
But when he hit a high note.
He really would gloat,
And said, “There’s a note to prefer.”
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Author: Ed
Date: 2011-09-12 13:27
I always thought it sounded kind of dumb. It is not as if it is fewer syllables and is any easier to say.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-09-12 14:41
The first to call "Eb" an "eefer"
was a surfer dude smoking a reefer.
He played a high shriek
and he started to freak!
So he quit and turned over a new leaf - er.
Bad Artists and Rhymers Foundation (BARF)
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2011-09-12 22:41
I've heard it called "Eefer" since '69 but can't recall before that. That's quite a while ago. in fact I became "eefer guy" back then.
Dave your limerick is brilliant. I needed a good laugh. that was it!
Eefer guy
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-09-12 22:54
Good one, David.
2E, in any version of the English language, I think your interpretation would have to be incorrect.
Eefer is pronounced with a long e, ee' fer, because of the double e (as in beef).
Effer would be pronounced f' er. The double consonant ff after the e makes the e short.
Of course, as anyone who plays it knows, there are times when an eefer really is a little effer, if you know what I mean.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-09-12 23:39
I've seen some people refer to Eefers as "Effers" on here - not sure if they really meant to or not, but they definitely are!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-09-13 00:38
Chris, I believe they're the same people who write "opps" when they mean "oops" --- they simply can't spell. That would cover about 85% of the American population, not sure what your percentage of bad spellers would be across the Big Pond.
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Author: 2E
Date: 2011-09-13 01:35
Haha I'm guilty of accidentally writing opps when of course meaning to write oops.
David that limerick was fantastic!
Thanks for everyones responses 
2E
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2011-09-13 05:17
>> When I read "Eefer" I prounounced it how you would pronounce "F" in the alphabet followed by "er" instead of pronouncing "E" in the alphabet followed by "fer" if that makes sense? I trust thats incorrect? <<
Eefer: An Eb clarinet.
Effer: Someone who says the F word a lot.
So... anyone who plays Eb clarinet is an Effer who plays an Eefer.
Post Edited (2011-09-13 09:20)
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Author: FDF
Date: 2011-09-13 10:59
David, My musical cap is doffed to you for a great limerick.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2011-09-13 13:08
Once an aspirant of clarinetology,
2E detoured his mates into etymology,
Through conjecture and speculation
Their practicing forsaken
For performances they could only offer apology.
Not enough coffee while I was chasing the Kid -- Jack caught on right away. Edited to reduce my embarrassment!
Gnothi Seauton
Post Edited (2011-09-13 20:08)
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-09-13 18:44
The study of bugs???????
Best regards,
jnk
Let it be noted for post-er(ior)ity that, after I posted the above message, James substituted "etymology" for "entomology" in his verse.
Post Edited (2011-09-13 21:22)
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2011-09-14 07:20
To call it eef or eff
Is really anyone's gueff
We get so up tight
About getting it right
We end up in a big meff
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-09-14 14:33
Well, (and this is just MOO)
High notes on an eefer... boo hoo.
But let's be reflective
and keep some perspective.
An Alto's an Eb horn, too!
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-09-14 18:29
What Jack says is true, but that said,
the Alto's been dissed 'till it's dead!
There's no need to lump it
with eefer (or trumpet),
back 'on topic' let's move ahead.....
My brain hurts.
Post Edited (2011-09-14 19:11)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2011-09-14 19:06
Eefer’s in such disrepute,
It’s like touching a forbidden fruit.
Players just fear it.
Others won’t hear it.
The hatred is worse than the flute.
...GBK
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2011-09-14 22:34
After practising Eefer for an age,
with too many black notes on my page,
that were all in altissimo,
blaring fortissimo,
I tore up my score in a rage.
did Ravel really like this high screech
that I'm never quite able to reach?
Oh i'm sick to the gills
practising all of these trills
in the mad symphonie fantastique.
Daphnis really makes my head thump,
and Til Eulenspiegel can go jump.
How I welcome the day
when I pack it away
and take this little horn to the dump.
And I'm going to burn all those little reeds too...
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Author: 2E
Date: 2011-09-15 01:05
hahahaha these are all fantastic!
However, my original question about the origin of the nickname remains unanswered :p
2E
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2011-09-15 01:10
I would suggest it's unanswerable. When did the word "cool" mean something good or awesome?
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: 2E
Date: 2011-09-15 03:47
Good point, it probably would be foolish to try tracking down.
Anymore limericks? ha
2E
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-09-15 04:56
But for Daphnis of course there's a cure.
And you know it, Licorice, I'm sure.
Instead of an eefer,
transpose on a D for
those parts that are hell to endure.
And Strauss, just between you and me,
would turn in his grave and yell, "Nie!"
if he caught you playing
Till E. on Eb.
The part clearly specifies D.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2011-09-15 06:10
Now dear Jack, I must give a rebuttal,
for the difference between them is subtle-
a high G on an eefer
is A-flat on a deefer,
it's so shrill it'll make everyone scuttle!
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-09-15 13:49
Oh come now, a man who is grown
has no call to groan and to moan
when the easier key
(not F# but G)
costs only a small semi-tone!
Post Edited (2011-09-15 13:51)
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Author: TJTG
Date: 2011-09-15 14:22
I really enjoy this forum.
Post Edited (2011-09-15 14:28)
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2011-09-15 18:00
David-
Though your comments do fill me with pride,
I must push my small ditties aside,
for it's not hard to prove,
that the sum of your oeuvre,
keeps our wits thoroughly occupied.
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Author: ned
Date: 2011-09-17 01:41
David Spiegelthal writes: ''.........they simply can't spell. That would cover about 85% of the American population,......''
It may be more than 85% David, I'd wager. Americans have their own dialect and spelling, and that is more or less, a product of wanting to differentiate yourselves from Britain - certainly in the pioneer days this was true - according to some English language documentaries which I have seen.
The dominance of the USA now days in media and music has reinforced the ''Americanisation'' of popular culture and American English usage.
I think this is partly the cause of some misunderstandings between correspondents to this board - non American correspondents in particular - given we are in the minority. I note more and more, the tendency for many posters to write in ''mobile talk'' - you know - LOL, BTW and etc ad nauseaum - where a short sentence or two, properly constructed would present their ideas very clearly.
Although I have travelled extensively in the USA over 25-30 years, I still find it perplexing when I have to grapple with the American tendency to delete prepositions in sentences, for example this common one in newspapers and television, ''The President said Thursday''.........where's the word ''on''? Did the President utter the word ''Thursday'' or did he actually do something on Thursday? Or the transmogrification of nouns and proper nouns in to verbs.........you don't ''search the internet'' any more, you ''Google'' it. You don't ''make photocopies'' you ''Xerox''.
I'm speaking out of frustration and certainly don't expect anything to change - it's the way of the world - I shall stick with my Australian (British based) dialect none the less.
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2011-09-17 07:11
@ned:
Language changes. So though you may frown
upon words not acknowledged by the crown,
today millions of tongues
utter words which are wrong
in your backward, remote, outback town.
LOL :-)
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