 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: mvjohnso
Date: 2012-03-10 03:34
Right now I am currently an senior finishing up my undergrad and I was wondering how one gets into the music tech business. I know that there are few trade schools out there but they seem like a bit of joke. I have been repairing all my own horns sense high school and it is something that I am good at and enjoy. As such, it is something that I would really love to pursue as a career. But, I don't know where to start. I know that I have to just keep repairing horns to build up my skills, but I lack the horns to practice on to build experience. In addition to that one of my majors stipulates that I need an internship, and I would love to do this while playing and repairing clarinet.
*Shameless pitch*
So, here is my shameless pitch of myself. I am from Los Angeles but currently reside in New Orleans (so something in those locations would be amazing). I attend Loyola University New Orleans where I have my primary major in music industry studies. What does that entail? Well, it is a major that tries to cover the business of music (so lots of sh*t). It entails a minor in business so I understand the basics of how to work within and optimize an enterprise. Additionally, there was a large focus on the other kind of music tech (technology). So, I learned all sorts of fun stuff like how run and set up a recording session, how to mix music, and how to mic live events. But, not only that, I also have taken 3 classes in website and software development and almost all my classes had a heavy emphasis on a digital presence. I originality (well first I was a performance major) wanted to be music industry lawyer, but due to a recent appifany I realized that I didn't want anything to do with it anymore. So, that brings me to my second major which is Philosophy Pre-Law. Not much to do with instrument repair but I learned some good life lessons and how to form my thoughts. I was good at the law sh*t too, I scored in the 89th percentile of the LSAT. I have a 3.5 GPA and am a member of the Honors program. I play clarinet, saxophone, oboe (but I hate the thing because it is pure evil), and a little flute. I am looking for an internship (ie. I will work for free) this summer. I am sorry if the latter half of this post was an abuse of the BBoard.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2012-03-10 03:47
The trade schools aren't a joke, at least the reputable ones. I can't speak for Renton (which I hear is good), but I know a very good local tech in L.A. that went to Red Wing.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: mvjohnso
Date: 2012-03-10 04:49
Sorry, joke came out badly, do not mean to put down the school or those who attended them. And it sounds as though the one I heard about is perhaps not the most reputable, as it was an online one that my former professor's wife (who does good work) with the primary goal of getting the certification so she could buy from repair part distributors. But, I would rather not shell out the money for one of those courses as college is already expensive, and I have experience in doing many types of repairs just from my own horns and those of my classmates. Not to take anything away from those programs.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2012-03-10 07:38
Some repairers went to repair schools and/or worked as an apprentice. Some of the best repairers are more or less self taught. I don't know about others, but I can just post how I started, FWIW.
I had a teacher who did small small repairs and showed me a few things (e.g. re-position the thumb rest, reglue corks, etc.) even in elementary school, most of which I did with my dad. Around the end of high school I had some more serious problems and went to a repairerer who did pretty terrible work. I went home and fixed the still unrepaired problems myself and from then on just fixed everything myself.
I bought some books (the best one IMO is The Complete Woodwind Repair Manual by Reg Thorp), afew old instruments, basic tools and started to fix everything I could. After a while I repadded one of my own clarinets (one I never use). After some more time I repadded my backup clarinet and also started to repair some of my friends' instruments for free. I also bought more tools every once in a while. I started thinking seriously about making this into a real business.
A bit off topic but related... Around the same I realized the direction I wanted to go in music was an experimental one that doesn't really fit into any frame, especially a "making a living" frame. It is a group of musicians that locally we usually call "border" musicians. It is especially difficult here where support of arts, and especially non-mainstream art, is extremely low. Those musicians all make a living in some others ways, usually teaching or another music-related job e.g. sound engineer, producer, or also play "mainstream" music where there is a lot more pay. The "border" music scene is a little bit of underground movement in a way, trying to keep itself alive only with the strong passion of the musicians to do it.
So... I realized I really like repairing too and it can be a really great and fun way to have a job that I like and allow me freedom in music too. So I invested tons of time in improving, reading anything I could but mainly trying and experimenting on instruments I had, also doing more and more free work for friends.
At some point I decided to make the leap and start the business. Actually this is just registering with local tax authorities which you have to do in order to charge for work. I bought a lot more tools. From then just grew more and more to where it is now. I make the music I want and repair too.
Of course, repairing can also be a more "regular" job i.e. just work at a store that pays you. I realized that for me, I not only want to repair, but I also don't want to work in a "normal" job with a boss and regular hours, etc. So I chose this direction. Maybe a "normal" job repairing instrument would work better for you. I guess then it is done the usual way, similar to hiring anyone for any job. I don't really have any advice or experience when going in this direction.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2012-03-10 12:48
Peter Ferrante told me he learned the repair business in military service. He'd joined as a musician. Evidently the man who did the repair work needed help, so he "volunteered" Ferrante. One thing led to another!
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-03-10 13:03
I wouldn't count on learning instrument repair in the military these days. Though I believe there still is 'schooling' for that, one must be a current bandsman and express desire WHEN there is a need (a sure slot for a student). The current thought on military instrument repair is to just go buy new axe.
Personally I would seek out shops with the best reputations (repairers and builders) and then see if you can land some sort of job (perhaps even of pro bono to start) with them. This would inevitably mean you travel to the job rather than have the job you want in your favorite location. But if you want to set up a SERIOUS business, you must be serious about how you start.
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-03-10 13:27
Your best bet when starting out is to buy a used Bundy or similar clarinet for a reasonably low price (but is still in fully working and serviceable condition) and learn how to take it apart and put it back together again - you'll soon learn the sequence to removing and refitting keys as some have a specific order as to when they're removed or replaced before replacing other keys.
Then you can practice replacing key corks and pads, replacing springs, adjusting key heights and also bending and straightening keys, screws and key barrels.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: mvjohnso
Date: 2012-03-10 18:53
Well as far as taking horns apart and repairing them, I've done that with quite a few instruments. I just recently completely overhauled my Festival (all new corks, some new springs, oiled, some key bending (I am over 6 foot so my hands are a bit to big for a standard key setup, and reset the pads (no point in replacing goretex after 8 years)); I did a similar thing with my E12 and have replaced a few springs and pads on a flute and sax. Additionally, I have an C melody on the way that I plan to give the works to once it gets here (sax gourmet pads w/ meastro resonators, techcork, blue steel springs, the whole shabang). So I'm pretty confident with the sequence of things, and am confident in my ability to do all of the things that Chris mentioned. Really the only things that I don't have much experience in are fixing cracks and fixing dents in metal body instruments. I also know how to resurface reeds (through making oboe reeds) and a bit about mouthpiece refacing, though that is a new thing for me. And, to the comment of being willing to travel, I am (I already up and left LA for NO for college once, so I figure I could do it again), but as Los Angeles and New Orleans (well not so much infrastructure wise) are major music hubs, and I have places to live already in both of them, I thought I should mention them.
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Author: A Brady
Date: 2012-03-10 20:59
In my experience, the finest repair techs all learned their craft through some sort of apprenticeship with a master repair person. This is akin to the "mentor to student" system through which great musicians learn and refine their art. Find the best repair shop or individual available to you and endeavor to spend considerable time at the elbow of someone who is a master at what they do, work hard and absorb everything that you can. There are many charlatans in this field, and, unfortunately, many players are never able to play on a properly set up instrument because of it; this is also very true in the mouthpiece refacing business, where many "self taught" hacks make a habit of butchering other peoples important pieces. There is a fine tradition in the repair field! Learn from the best that you can, and you will always have loyal customers. While it may be possible to learn strictly technical skills on one's own, this craft is as much art as it is science, at least on the professional level. I would no more trust my precious instruments to an untrained repair tech than I would play an important performance with a completely self taught musician (at least in the classical genre!)
AB
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Author: jbutler ★2017
Date: 2012-03-10 21:09
I went through an apprenticeship program but know other great techs who went to schools specializing in the trade. Perhaps this link might be of some help:
http://tinyurl.com/7owmdyf
johnb
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Author: mvjohnso
Date: 2012-03-10 21:20
I guess I was calling apprenticeship by a different name, internship. Same concept free work on my part in exchange for the knowledge from one who knows what they are doing. However, I don't really know where to start with this one as I spent most of college focusing on academics (as the performance opportunities were at best limited where I decided to go when it came to clarinet). And, as stated before after the hurricane (though I suspect there wasn't much before either) down here, the musical infrastructure especially when it comes to repair is pretty much non-existent (I know for a fact that all the jobs from my school are outsourced out of the area). Don't really want to turn back to my old professor as I stopped taking lessons with him due to all of the bullsh*t politics and favoritism (but that is another issue). I do not want to be a hack and wish to learn the proper methods, but this is a very limited field so finding a starting place is difficult.
I guess my question should be how do I get an apprenticeship.
Post Edited (2012-03-10 21:29)
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Author: RAB
Date: 2012-03-12 13:57
Hi,
I started cleaning up rental returns in a large music store. The head of the repair department, The late Howard Grey, would show me how to do small repair such as replacing corks or cork joints when the rental instruments needed them and when he saw I had an aptitude for the work he would add some more "learning projects".
I would suggest that you purchase "A Guide to Repairing Woodwinds" by Ronald Saska, He developed this manual for the woodwind repair course at the Musical Instrument Technology Program at the State University of New York College at Morrisville. Sadly the course is no longer offered.
However the book is very easy to understand and he has many detailed pictures and drawings.
The ISBN # is 0-939103-03-6
I work at Muncy Winds Music and I know they have it in stock, but there should be other sources for it also.
Hope this helps.
Rodney Berry
Repair Dept
Muncy Winds Music Company
Boone, N.C.
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Author: squeakyclarinet
Date: 2012-03-13 18:44
Interestingly, I too was a music and philosophy double-major. I got started with repair by taking my university's basic brass and woodwind repair classes, geared towards ed majors. Real basic stuff, changing key corks, tenon corks, pads, and stuck mouthpieces and valves on brass. The technician/teacher knew someone at a local repair shop who needed trainees, and I worked there exclusively on flutes for two summers. After college, I started full-time, and have since learned the other instruments.
Apply like you would another job. Mention, but don't fixate on, your degree. It is much less relevant than your mechanical aptitude.
Good luck! It's a great job....I feel like I get paid to play with LEGOs all day
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop blaming your instrument and get in a practice room.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-03-14 03:37
+1 for Ken Shaw's link to the Yahoo repair tech group site.
There is lots of great stuff there. Sign up, peruse the files...
Bob Phillips
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