 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-07-30 14:13
I started playing, a few month back and hungrily devoured all the advice available on the subject. One golden rule I've stuck to as if it was one of the 10 commandments is not to leave a wooden clarinet wet.
This has made my practice session into a scheduled event...
Take it out of the case.
Assemble.
Practice.
Disassemble.
Dry out.
Put away.
I also dabble in the guitar (acoustic, no wires or amplifier) and I love the way I can just pick it up, on a whim, practice a few chords or a riff and put it down.
I know they are two totally different instruments but I just wanted to check to see if others did the same as I do or if there is any procedure that leaves the clarinet more readily available for casual practice.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-07-30 14:21
There are no shortcuts - stick to a set routine and you'll have no problem.
Always best to put any instrument back in its case after playing to protect it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2012-07-30 16:24
I always put my clarinets away after drying, but it seems to me that as long as you keep it in a secure place and away from cold or hot drafts you should be ok. Keep in mind that moisture accumulates in the joints, so be sure to wipe those out before setting the clarinet aside. I would take the reed off and store it properly, though.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: ramsa
Date: 2012-07-30 16:39
I leave my clarinet set-up for 2 weeks at a time. (Between lessons.) It sits on a clarinet stand, in a SAFE corner of an extra bedroom, and gets a silk cloth run through after each daily practice session. Reeds comes off long enough to moisten, and protective cap goes on mouthpiece when not in use.
My guess is that all the extra assembly/disassembly would only increase the risk of damage and wear on joints. Works for me. (Plus...I'm kinda lazy...)
YMMV.
This is a genuine signature.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-07-30 16:53
The danger in leaving it together for long periods of time is condensed water will accumulate in the sockets from playing and cause the wood to swell, then eventually dry out and cause the cork to harden and stick to the socket. So not only may you get frozen joints, the tenon corks will become compressed and won't recover so they'll end up loose once they're freed.
Taking it apart after playing will allow you to dry out the sockets (with a piece of kitchen towel and not the pullthrough) so you know there's no chance of any lasting moisture damage.
With the correct handling during assembly/disassembly, you won't cause any harm - they're designed to be taken apart to fit in a small case anyway, so you shouldn't experience any wear on the joints or bent keys if you know the best way to handle it.
Leaving it assembled on a stand also allows dust to collect under the keywork and will in turn get into the mechanism. So the best advice is always to put it back in its case when not in use instead of leaving it assembled.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: DrewSorensenMusic
Date: 2012-07-30 16:57
You may leave the clarinet assembled during the day, and leave it on a vertical instrument stand. Just make sure to swab the instrument every time you play into it, even if it's for 5 minutes. If the room your instrument is in changes temperature or humidity frequently, I would advise to put the instrument away after every use. Put the clarinet away every evening, or if you know it will not be played for a while.
If you choose to add wiping the silver/nickle keys off, you can do that at the end of the day. This really it's too important on beginning instruments, and more about the aesthetics of professional equipment.
Drew S.
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-07-30 17:00
Thanks everyone for the input.
In answer to David's observation..."And I hope your real name isn't "Putz", that could be tough to live with"
Pleased to say it's not. It's a nickname I picked up in the army, because I "puts" things down and then can't find them. Fortunately, or so I hope, unlike "Schmuck" which has migrated into other cultures language, putz remains pretty meaningless outside of Yiddish...or am I overly optimistic?
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2012-07-30 17:46
Sadly, you are overly optimistic.
Keep on swabbing out that clarinet! Every time you play.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
Personally Selected Buffet Clarinets
World Class Clarinet Mouthpieces
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-07-31 00:13
A nice wooden clarinet has special aesthetic advantages and special responsibilities that go with it. One day, some kind of synthetic material will better wood in every way (tone, expense, reliability, intonation, constancy etc...). Some believe that synthetic might already exist. In the mean time, no material is more physically and visually beautiful than fine wood. It's not only part of a musician's responsibility to maintain the wood. It's part of the joy. It's part of the tradition.
Garth
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-07-31 01:04
It takes me about a minute or less to put my clarinet together, that includes wetting the reed for a few seconds and putting it on. Maybe a minute or two to swab it and put it away. A bit more if I think some pads are wet and have to dry them, time well spent. It it's too much trouble to spend as much as 4-5 minutes to put your clarinet together and then dry it and put it away you should stick to the guitar other wise it's well worth being a little bit fussy.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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