Author: Anji
Date: 2001-04-23 21:23
At Ken's urging, I'm posting my take on the aftermarket vent sold by Abe Galper.
Be advised that there are no big letters behind my name, I'm a novice player and something of a gadget freak.
At least with this assembly, I didn't come up with extra parts.
Cindy Field (clarinet doc) pointed this out to me when I was having break problems. As a beginner, I was willing to try out most anything that would help with this all-too-common problem.
I play the Evette & Schaeffer Master Model, and the register key fits. So at least that measurement is the same. The vent is a tapered brass tube with a rather large flare outside the bore of the instrument.
My vent needed a little 320 grit 'coaxing' to settle in. I found the supplied leather pad a little noisy and switched to a cork pad, which silenced the schticking sound when opening.
It did take awhile for the cork to seat.
The long and short of it, the break is easier to cross and the Altissimo tuning improved measurably (not that I can hear it, the tuner registers closer to Zero).
The throat tones are now audibly worse (this is with the vent closed, so it is not a contributing factor) as the upper register now sings a little more freely.
I did notice some instability in the A above the staff, but fresh reeds and a tougher embouchure did more to alleviate that.
I have a back up ESMM that is stock, and the Bb is gassy by comparison.
The break is not insurmontable (I have been playing for a year) and the tuning is pretty spotty up top. This is certainly not a controlled test.
Does it sound better? I dunno.
Is it easier to play with the AG vent? Sure it is. Accomodation or habituation may have something to do with the ease of play.
Is it worth $150? Sure it is, especially if you think research and development are worth paying for.
Will it make you a better player? Not a chance, only more practice does that.
anji
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The Clarinet BBoard
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