 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bassclarinet101 ★2017
Date: 2016-03-30 23:38
I have the opportunity to select a new clarinet for myself, but it's been a long time since I've done so. Given the investment, I was hoping to get some feedback from the users here on the forums:
How do you go about choosing a clarinet? What kind of things are you looking for? What kind of things are red flags to decline on an otherwise excellent instrument? Is there any particular process to go through in choosing an instrument at the professional level?
And in the same regard, since I am not particularly brand loyal: Are there any clarinet models to specifically avoid due to design flaws, or any models you absolutely recommend looking into?
I don't expect to select a clarinet today, or even in the next week, as I know it takes time. Thank you so much in advance for the advice!
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2016-03-31 00:36
If you don't already own Thomas Ridenour's "Educator's Guide to the Clarinet" I'd suggest getting a copy for many reasons, one being his clear and sensible guidelines in approaching the very questions you ask. It's available for $700(!) on Amazon or for much less at his own website.
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Author: KenJarczyk
Date: 2016-03-31 00:40
Daniel -
How exciting! Often the "hunt" is a lot of fun, at least for me it is!
Are you looking for a great use-it-a-lot warhorse? Planning on playing a lot? What is your preferred style? And, what is your budget? I assume you're wanting a great player, right out of the box, so - new, or already overhauled, etc.
I do enjoy helping, so I look forward to your reply.
Ken Jarczyk
Woodwinds Specialist
Eb, C, Bb, A & Bass Clarinets
Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Baritone Saxophones
Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo
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Author: bassclarinet101 ★2017
Date: 2016-03-31 00:55
Ken -
Versatility is the name of the game for me! I work in a music shop, but we top out at the R13 in store, so I am more than willing to look around, regardless of model or brand. I play daily, with a mix of jazz (such as Sing Sang Sung or standards with on the fly groups), classical (subbing in with local orchestras - indoors), and even the occasional pop song (such as When I'm 64).
A great player would be ideal, but I know things can vary clarinet to clarinet (my previous player was an R13), so I want to make sure to be thorough when selecting an instrument.
Don't get me wrong, I'll never be in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra or anything like that, but I'd rather make the investment for an instrument with a broad spectrum of sound capabilities that I can further refine by changing mouthpiece, barrel, ligature, etc.
I just have no idea how to pick such a thing out.
-Daniel
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Author: Tom Ridenour
Date: 2016-03-31 01:01
$700 on Amazon? I'm not sure who is selling it for that much but......that's not the price! Someone actually mentioned something about this to me a few weeks ago and I didn't think anything of it as it sounded so absurd. The books priced at $52.95 on our site so how is it listed at $700+?
I just looked up the listings and they are used books so I'm not sure we, Ridenour Clarinet Products, can do anything about it. Very confusing.
I'm glad I was told about this thread and found out about the insane price someone is selling the Ed. Guide for. I definitely don't want people getting the impression that the book is $700+ or that the listing is ours.
Craziness.
Ted Ridenour
Ridenour Clarinet Products,
rclarinetproducts.com
sales@ridenourclarinetproducts.com
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Author: KenJarczyk
Date: 2016-03-31 01:46
Daniel -
I'm glad Tom Ridenour posted!
I play a lot of theater, jazz, pop, classical, and chamber. I absolutely love my 1959 Leblanc Dynamic H, considered a "big bore" clarinet, but it was designed as a classical horn by one of the absolute geniuses of woodwind acoustics- Charles Houvenaghel. It morphed into the "Pete Fountain" model in later years. From Symphony to Jazz Clubs, with proper mouthpieces, I've found it to be wonderful!
I also love my Selmer Centered Tone, more so for jazz, but handles classical quite well, too! My trusty 1969 Buffet R13 still has its place! Also I have 2 Selmer Series 10 clarinets, mostly classical horns.
But - I was finding myself in a lot of environmentally unfriendly theater pits, and I did not wish to torture my beloved horns. After much research, I called Tom Ridenour. He is the Houvenaghel of genius acousticians in today's clarinet world. I already owned his fabulous C clarinet, which is one of the best playing horns I've ever had. So, I purchased his Libertas Bb. What an absolutely great decision that was! In the course of a year, it has displaced all other Bb clarinets I own. Any style, any place! Totally even scale, wonderful singing & ringing sound! Worth 10 times the price!
So - now I use the Libertas, pretty exclusively, with a Fobes CWF, and Legere European Cut 3-1/4 for everything, but for Jazz only gigs, I pop on a Walt Grabner K14 with Legere European Cut 3.
I've also been playing a most wonderful Selmer 10G A clarinet, with a sound people would kill for, but I just ordered a Ridenour A.
Ken Jarczyk
Woodwinds Specialist
Eb, C, Bb, A & Bass Clarinets
Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Baritone Saxophones
Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo
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Author: bassclarinet101 ★2017
Date: 2016-03-31 05:24
Thanks for the recommendation on the Lyrique Libertas! It is a model I'll look into, but I'm still unsure on evaluating clarinets.
-Daniel
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2016-03-31 06:34
I'm not very scientific or detail minded for that matter, so my initial approach is to just noodle a few minutes at first to find one that is FUN to play. Of course the first thing you do in that room is play YOUR horn. You want to have a firm idea of what you are used to, and what that is in that space and at that time.
Once you have one or two you enjoy playing, then comes the not so fun part. You pull out a tuner and hit the areas where you normally have issues. If that goes over great you need to check everything else because you don't want a horn that DOESN'T do what you old horn can.
It is important to realize that ALL horns are a compromise. You just want to find the set of compromises that are the easiest or more natural for you to deal with.
The last thing to keep in mind is "fine adjustments." Spring tensions, pad heights and ring heights can all be readjusted at will once you get the horn home so you have to know what things you can overlook. There may actually be a leaky pad on a new horn, so it's good to do a "suction test." If there is a small leak, you'll have to judge how much of an improvement fixing that will make in the end.
All that said.........HAVE FUN !!!!!
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: fernie51296
Date: 2016-03-31 11:45
Always put intonation before sound. The mouthpiece/reed combo has more effect anyways. Whatever sound it does produce, check for consistency. Being musical can be difficult when it feels like you are playing a different clarinet for every register. Anything beyond that is just personal taste really.
Fernando
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2016-03-31 13:10
Hi Ted, sorry if I was unclear. The point of my post was to let the OP know about the book's very high quality of information and it's availability at a reasonable price. Poking fun at the occasional ridiculousness of online commerce was just a side note. I hope nobody would think I was seriously suggesting spending a pile of Benjamin's on it!
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