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Clarinet playing in Winter Outside?

Author: Ben Shaffer
Date: 2016-08-15 02:54

I'm going to be playing the Clarinet in a Moravian band this winter holiday Season out of doors.
It can get quite chilly here .
Currently I've got a Wood Clarinet, can I use it or do I need a Ebonite or resin Horn?
And if so what would be a good not to expensive choice?
BTW the Moravian Chorale Tunebook Pieces sound quite nice and are a joy to play

Thanks!
Ben Shaffer
GSO, NC

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Re: Clarinet playing in Winter Outside?

Author: Tony F
Date: 2016-08-15 03:21

I'd use a plastic clarinet rather than a valued wood one. If you get a Bundy, Vito or any of the student Yamahas it won't break the bank and will be perfectly OK for outside band work. If you have small hands you may find the Yamahas more to your liking. My choice would be a Vito, about as close to bulletproof as you can get.

Tony F.

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Re: Clarinet playing in Winter Outside?

Author: Burt
Date: 2016-08-15 03:39

Sometimes there is a used Ridenour 576 on that unnamed auction site.

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Re: Clarinet playing in Winter Outside?

Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-15 12:59

make sure if you're using a plastic/resin clarinet you have sufficient end play between the key rods and pillars relative to their length, so the LH F/C lever being the longest will need around 1mm of end play and a key rod half its length (the LH2 ring key) will need around 0.5mm of end play to be sure they won't bind up when its cold.

To check which keys are most likely to bind up, place your (plastic) clarinet in the bottom of your fridge and leave it there for an hour or so. All the keys that have bound up will need to have their ends fraised back until they work under cold conditions.

That's why Bundy and Vito basses and contras have what seems like excessive end play in their keywork which so many complain about being poor key fitting, but it has been done for a good and very simple reason - so they'll still work when they're cold as plastic instruments are less dimensionally stable with temperature change compared to wooden instruments.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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Re: Clarinet playing in Winter Outside?

Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2016-08-15 23:53

I would also recommend getting a soft-ish legere reed. In my experience, a cane reed won't vibrate properly at all, and at least a legere will be a bit more consistent. Get softer because reeds feel stiffer in the cold! It doesn't matter if the reed sounds good, as long as you can get it to vibrate.
I've had fingerless gloves as part of my uniform when playing outside in the winter, and I put a little hot pack in each glove. Test them ahead of time so that you know they won't get too hot for you.
Good luck!

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Re: Clarinet playing in Winter Outside?

Author: Richie
Date: 2016-08-17 04:08

A plastic clarinet would be the best choice, but if you really need the tone, the buffet greenline instruments are supposedly crack resistant. You should probably use a Legere reed too.

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