 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: mmatisoff
Date: 2016-09-11 02:49
I own a Leblanc Opus and an Evette & Schaeffer clarinet. I play Rue 56 3.5 reeds on both clarinets as well as Gennusa Excellente mps. I used a Rovner Platinum on the Opus and a Rovner Dark on the E&S.
I played the same etudes, scales, long tones, etc. on each clarinet I just recorded both instruments (I've done this before with the same results). This time,
Then I asked my wife (not a musician) to listen to both clarinets without telling her which is which. She said the Opus "sounds more "strident." The E&S tends to play sharp until it warms up and the Opus flat until it warms up.
This time, though, I decided to look at the harmonic patterns (I didn't record the harmonic patterns).
Everything I could glean from the web says that the Leblanc Opus is a top of the line professional clarinet. I sent a boatload of photos of the E&S to Steve at ClarinetPerfection to see if he could give me some history on the clarinet.
Based on the photo alone (I didn't send him the clarinet), he believes that it is a Malerne made stencil clarinet sold by Buffet.
Hands down, my wife and I agree that the tone and pitch on the E&S is better than the Opus.
For my own edification, why would an intermediate clarinet sound considerable better than a professional clarinet using the same reeds and mouthpieces (Gennusa Excellente)
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2016-09-11 04:21
Quote:
For my own edification, why would an intermediate clarinet sound considerable better than a professional clarinet using the same reeds and mouthpieces (Gennusa Excellente) Clarinets are more individual than some people think. A slew of R13s will have bad ones and good ones. A slew of yamaha student models will have good ones and bad ones.
I also have an E&S schaffer that has been better than anything I've played. I even had a buffet sponsored artist once try it and say that he was amazed, couldn't believe it was an "intermediate" clarinet, and told me there were a lot of things about it he liked better than HIS horns which he was able to go to the factory and pick out. He told me to never sell it, and one day down the road save up for an A clarinet cause I won't need another Bb.
One thing I'd suggest is sending this E&S to a great tech and give it a great overhaul/treatment. If it plays better than a "pro" horn, give it the same level of care and treatment as a pro horn. I've had mine overhauled, and asked a very competent tech to slightly adjust some tuning issues (which he did with undercutting and slight widening of a tone hole or two), and it's been glorious ever since.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: mmatisoff
Date: 2016-09-11 04:59
Thanks Alexi. All great advice. I'm going to take your advice and have a tech give it a once over. It really is a great clarinet. Incredibly easy to play, too. Believe it or not, it was given to me. All I had to pay was the $20 to ship it.
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2016-09-13 17:48
mmatisoff wrote:
> I just recorded both instruments
Well, recording can make some sound differences.
I would certainly do also a comparison in a larger room or concert hall.
Let someone (your wife?) listen on a distance.
Besides this it could also be a matter of setup. Each instrument needs it's own mouthpiece and reeds for optimal performance. If you try the Opus with a setup that is optimized for the E&S, chances are that the Opus will not show all it's quality (and vice versa).
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Author: Johan H Nilsson
Date: 2016-09-14 02:33
An air-tight instrument will always sound better than a leaking and therefore stuffy one.
What strikes me most when I record myself on different clarinets is how subtle the differences are.
Why not upload your recordings to picosong or some other sound site and let us hear? One clip says more than 1000 words. ;-)
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Author: mmatisoff
Date: 2016-09-14 04:03
I will. I've never heard of picosong. What you said is true, to. The differences are slight, but I noticed them. Both clarinets are great.
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