 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Antonio
Date: 2001-06-11 22:06
Hi
I have a bufet B13 plastic clarinet with premiere mouthpiece. I'm just starting and see some of my fiends already buying wood clarinet.
How far can I go with my plastic clarinet? I know that this is a hard question, I don't play in any band (no skills yet) and from one hand don't want to be behind my firends and on the other don't want to spend too much money.
I that an opition buy a used one on ebay and fix it?
Tks for the comments
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-06-11 22:20
Don't get caught in the equipment wars...
It's all about the reed. Everything else supports the reed.
Spend your money on a quality mouthpiece and lessons.
(These make an immediately audible difference.)
A substantial horn will cost $1000 USD, when you're done refurbishing it.
A quality mouthpiece will be somewhere around $100 USD.
If you are playing a Vito or Bundy, they're pretty good players.
Better horns buy you smoother key action and some attention to hand tuning, but there are other problems associated (did I mention the thousand bucks?)...
Unless you're a music major you could be p***ing away stacks.
A good compromise is the Yamaha YCL-34 and -52. Decent players with excellent build quality.
anji
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Author: Fred
Date: 2001-06-11 23:25
Antonio, as long as your plastic horn is kept in good playing condition, you will be find for 3-4 years. It is important that your horn be kept in shape, and that may take letting your director or repair tech check it out from time to time. As a young player, you will assume that all the problems you are having are your fault. Often times, with beginners, the horn gets so out of adjustment that a pro would have difficulty playing it.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-06-12 03:51
Well said, Fred. A good player can make a plastic clarinet sound awesome. Some people mistakenly believe they can buy their way to good playing. The most important factor with your clarinet is its state of adjustment.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-06-12 04:31
If however you find yourself entering regional competitions, and are playing some of the "standard" clarinet literature, that might be the time to make the switch assuming finances aren't a problem.
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-06-12 06:58
That plastic clarinet when fitted with the right mouthpiece, lig, and reed can be pretty awsome. A good tech can then fine tune it and work over the keywork later on.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-06-15 14:29
I read that Buddy Defranco used to perform on a Leblanc Vito (that's their plastic student instrument). Obviously it is possible to do a great job on an inexpensive instrument.
We have a player in our community band who is a retired pro and he plays an occasional clarinet solo (usually a sax man) on a plastic clarinet. He really wails! But, he has a good mouthpiece set-up (as Anji and others have mentioned).
So, spend your money on mouthpieces and the search for good reeds and ligatures. I also recommend a good tuning barrel. Something like the Eddie Daniels Accubore (Moennig taper). That adds a lot to the power of the sound and the stability of tuning in a less expensive instrument. I call it the "power package."
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Author: Antonio
Date: 2001-06-17 05:14
I found one page on the net
http://www.degmusic.com/accessories/a10tunbarel.asp
But is that worth investing $80 for a barell in a "$150" plastic buffet?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-06-17 11:33
You can always use the barrel on your next clarinet too so don't think of it as just an investment for your plastic clarinet but as for your clarinet playing in general. Keep in mind that the clarinet is the least important element in producing a good sound. For example, I would consider it worthwhile to get a really fine mouthpiece for a student instrument, even a custom made one if you are serious and can afford it.
In my opinion, here (in order) are the most important elements of getting a good sound.
1. The player
2. The mouthpiece
3. The correct matching of mouthpiece & reed
4. The reed
5. Ligature and barrel
6. The clarinet.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-06-17 13:00
Good list, Dee. Accubore barrel - the motor bike cylinder-head, aluminium type? that was a fashion that swept the land here and vanished just as fast a couple of years later.
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Author: Antonio
Date: 2001-06-18 00:44
Thanks Dee
Following your list the 1st is the player, I can't change that!!!!!!!!
2nd the mouthpiece, I just chaged and had a big improvement (From buffet original to Premiere by Hite)
3rd can't tell
4th using Vandoren 2
5th ligature (original) barell (original)
6th bufett b-13
What should I do to improve, apart of playing hard?
tks guys
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-06-18 02:47
Basically practice hard and improve item #1. No shortcuts available. Of course getting a good teacher will help a lot here. Learning correct embouchure, embouchure control, breath support, etc all go more quickly with a good teacher.
The reed might be perhaps a hair soft for this mouthpiece. This is what I was referring to in matching the reed and mouthpiece.
You need to have been playing for a while before the effects of the ligature or barrel would be particularly noticeable.
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Author: Antonio
Date: 2001-06-19 01:55
Dee
Thanks for the tips, I saw today that somebody aked about upgrade a clarinet, seems that other guys have the same question a had.WHAT A RELEIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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