 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SwingQuavers
Date: 2018-12-19 02:58
Hello,
I am new here and would like some advice. Last week I bought a new clarinet, a Buffet Crampon E13 with Eb lever, because my current one has serious mechanical flaws. It is an almost 20 year old wooden Buffet Crampon E10 with Eb lever and it was my very first clarinet (the E10 was the same as the E11 but with a resin bell for weight reduction and very popular in Italy).
I am almost 28 years old and learned to play the clarinet from age 8/9 to age 14/15. At age 13 I played in an orchestra for young musicians.
From age 25 until now I have sometimes played on the weekends for fun. Since now I have a new instrument I really love, I would like to improve my skills and make further progress. I remember fingerings up to F#6. I would like to improve my technique so as to play faster. I like jazz and Klezmer and all the ornamentation that comes with these styles (smear, pitch bend, glissando,...). I also like classical music.
I don't want to take lessons. I suffer from frequent migraines, and so it is impossible for me to take lessons regularly. I want to take the clarinet serious, but respecting my physical limits. Also, where I live it is very difficult to find teachers that teach jazz or Klezmer clarinet.
So, what should I practice? Can you recommend some method books, preferably with CD so that I can hear how the exercises should be played? (Do method books with CD exist?)
I have other questions about my new clarinet. Since now we have winter and temperatures up to -15 °C, can I take it outside in its case and with a case cover or will it crack? I travel in train, but have to go on foot for about 15 min. Also, during the break-in period during which, according to Buffet Crampon, I shouldn't play it for more than 30 min, do I have to play it every day or can I skip 1-2 days without hurting the instrument?
Thanks!
Post Edited (2018-12-19 11:41)
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2018-12-19 03:29
Taking the clarinet outside in low temperatures for a short time should not in itself cause any damage. However it is VITAL that you get the clarinet warmed up to room temperature before you start blowing any (warm and moist) air into it.
Cracking is often caused by the thermal shock which occurs when the cold outside of the instrument tries to expand to match the change in the warmer inside of the bore.
Leaving the clarinet in it's open case until it reaches room temperature is ideal. However in a more urgent situation, keeping the joints under your coat and close to your skin can speed up the warming.
The most critical parts to get warm are the barrel and upper body joint, as these are the first to react to the warm moist air you will blow through the instrument.
As for break-in, skipping a day or two will not hurt the instrument. just remember to note how many days you actually play the instrument to ensure you give it a decent time to adjust to it's playing environment.
And always dry out the bore (and preferably also the sockets) after every playing session.
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Author: SwingQuavers
Date: 2018-12-20 01:37
Thank you! So if the clarinet is dry and I bring it outside, in theory nothing should happen if I don't play it for hours after I will have brought it inside again?
Thanks!
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2018-12-20 02:45
For me, you can tell if the clarinet is too cold to play if when you pick it up the keys are really cold to the touch. If that is that case, you can hold each joint at various places (with the clarinet together or apart), warming it up until any point you touch feels room temperature(ish). At that point, you can start playing on it (or just blowing some air into it to really warm up the interior) bit by bit at first.
What to avoid at all costs is forgetting your clarinet in the trunk of your car which was parked outside overnight in temperatures below freezing. Then grabbing it out of the trunk and start playing on it five minutes later. Your breath is about 100 degrees Fahrenheit so you don't want a frigid piece of wood to have that rolling down the center of it.
......................Paul Aviles
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2018-12-24 05:21
I lived in Minnesota, where it got that cold, and I had to walk outside several blocks for practice (after riding a cold bus). I used my buffet case, which was wrapped carefully in a fleece blanket, and then carried in an over the shoulder type bag.
- Matthew Simington
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2019-01-06 16:18
As for learning without a teacher, learning the foundations will strengthen you in all areas of playing. Learn all major and minor scales and the chromatic scale. There are many helpful YouTube videos. Tom Ridenour has many videos and there are others on any aspect of clarinet playing.
And this site can steer you well with unusual questions you may have.
Good luck!
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2019-01-07 01:50
As noted, short times in cold weather is OK. I've carried my good Buffet a short distance in -40 (C-F the same, it's where they crossover). I have a non-wood student model that I take when not sure if cold or heat will be a factor if left somewhere for a while (like in the car). It also serves as a spare at concerts and rehearsals in case my good one conks out I can just switch to it and fix the good one later.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2019-01-07 02:02
Have you considered online lessons?
Several reputable teachers offer them, and you usually would be able to take them when it's convenient for you.
B.
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2019-01-10 22:36
If you really can nail all the scales and arpeggios, and you can sight read (a separate skill) then you can walk into somewhere and just play. As someone above said.
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Author: SwingQuavers
Date: 2019-02-03 23:53
Thank you for your tips.
In the meantime I joined a local symphony orchestra (II clarinet) and bought the Baermann scale book.
Playing in an orchestra has its own difficulties since I am not used to playing with other people (add that to the fact that I am relearning the instrument). At the moment we are playing Beethoven's sixth symphony. For me, playing in an orchestra was a childhood dream I gave up a long time ago - so I am very happy to have found this opportunity.
For online lessons, unfortunately, my Internet connection is too bad. But I got some useful technical tips from the I clarinetist in the orchestra, and this board as well as Youtube are indeed very helpful.
Thank you again!
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