 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Wyatt
Date: 2001-07-03 05:24
OK, I admit it: I can't transpose under pressure (like in front of people). What I want is a 17/6 "C" clarinet that I can abuse... not like kicking around, just like playing for a while, and putting it on the stand without swabbing and rinsing and oiling and worrying about the temp/humidity. What I really want is a Greenline "C" with Legere reeds to match, preferably for less than $1000 US. Are there any Amens out there?
Wyatt
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-07-03 14:35
I have an old Conn [1920's] plastic C which I use to play oboe parts, also when I dont feel like transposing, such as in "bad" keys with frequent accidentals! Mine does quite well with a shortened mp, and with its somewhat brighter tonality, sounds a bit more like an oboe. There is a thread below talking about "doubling" which might be of interest. C cls are somewhat hard to find so check the classifides here and EBAY, the new Greenline is likely one of the better ones available, there are others in the brochures. Use is infrequent. 'Nuff said? Don
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Author: David
Date: 2001-07-03 14:52
Why is transposing such a big deal? I mean, transposing from "C" to "Bb" instruments seems easy. It's transposing to "F" and "Eb" that's hard.
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Author: William
Date: 2001-07-03 14:53
You really need to clean your clarinet and mouthpiece regularly in order to advoid lots of yukkie consequencies like ordor, build-up of grunge and plaque. A few years ago, while I was teaching clarinet at the Intermantional Music Camp (in the International Peace Gardens, border of N.Dak. US and Manitoba, Canada) one of my students from Switzerland brought a clarinet to class that had belonged to her grandfather, who thought that he was doing her a favor by letting her take his best clarinet to music camp rather than her own. The clarinet would not play evenly, was unusually out of tune in the throat register and the side Eb/Bb key would not change pitch when depressed. Upon close examination of one of the tone holes, I discovered a thin film of "something" almost closing the base of one of the chimneys. The bore looked like the instrument had never been swabbed. After removing the upper joint side-keys, I discovered that this film had totally sealed the openings so that no air could go through. So there I am, 90 miles from the nearest repair facility, taking all of the keys off of this "grunge-filled" clarinet with my set of screw drivers and pliers, and chipping this film build-up out of the tone holes so that air could go through. One wonders what kind of music the well-meaning grandfather was accustomed to playing--and with whom. After a couple of hours of "cleaning," the clarinet performed beautifully (she was a good clarinetist but had not tried the instrument before bringing it to the US) and I sent her home with a new complimentary swab to show her proud grandfather (and to teach him how to use it). So, after all of this cyberbable, the bottom line is, no matter what material your clarinet and reed is made from, you really need to do more than just set it on the stand and forget it after playing. I am not a fan of the Legere reed, however, a plastic C is a good idea. And this gives me another opportunity to suggest that the Selmer folks consider manufacturing a Bundy Resonite bass clarinet with a low-C range with a price tag that most school bands and orchestras could afford. IMHO, they would make a lot of money by marketing such an instrument, so, how about it, Selmer--want to let Vito beat you to it???? Good clarineting!!!!!!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-07-03 15:35
You are right, David, its not a great deal of trouble, IF the original key signature is in flats, or [for me] no more than 2 #s, otherwise it can be quite troubling adding the 2#s. At times, I resort to my Eb alto cl to play french horn or basset horn parts in F , where the transposition is the same. Its interesting that in playing alto sax parts on a Bb clar, or bari sax parts on a bass cl, the lower register fingerings are the same [nearly], so I pretend I'm playing the original inst!! To each ----.Great "clean" story, William, have seen some!! Don
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Author: spencer
Date: 2001-07-03 16:57
here is a story about the importance of keeping you horn clean. this was told to my band by a music salesman.
there was a female clarinet player who always would brag about how she never had to take the reed off her clarinet and she had had it on for over a year. one day at a lesson the band director noticed a horrible smell coming from her mouthpiece. so he had to take a screwdriver to pry off the stuck on reed and do you know what he found in her mouthpiece. do you know what maggots are!!@!!! now THAT is gross
spencer
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Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2001-07-03 17:57
For about 15 - 1600 USD you can get a Leblanc (wood) C. For about 1900, a Patricola C (which I play), and for my purposes, not worth the extra money compared to the Leblanc (although its keywork is really pretty).
I think the Buffet E - 11 C is less than 1000 USD, and is wood. Don't know how good it is; haven't tried it.
Hope this helps
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-07-03 18:36
Wyatt -
Noblet makes an excellent C clarinet that I think is in plastic. It's not cheap -- well over $1,000 -- but a lot of good players swear by them. Noblet seems to have gotten it just right. They're often back-ordered, and they never appear on eBay -- they're too much in demand, and anyone who wants to let one go will get a swarm of buyers just by mentioning it.
For less money (under $1,000) the German-made Buffet is even better, but it's wood.
I think Howarth will supply their top models in plastic. I'm not sure whether they list a C in plastic.
If what you want is a C clarinet you can put together at the beginning of a playing session, have sitting on a peg most of the time and pick up when necessary, any instrument will be fine. A C clarinet uses the same mouthpiece as a Bb, so you won't have trouble with reeds, and being assembled for only a few hours won't harm anything. Almost all of them have a barrel a couple of millimeters short, so that they'll play up to pitch when they're cold, yet will play in tune when warm when you pull the barrel out that 2 mm.
C clarinets appear on eBay from time to time, but 2 out of ever 3 are Albert system, and most of the rest are suitable only for firewood. Even these go for relatively high prices, since they're rare and in demand.
I have a very old (1929) Buffet, which I love. The Buffet RC is excellent, as are "Ceefers" by Leblanc (Opus), Patricola and Steve Fox. However, these run $2,000 and up.
Grit your teeth and save up for the German Buffet. You won't find anything close on eBay, and for the price, it's terrific.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2001-07-06 05:53
Check out the sneezy sponsors. There is a beast called the Lyons C Clarinet which is some sort of plastic horn. Maybe the answer. Many people have used Kinder Clari's as knockabout eefers.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-07-08 16:06
William re that film across the bottom of tone holes. I often see it, and it is most common in clarinets that are religiously swabbed. I suspect it is more to do with lint from the cleaning cloth than anything else.
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