Author: jhoyla
Date: 2011-10-10 10:04
Robin, I stand corrected; the metalwork is screwed deep into the wood, and expands and contracts with temperature changes. This affects the stresses in the wood.
In that case, I can see no benefit to warming the instrument on the outside prior to play - hot breath will only affect the inner bore, or (to a small degree) the key cups. Nevertheless, all the instrument manufacturers AND teachers of our time recommend this practice. Why? Is it an old wives tale?
Until I get confirmation of this, however, I'm still going to warm up my instrument before play
Susan, regarding the instrument damage; something is very wrong here, and yes, it could be the instrument. Nevertheless, I have never heard of or seen so much damage to a one-year-old instrument from a reputable firm. Even my old boosey & hawkes regent never got quite that bad, though it was played by 8, 9 and 10 year old Liverpudlian apprentice-hooligans like myself.
I had a wonderful old teacher. He spent the first lesson (or three) explaining to me how to put the instrument together without damaging the mechanism, how to look at the finger-holes without stabbing my shoulder with the reed*, how to stand, breathe, etc. etc. I have always provided the same courtesy to all the students I have had.
J.
* In my experience, shoulder-flattened reeds sound much better than good reeds, in a beginner's hands
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