 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2011-07-07 20:34
Hi all,
I've got an A clarinet (Leblanc Concerto) that, compared to my Bb (R13), feels a little... Soulless, I think the best word is. I can't afford a new one right now so I thought that I could get some life out of it by having it serviced, as it turns out it not sealing very well at all.
That helped a little but there wasn't a dramatic difference. What else can I try that will drag the last year or two of life out of this instrument?
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Author: William
Date: 2011-07-07 21:02
I played a set of Concerto's for many years and eventually have returned to my old 1960's R13's. The Leblancs were very close to "perfect" regarding intonation and eveness of scale--really smooooth, especially over the break and into the altissimo--a joy to play.....except, I could never really play as expressively as I wanted to. They never seemed to project over the ensemble during solo passages--just felt as if I were being "held back". My old Buffets are somewhat more difficult to control but are much more flexable dynamically and easily project to the back of the house. My Leblanc's are great small ensemble instruments--ww quintets, etc--but no so good for orchestral or wind ensemble gigs. FWIW, I selected my Leblanc Concerto's at the Kenosha facility when Tom Ridenour was still working there. He made available to me hundreds of clarinetsts for audition and I spent nearly a day finding just the "right ones" for me. Then, he spent an hour or so tweeking the accoustics of each clarinet. Still, after all that--and years of actually playing them everywhere--I find that the only answer was to return to the Buffets. That's my story--I'm certain others will follow. Hope they help..........
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-07-07 21:25
In the past, I've heard some clarinetists say that, because of their design, Leblanc clarinets were generally easier to play in tune than Buffets and had a more even scale but lacked Buffet's "ring" and flexible color palette. FWIW, I have had a couple of Leblanc L7s and, for them, that characterization held true. Maybe that's what you are experiencing.
On the other hand, if you play the same mouthpiece/reed/ligature on your Bb and A and if you chose the combination specifically for your Bb (or as a compromise), you might try out some different mouthpieces specifically with the A in mind. While I can (and usually do) play the same setup with both my Bb and A, I find that a slightly lighter setup for my A really works a little better.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-07-08 13:38
Try some different barrels, any of the other brands out there that you can get a chance to try. A barrel can make a world of difference on a clarinet, if you find the right one. It has to sound good, feel good and of course, play in tune. That's why I always suggest trying as many as you can to find the right one. ESP
eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: William
Date: 2011-07-08 15:55
FWIW--while playing my Concerto's over those ten or so years, I did try different mouthpieces, reeds and barrels and they did make some differences, but I always felt that the Leblancs were holding me somewhat back. So, I switched back to my old Buffet R13 Bb and was lucky enough to find a Buffet R13 A of the same vintage (60's) that plays with the same resistance. With this "matched set", I can use the same mpc/reed/lig and barrel for both with little difference in "feel"--good for those quick orchestral switches...LOL. Basically, my point is that my "solution" was not to fix my Concerto A (which is not a bad instrument) but return to Buffet. Good suggestions (as always) regarding mouthpieces, barrels and reeds and that may work for you--it didn't for me.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-07-08 16:13
A local player sold his Dynamic H pair and bought a set of Concertos when they were first launched in the UK (I think he bought one of the first Concerto A clarinets imported into the UK).
From what I gather, it seems he regrets doing this - not to say the Concertos are bad instruments, they just don't offer him what his old Dynamic H set did.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2011-07-25 11:34
I ended up with a Backun traditional barrel - it really makes the instrument feel new again! I tried a friend's bell (Moba) and it made a HUGE difference but the ones I tried just didn't have the same effect.
Wonder how much cash my mate would accept for his bell...
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2011-07-25 13:06
There is a tendency to overchoke the A clarinet when searching for remedies (esp. in this day and age when dank...er, I mean dark.... sound is the rage). Doing so eliminates the inherent color of the sound. Using a barrel that was deemed "traditional" worked better for you. This is not surprising.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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