 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: rockymountainbo
Date: 2005-08-24 14:38
I have looked through past threads and am just trying to figure out if I should be upgrading to a better clarinet or if using a lower quality clarinet will hinder improvements.
I know there has been some discussion on this recently, but I wanted to give you my situation.
I have a 50 year old plastic Bundy. It works well thus far. I've only been seriously been playing for 4 months now and have improved tremendously. I practice about 45 minutes 5 days a week.
Mostly, I play jazz (well, I attempt to play jazz) and do not march and am not in a band.
For those of you who think I should upgrade, what would you recommend? Money is an issue. Thanks in advance and I am sorry if this discussion is overdiscussed.
Post Edited (2005-08-24 15:25)
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Author: bflatclarinetist
Date: 2005-08-24 16:06
If you want a low-cost wooden, I would reccomend a Buffet E-11. I have one, it has a very rich sound. The silver-plated keywork looks nice and they're made in Germany. It's a bit more expensive than the B-12.
But of course, you can always get a used wooden clarinet probably for a better deal.
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Author: hans
Date: 2005-08-24 17:09
You could test some clarinets that interest you and if there is a noticeable positive difference (preferably to an objective listener), you will probably want to upgrade. This is predicated on your Bundy being in good condition and on using your usual mouthpiece for the test.
If you don't notice a difference, then presumably you are currently being more limited by your playing level than by the Bundy and it may not be time to upgrade yet.
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Author: D
Date: 2005-08-24 17:57
I just upgraded and I feel that on my student grade instrument I was experiencing a lag on the keys in fast passages. On the new instrument this does not happen and passages that were a real struggle before are now possible to play. Testing both instrument and sluring the notes so I am not complacting the issue with tongueing I genuinely think the new instrument is able to move with my fingers rather than me fighting it like with the old one. This could be just wishful thinking on my part, after all I wouldn't want to think I wasted my money, but I am satisfied in my own mind that the key work is a significant improvement.
I think the above advice from Hans is probably the most sensible, go try a few instruments and see if there is a noticable difference at the moment. The 'pro' grade instruments are normally less forgiving of beginners. ie if your finger position is not bang on then it wont play right (touching other keys etc). However, once you get to a certain level a good instrument will be better in terms of it responding to your more subtle actions, where a student instrument has a lesser range of responses.
You might try a few out and decide that you do want a better instrument but that it is too much money. Then you would at least know whether it is worth spending a few years saving up (and how much) or if you are fine on what you have for a good while.
Then there are those geniuses who apparently sound great on anything.....bully for them!
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-08-24 23:19
If you have clarinet playing friends (maybe you're in a community band or something), and are on good, trustful terms with them, I'd recommend asking if you could try their instruments. You could get a bunch of trials done in a very good setting (with other very good listeners). ALSO ask them to play YOUR instrument. See if they feel a big difference. And listen to the difference of sound when they play their instrument and yours. I think this could accomplish a few things (which I'll try to list here) . .
1) You can try a good number of clarinets, possibly of different makes/models/levels (if they don't all have professional clarinets), and have musically oriented people to help judge and verify any perceived improvements in sound. ALSO, if they went through many clarinets in order to choose "the one" that they now own, you won't have to sit there and think, 'Wow. Are Buffet R13's really this bad or is it a dud clarinet? Or is it ME on a buffet R13?' (basically, it'll help rule out that you got a lemon to compare your bundy to)
2) If they play on yours, they may be able to tell you whether it's really necessary to upgrade or whether they feel that you should be able to use it a little longer (and hopefully they'll know your playing ability and be able to use that information too for recomendations)
3) While they're playing yours, you can hear how much of a difference there is from an experienced person playing a bundy versus playing their own clarinet (assuming they are experienced) and maybe it'll help you with your choices. Or at the very least, you'll be able to hear the differences an INSTRUMENT can make with the same playing level attempting both.
And lastly, you'll know which person you want to offer money or other services to in order to obtain their clarinet. And if you know what kind of car they drive, you can wait for them to leave it in the back seat while they run into the local convenience store and . . . .
You know what? Just forget about that last part. But I think #'s 1 - 3 would be good reasons to ask others in a local community band if you can try their clarinets after explaining the situation.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Fred
Date: 2005-08-25 00:44
The mouthpiece will have a greater impact on your sound than the clarinet. What mouthpiece are you playing on, and are you satisfied with the sound you're getting out of it?
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Author: RichardB
Date: 2005-08-25 01:57
You could buy yourself a bit more time with the existing clarinet if you upgraded the mouthpiece. You would probably want a new mouthpiece with the upgraded clarinet anyway, since they don't generally come with very good mouthpieces.
I did just that- upgraded mouth piece then waited a few months before I upgraded to an E11.
Richard
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Author: rockymountainbo
Date: 2005-08-25 13:30
thanks for all the responses.
the only person i know that plays clarinet is 2200 miles away. he suggested to just get a new mouthpiece because the one i have (Selmer Goldentone 3) is not a very good one. He recommended a VD B45. Any opinions on that?
he told me i'd take the mouthpiece to a newer clarinet anyway for the same reason RichardB said.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-08-25 15:42
Yeah. Forgot about the mouthpiece. Scratch my other entire post and look for a better mouthpiece. If you do some searching on "student mouthpiece" or "beginner mouthpiece" or some variation of it, you'll come up with tons of info. If you're into jazz, most people are probably gonna recommend a more open mouthpiece. But try out a couple mouthpieces with a couple different sized reeds and see which combination you like best.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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