The Clarinet BBoard

Just for the fun of it

Author: tictactux ★2017 Date:   2005-09-07 19:46 Hello all, during the past few weeks I've surfed half the internet about the dos and don'ts, the whats and whatnots re clarinet playing, and this is why: Some idle evening with the missus and the kids out, I surfed a bit here and there, eventually stumbling over a cheapo clarinet in ebay. (There goes the first uh-oh, I can hear it till here). The last time I [seriously] played an instrument was an alto recorder some 30 years ago. To make a long story short - given that the ebay horn was just 30 bucks, I thought what the heck and bought it. Now I'm hooked. Okay, the clarinet is quite probably sub-standard, it's ebonite and has a mouthpiece that quite probably sucks (even I as a noob can tell that). Plus it's an Albert system thingy. (ah, some more uh-ohs from the audience, hehe). Nonetheless, with my fingers still remembering recorder handling, I could play, well, squeak, my first tune in less than half an hour. Boy, I like it. I'm not planning to play in a band, I just come home and instead of having a gin and tonic to unwind, I play for maybe half an hour. Just for the fun of it. And enjoy it immensely. I plan to take lessons next year, when the workload has eased up a bit. Till then I'll carefully shop for another clarinet, standard Boehm this time. But I don't regret a single penny I threw out the window for this "crappy" instrument. When was the last time 30 bucks opened the door to a new world? Well, that's my story. Thanks for all the posts in here. Really interesting. I learned a lot. -- Ben

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Re: Just for the fun of it

Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017 Date:   2005-09-07 20:47 Well, Ben! Don't be so hard on yourself --- as a long-time disciple of many of the things you seem to be self-conscious about, let me throw this out at ya: ---- Over the last 5+ years I've purchased over a hundred clarinets and saxophones (and a couple of flutes and oboes) on the Internet, overhauled most of them, sold most of those to (mostly) satisfied customers and/or friends, and the remainder are my personal instruments which I play regularly as an amateur or semi-professional. Nearly ALL of my personal instruments were obtained this way. I haven't bought an instrument (new or used) from a store or catalog retail seller in close to ten years. --- Some of my best clarinets (soprano and harmony) have been/are ebonite (hard rubber), versus wood. I'm outspoken but steadfast in my belief that hard rubber is actually a superior clarinet body material than wood in almost every respect. In fact, during the middle part of the 20th century many makers offered their top clarinet models in a choice of wood or ebonite, for similar prices. I've had Kohlert bass clarinets in both wood and hard-rubber versions simultaneously, and they played as identically as you could imagine. --- Nothing wrong with Albert system if you can adjust to the wide key spacings (I have trouble with those myself); if nothing else playing Albert is good preparation for learning the oboe (your next mission!). Good luck!

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Re: Just for the fun of it

Author: ron b  Date:   2005-09-07 23:18 As a lifelong Albert player, "ttt", please allow me to add a heartfelt, "Welcome to the neighborhood". In addition, as an opinionated owner of a few wood, rubber, metal Alberts, I'd like to put in my view (worth almost two cents at the local coffee shop) that there ain't much wrong about 'em and a few things quite right Many observations will be found here regarding instruments but the number one thing we all agree on is... It's all about makin' music. - rn b -

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