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 When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: TmTmom 
Date:   2022-09-27 00:12

My daughter is a senior in high school. She want to major in music, primarily music education. She is currently playing on a Yamaha 450N. It is time to upgrade and have what, I think, is a good deal available for a pair of Yamaha CGSIII instruments. Does she need an A? As a college music major, how often will she play on an A, if ever?

Thank you!

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: Paul Aviles 
Date:   2022-09-27 00:36

The A clarinet is used about a third of the time in orchestral playing. So if that’s in her future, she needs one, otherwise no. Sounds like for now it’s ok to wait. There really is no such thing as a “matched set.” She just will want an A clarinet that has the most similar tuning and resistance characteristics to the Bb.



…………….Paul Aviles



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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: nellsonic 
Date:   2022-09-27 08:52

Also needed for chamber music with strings, and some solo repertoire (either by necessity or preference). This would be a question for the clarinet professor at the school she thinks she is most likely to attend. It really depends on the school, and also what she wants to experience as a clarinetist. Clarinet professors often have strong brand preferences, so it's best to be aware of that as well.

Waiting, as Paul said, is a viable option as well. There is plenty of time to get the right equipment in the months between making a final decision on a school and actually starting classes.

Anders

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: gwie 
Date:   2022-09-27 16:53

I'd also note that while I do love the Yamaha CSG line of instruments, they play quite differently from the mainstream Buffet R13 and its competitors. It's always essential to play-test before committing to playing any instrument model long-term.

How "good" of a deal is this? If you're getting both clarinets for under $4500, then that might be worth considering!

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: Paul Aviles 
Date:   2022-09-28 04:02

I guess much has to do with HOW you play in terms of the results you get. I always felt my CSG was really close in sound to the R13. The only difference was that any CSG that I picked up had excellent tuning. There is more R13ness to the sound of the Hamilton Plated model if Yamaha still makes that one.





.............Paul Aviles



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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: Tom H 
Date:   2022-09-28 05:35

Where I went to school the Music Ed. majors who played clarinet played in the Band, so I doubt they had A clarinets unless they also did orchestra gigs.

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: TmTmom 
Date:   2022-09-28 05:35

Not quite that good of a deal so maybe it isn't a good deal. The instruments are 3 years old and the Hamilton plated models.

Thank you for your input! I know more than the average mom of a music kid, but I'm still in the dark about a lot of this.
Paul Aviles wrote:

> I guess much has to do with HOW you play in terms of the
> results you get. I always felt my CSG was really close in
> sound to the R13. The only difference was that any CSG that I
> picked up had excellent tuning. There is more R13ness to the
> sound of the Hamilton Plated model if Yamaha still makes that
> one.
>
>
>
>
>
> .............Paul Aviles
>



Post Edited (2022-09-28 05:36)

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: allencole 
Date:   2022-09-29 21:02

When I was in college, the school had a couple of elderly A clarinets available to loan if you were playing in orchestra. At one point I had a bass, an A and an E-flat all on loan for that purpose. (most students who owned A's were performance majors) In fact, the same college lent an A to one of my high schoolers playing in a youth orchestra.

Allen Cole

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: Reese Oller 
Date:   2022-09-29 22:05

I have a bass and an Eb on loan right now, too. I've always wanted to try an A clarinet

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: allencole 
Date:   2022-10-01 21:25

Reese Oller wrote:

> I have a bass and an Eb on loan right now, too. I've always
> wanted to try an A clarinet

They're pretty sweet. I used a loaner in college, but bought a Greenline about 15 years ago because I was playing in a guitar-led Western band, and found the ultra-sharp keys awkward for improvising at fast tempos. Nice to have something that subtracts 3 sharps FROM your key signature instead of adding 2 sharps TO it.

But the A turned out to be great on slower things. The difference in timbre and feel is surprisingly different for a horn only a half-step down from the B-flat. Third register is less edgy. Am using it now in a jazz situation (also guitar-led) where I share the front line with a violinist. It feels kinda like the woodwind version of a flugelhorn.

Next to the Greenline Bb I bought along with it, it's likely the best money I've spent in this century!

Allen Cole

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: Reese Oller 
Date:   2022-10-05 19:49

Nice! Owning a pro-level horn isn't in the cards for me right now, though.

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: allencole 
Date:   2022-10-05 20:16

Reese Oller wrote:

> Nice! Owning a pro-level horn isn't in the cards for me right
> now, though.

How about a midline horn? I believe you can get a Buffet E11 in A

Allen Cole

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 Re: When to purchase an A clarinet?
Author: Reese Oller 
Date:   2022-10-05 21:16

Owning any clarinet besides the Yamaha I own currently is not an option. My parents believe it is fine for the dozen-odd bands/ orchestras/ marching bands I play in.

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