 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: derf5585
Date: 2014-11-05 09:30
Should the clarinet section of a concert band have the same brand and model of clarinets. That way there would be a more unified sound.
fsbsde@yahoo.com
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2014-11-05 10:45
Who is paying for all these instruments? Presumably the players already own instruments.
In any case you won't get any more unified sound because the sound each player gets will be different even with identical clarinets. Prescribing equipment in a quest for "unified sound" is always a bad idea, whether it's instruments, mouthpieces or even reeds. The sound is primarily produced by the player, not the equipment.
Karl
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Author: GBK
Date: 2014-11-05 10:51
Should all members of a marching band wear the same brand and size of shoes to make them march exactly the same?
Should all members of a baseball team use the exact same size bat as the best hitter on the team?
No??? Why not???
...GBK
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-11-05 17:50
Ridiculous!
I just was listening to some pop music on the radio and commented how well matched the singers were. One a female pop star the other a male country star. Both had the same general timbre, intensity, vibrato and musical direction to there performance. I hate pop music, but I loved this rendering by this duo.
Again, one was a female and the other a male.
I would think the same miracle could be achieved on clarinets.......maybe?
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: LaurieBell
Date: 2014-11-07 03:06
When I played in the Women's Army Corp Band, our standard issue was Buffet R13 clarinets for concerts (and some brand of plastic clarinet for outdoors). While we were allowed to play on our own personal instruments, I think only a few ladies played on Selmers during the time I was in the band.
I don't recall that our sound was unified at all, because we played on different mouthpieces and reeds, plus really, do any two clarinetists sound a like?
If anything I think the intonation was probably a little more even across the board. But I think the same results would be achieved in any clarinet section where everyone played on a quality instrument, regardless of brand.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2014-11-07 06:08
One of the high schools schools near where I teach bought identical mouthpieces for all of the clarinet players. I haven't been to that school for a number of years, I don't know if they also force them into the same brand and strength of reed. Probably. Ridiculous.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2014-11-07 23:27
they probably also suggest you use a tuner in lieu of listening to your section mates (or the rest of the band)...
--
Ben
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2014-11-07 23:27
(double post, delete)
(this is annoying happens only when I post from my mobile)
--
Ben
Post Edited (2014-11-07 23:28)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-11-07 23:38
Put the same clarinet in the hands of a wide variety of different players and hear the results for yourself.
Then put a wide variety of different clarinets in the hands of just one player and hear the results for yourself.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: cyclopathic
Date: 2014-11-07 23:43
paraphrasing Otto von Bismarck: It is a great idea which should be tried on somebody's else band; preferably the one noone cares about.
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2014-11-08 00:28
certainly, if the CEO buys R13s for the entire clarinet section, as he did for the USAA band here in San Antonio, many years ago.
richard smith
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-11-08 00:46
While the R13 is standard issue among the majority of UK military bands, there are some players in the band service playing other makes and models of clarinets. Only last month I saw two Peter Eaton Internationals and have also seen Howarth S2 and S3 clarinets, Selmers, Leblancs and Yamahas bought for band use and also privately owned by bandsmen and women.
The B&H Imperial 926 was the mainstay of British military bands until they stopped production and the R13 took its place as B&H became the main importer and distributor of Buffet instruments to the band service at that time.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2014-11-08 18:53
To me, it makes sense, especially for beginners through High School, that there is a real advantage in the clarinet section using the same make and model of instruments. But, that is true only if they are really good instruments. Matching is one thing, but, everyone using clarinets that have poor tuning, uneven blowing resistance, bad mechanics and high sensitivity to changing temperature and conditions is counterproductive.
Students, ironically really need some of the best performing equipment to start out on. Maybe they don’t need the absolute best clarinet, but it should be in the ball park and in the infield, at least. I do concede that more than one make and model may be OK, as long as they closely similar.
I well remember fighting intonation issues in school, partly because we had everything from Selmer Series 10 to Sears “good” model clarinets.
As far as MPs, there could be a some flexibility from student to student, as long as the range of designs and facings aren’t too broad, and incompatibility, as far as tuning isn’t an issue. IMHO, starting out at least, with Legere reeds can be an advantage. A competent teacher should instruct students on proper cane reed selection and adjustment as time goes by …
As clarinetists get more advanced, then I think it is time to find the equipment that encourages the easiest production of each musician’s concept of (hopefully good) sound. By that time, you and your colleagues are able to identify and make adjustments to assure good section blending.
In a semi-professional Wind Symphony that I play in, I have a Selmer 10G to my left and an Opus to my right and I play a Lyrique Libertas. Because we listen to each other, know each instrument’s tendencies, we can tune together and temper chords well.
In the Chicago Symphony, Larry Combs and Greg Smith played Leblanc and Buffet respectively, and I am sure they got along just fine.
So, I vote for same make and model (or close) to at least start out on … I suspect it could make life easier for our music educators.
My three cents worth ...
Tom
Post Edited (2014-11-09 00:51)
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2014-11-08 22:19
You've made a case for uniformity or, at least close similarity of equipment within a section of a young band - inexperienced students who will unarguably learn faster on better equipment. You don't say where these instruments will come from. No school I've ever heard of, certainly not in the U.S., is going to supply high end instruments to every kid in its program. And the obvious reason why beginning and intermediate students don't own top-line instruments is that parents can't or don't want to invest in that kind of equipment for a child who may lose interest and stop playing a month or even a year later. By the time a player reaches a point at which he is interdependently able to buy his own instrument, he's already passed into the level at which you agree players with different equipment can learn to meld into an ensemble and the need for matched equipment no longer exists. And b y then he's already grown used to and has formed a preference for a particular instrument.
Karl
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Author: TomS
Date: 2014-11-09 00:50
With the miracle of modern manufacturing and design, I suspect there are several great clarinets, all for under 800 dollars, that share most of the really important criteria of professional instruments. They may not be the last word in response, resonance and beauty, but should fill most of the bill and not handicap beginners too much.
In a perfect world, these would be leased or provided to students, at least for the first couple of years.
The Ridenour RCP146 and the Backun Alpha come to mind. The plastic Leblanc Bliss model has been discontinued due to apparent lack of interest. I am sure more good instruments are out there ... but more really, really bad ones as well.
Using excellent, similar and well maintained clarinets with Legere reeds in the beginning. will eliminate two important variables while training young musicians. The MP is the last piece of the equipment puzzle and that is best carefully chosen with the expert help of a good clarinet teacher. The MP model and facing and the the reed strength will need to be reevaluated and revised from time to time, I think.
I'll bet all woodwind instruments have this concern, but since big school bands often have a zillion clarinets, the problem might be more serious. For example, in HS, we had almost 35 B-flat clarinets in the music program. We divided up these into 2 bands, with the Symphonic Band using 8 (plus an E-flat) and the Concert band had the remaining thundering herd. The Leblanc LL and Selmer 9, 9* and 10 were the choice of the best players (Symphonic Band) but with the remaining players, you could open a clarinet museum with their instruments!
Bottom line is that nowadays, really good clarinets should be in the reach of most music programs ... and IMHO, using mostly the same make/model seems to make sense, in the beginning, at least.
I guess the flutes and saxophones have a similar challenge, but usually are in smaller numbers to do less damage. And, ideally with saxophones, only one on a part, if you are lucky.
Band director asked the question: "How do you get two flute players to play in tune?" Answer: "Shoot one of them"
Tom
Post Edited (2014-11-09 01:20)
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Author: Tom Ridenour
Date: 2014-11-09 02:59
Paul,
I'm curious what high school your referencing? Lewisville/Flower Mound area?
Ted Ridenour
Ridenour Clarinet Products,
rclarinetproducts.com
sales@ridenourclarinetproducts.com
Post Edited (2014-11-09 04:31)
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