Hello music friends,
I have been looking in on the forum and have greatly enjoyed the banter and seriously helpful comments from many members, so I joined and will enjoy contributing as best I can. I played clarinet in high school back in the 60s and a little on an off since. The last year or so I have had serious clarinet withdrawal since I am now semi retired and have more time.
Although I was 1st chair through most of high school and 3rd in the dist. honor band in LA, I was mostly self taught. From a poor family with a junk clarinet it was a struggle. But, I got good at repairing horns. Anyway, I never understood various mouthpieces, ligs., and qualities of instruments. So, now I want to buy an instrument and feel poorly equiped to choose.
I tried an E11 this week, a Bliss and a used Selmer Centertone. The Bliss was very nice. Runs, articulation good, great range in volume, nice tone, but I had some problems.
I was using an old Yamaha, cheap plastic mp I've had for decades instead of the Bliss Cadenza included mp and it didn't fit tightly. I main concerns were: 1) when I crossed the bridge on runs I found it hard to hit B without and excess of effort on the key. (felt like my nieces Chinese horn). But fast runs up an down scale either in lower or upper register and E or B was fine. When I borrowed the R13 using the Buffet standard mp, I was finding the B easy to get and when I failed to get the register key or some other fingering mistake, it seemed to pump out a nice little grace note rather than feel plugged up.2 ) it also seemed to squeak. That also wasn't a problem with the R13. Any ideas for testing a horn?:-(
I have been looking in on the forum and have greatly enjoyed the banter and seriously helpful comments from many members, so I joined and will enjoy contributing as best I can. I played clarinet in high school back in the 60s and a little on an off since. The last year or so I have had serious clarinet withdrawal since I am now semi retired and have more time.
Although I was 1st chair through most of high school and 3rd in the dist. honor band in LA, I was mostly self taught. From a poor family with a junk clarinet it was a struggle. But, I got good at repairing horns. Anyway, I never understood various mouthpieces, ligs., and qualities of instruments. So, now I want to buy an instrument and feel poorly equiped to choose.
I tried an E11 this week, a Bliss and a used Selmer Centertone. The Bliss was very nice. Runs, articulation good, great range in volume, nice tone, but I had some problems.
I was using an old Yamaha, cheap plastic mp I've had for decades instead of the Bliss Cadenza included mp and it didn't fit tightly. I main concerns were: 1) when I crossed the bridge on runs I found it hard to hit B without and excess of effort on the key. (felt like my nieces Chinese horn). But fast runs up an down scale either in lower or upper register and E or B was fine. When I borrowed the R13 using the Buffet standard mp, I was finding the B easy to get and when I failed to get the register key or some other fingering mistake, it seemed to pump out a nice little grace note rather than feel plugged up.2 ) it also seemed to squeak. That also wasn't a problem with the R13. Any ideas for testing a horn?:-(