clarinets; was Re: Brass Instruments

[Mike Smith <mike@COMET.UCAR.EDU>]

Mel Bartels wrote:

> Clarinet players are still frantically looking for a replacement for
> their precious african wood.  Plastic is getting better, but the best
> custom plastic still falls short in the concert hall.

> Instruments made of precious metals are
> often made with greater craftsmanship than their brass congeners,
> and that may affect relative sound.

Mel,

You brass players have it easy...it's just a bunch of metal!.  ; )

As high-quality Grenadilla wood becomes harder to obtain--Nova on PBS did a
special on that topic entitled "The Tree of Music" or similar a couple of
years ago--some companies are marketing professional line clarinets made
from a Grenadilla composite--essentially sawdust mixed with a binder glue.
I've not played on any of the new, so-called "Green" instruments, but would
hazard a guess that if the care in manufacture is equal to that of regular
professional instruments (quality of keywork, tone hole and bore tolerances,
etc.), they would pass muster.

Anyway, standing in the way of acceptance are the facts that musicians have
highly developed myths and legends about their playing setups and are
notoriously slow to accept change.  In that respect, instrumentalists'
belief systems can give any organized religion a run for its money.

Now, just don't get me started about reeds.

Cheers.

Mike Smith
Boulder, Colorado