Doctor’s Products

Posted on By ericdano 1 Comment on Doctor’s Products

The Doctor’s Products website is a great place to get clarinet stuff. Bore oil, etc, etc. The Klarinet list had a lengthy post from someone praising the Doctor’s new oil. Grenad-Oil®, from the product page, is

Use ‘Nature’s Way’ to oil your intrument with genuine Grenadilla Oil. Grenad-Oil® is absorbed quickly and completely into fine wood instruments and is the choice for the discerning musician that wants to add back exactly the same oil lost over time to their instruments.

Over the summer I bought a bunch of stuff from the good doctor, including his other bore oil, wood cleaner, and some other things. Oiling the bore of my clarinet was rather painless, but using the wood cleaner really scared me. It basically turned my clarinet a different color, light brownish I believe it was. In a panic, I put some of the bore oil on a rag and proceeded to oil the outside to get the clarinet back to a more “clarinet” color. Whew.

Anyhow, The Doctor’s stuff is worth checking out. So check it out!

Reviews

II-V-I Patterns For Clarinet

Posted on By ericdano 10 Comments on II-V-I Patterns For Clarinet

I finally got around to tweaking my huge collection of II-V-I patterns for clarinet. Enjoy.

  II-V-I Patterns for Bb Clarinet (4.8 MiB, 1,177 hits)
You do not have permission to download this file. Please either login or create an account first.


  II-V-I Patterns for Bb Clarinet Pages 1 to 100 (1.7 MiB, 1,908 hits)
You do not have permission to download this file. Please either login or create an account first.


  II-V-I Patterns for Bb Clarinet Pages 101 to 200 (1.8 MiB, 822 hits)
You do not have permission to download this file. Please either login or create an account first.


  II-V-I Patterns for Bb Clarinet Pages 201 to 286 (1.4 MiB, 832 hits)
You do not have permission to download this file. Please either login or create an account first.

Sheet Music

Rubber vs. Wood

Posted on By ericdano 49 Comments on Rubber vs. Wood

Dubya writes “what are the differences in hard rubber vs wood for clarinets? I know plastic is the student model material, but I’ve seen pro stuff in both of the others. Is there a quality difference, or is it more up to preference? What would guide those preferences?” 

I can’t think of any “Pro” clarinets that are made of rubber. Never heard of such a thing. There are clarinets that are made of wood, wood and carbon fiber (called Greenline by Buffet), or ABS Resin (Plastic). None of these are rubber. Wood is the way to go. If you live in an area where cracking could be a problem, or are playing in situations where cracking might happen, the wood/carbon fiber is the way to go. Plastic is for student models. Wood simply gives you a better sound, and the cracking potential is very low. So get a wood clarinet.

Articles

Clarinet Mouthpieces for a Buffet R 13?

Posted on By ericdano 2 Comments on Clarinet Mouthpieces for a Buffet R 13?

Aaron writes “Hi, my names Aaron and have been playing my clarinet for 6 years. I started on a Buffet E 11 and have finally convinced my mom to get me a R 13. I tried it out with a B 45 but, its a little resistant. Could someone makes any suggestions for good mouthpiece reed combos that would get a me a dark sound. I play mainly classical. If you want to know what I need. I need a reed mouthpiece combo so I can play Percy Grainger’s Molly on the Shore without resistance. Thanks”

There are a number of mouthpieces to try. Fobes, Vandoren, etc, etc. You should go to a local music store and try a bunch out. If you don’t live by one, try the Woodwind/Brasswind. They have a reasonable return policy on mouthpieces.

Articles

Leblanc or Selmer – Best clarinet for jazz?

Posted on By ericdano 31 Comments on Leblanc or Selmer – Best clarinet for jazz?

pattern_sound writes “So, im looking into getting a new clarinet. i have it mostly down to between a Leblanc Pete Fountain, and a Selmer Signature. I will be playing jazz, alongside some orchestral and new music type stuff. would the Selmer be more versatile, by less jazzy?”

Totally does not matter what kind of clarinet you play. What you should be looking/listening for is what kind of sound you want to get. If the Selmer is the sound you want, go for it. Same for the LeBlanc. Buffet might even be the clarinet for you.

Articles

Vandoren 5JB clarinet mouthpiece and reeds for it

Posted on By ericdano 5 Comments on Vandoren 5JB clarinet mouthpiece and reeds for it

Ken Mills writes “The Vandoren 5JB clarinet mouthpiece, with the side walls filed further apart where they go to the bore, is a hotrod. The Vandoren 2½ reed is not too soft, and the Marca 2 or 2½ are the same style of reed. Now one can go up to double high C. The sound is the most dark in the clarion register and the power is the most so that nobody can stand up to me outdoors unless they play the trumpet. Use it with a large bore clarinet, but it should be sort of a high pitched instrument such as the Selmer, or what is another one? The alto sax is too bright so that we have trouble with treble, except for, of course, Paul Desmond. Get out of my way, because clarinet goes just as low, you sax people.”

Articles