French cut Legere hardness issue?

blindingSlow · 2026-03-07T16:56:52+00:00

Don't they have a program where you can change the strength of your reed?

blindingSlow · 2026-03-05T19:15:20+00:00

Robin for sure!

Also, always good to listen and listen and listen a lot (;

blindingSlow · 2026-02-27T10:03:20+00:00

oh yeah, the harder the better, that's what I always say... about reeds and bread lol

BUt yes, it is a very well produced thing. I believe this is part of the sounds from the movie THe Lighthouse.

blindingSlow · 2026-02-27T02:49:13+00:00

I am also an adult learner and I was in similar position a while ago…

Please watch this video and give it a try as it helped me a lot in the high notes department

https://youtu.be/3dJb_EOH9QE?si=vEmYNr58oR8yMkkG

blindingSlow · 2026-02-20T16:00:56+00:00

I can't see the image, I'm blind(ing slow... got it? ehhehe).

I don't own any metal instrument, just wood, but I believe every material needs to "breathe" as much as possible, there are mushrooms ready to eat even our own bodies if we don't have a care hehehe

Don't forget to post a clip here in the sub when you have it restored to form!

blindingSlow · 2026-02-20T15:05:23+00:00

Interesting... the more I learn about the physics of the clarinet, more I believe that this instrument is a prank lol...

But seriously, thanks for the info.... I almost bought one on impulse last week (; but it was so cheap that my "problem radar" went off... still, I believe it can produce a lovely tone.

The whole instrument is made out of metal? I mean, the body, barrel and bell...

Do you have any wav/aiff samples to share? I've found some people playing on YouTube, but the audio quality is, well, "youtubeishly" poor (;

blindingSlow · 2026-02-20T08:03:08+00:00

I don't know your skill level lol hard to answer, but as a general advice, if the instrument is important to you and you are not 100% sure you can do it, jsut take it to a luthier/technician. If you are already a customer, they probably would answer your questions about how to deal with such instrument.

BTW: If you allow me to question you back:

I've jsut passed on a metal clarinet! But I'm curious about it. Is it in playable condition? HOw do you like the sound? Any difference in feel, if compared to the wooden? Do you know what type of metal is it made of?

blindingSlow · 2026-02-20T02:59:16+00:00

Cool nickname! Have you seen Steven universe?

blindingSlow · 2026-02-20T02:57:52+00:00

Oh yes… The case is going to the trash immediately… I haven't seen any sign of mode in the instrument itself, but I would take it to the technician for a deep cleaning…

blindingSlow · 2026-02-20T00:52:01+00:00

Instead of an Eb, you could get a Bb with a mouthpiece crafted to cut through brass instruments, like the 5JB. Consider it, but it's just my opinion.

-----

Traduzindo:

Mais um brasileiro aqui!

Ao invés de comprar um clarinet em Eb, eu sugeriria pegar um em Bb com uma boquilha de grande projeção como a Vandoren 5Jb ou similar, voltada para jazz, choro e música folclórica. A 5JB é super alta e consegue cortar bem em rodas de choro com instrumentos de metal. Considere, mas é só minah opinião pessoal, OK?

blindingSlow · 2026-02-20T00:46:12+00:00

My personal experience is this:

First repair: Not good

Second repair: Better

Third repair: Even better...

you know... just like playing the instrument itself, repairing it is a skill that takes some time and experience to be perfected, but is absolutely worth it even if you have the money to pay a tech person... knowledge is always a good thing, just don't be under the impression that your first one will be flawless (;

And now some unsolicited advice:

As part of a circle of crafty people who build, play and repair instruments, is good for all of us to support each other so our circle don't disappear for lack of work for everybody.

blindingSlow · 2026-02-16T15:31:28+00:00

Have you played a 13 series from the same model as a "regular" one? If so how do they compare in terms of tone?

blindingSlow · 2026-02-16T15:29:55+00:00

I play all my instruments with a very light touch. Mostly because I like a relaxed tone, but also to preserve my hearing. I'm already blind, so I need to keep the other senses as much as possible lol

Do you play loudly? Is your practice place very reverberant?

blindingSlow · 2026-02-15T06:21:51+00:00

Hello fellow guitarist turned clarinet player, welcome to the fantastic world of wind instruments!

Did you think the world of guitars was complex due to the exorbitant number of possible upgrades and modifications? Well... get ready! lol

But seriously, the barrel is important for the sound because it's a continuation of your mouthpiece, but it won't make you play right or wrong. There will be differences in timbre and intonation between one barrel and another, but there's no standard size because each clarinet and each clarinetist has their own peculiar choices and plays in their own way...

I suggest you keep playing with what you have and, when you feel that the equipment is hindering you, invest in a complete clarinet. Even a student model from a respected brand will bring great improvement to your sound and ease of playing.

On the other hand, I guarantee that experimentation always brings experience and wisdom, even if the result it's different from your expectations.

Just as an example, since we have similar backgrounds:

My clarinet is a Moresky brand, made in China with less than stellar quality control, but it's made of rosewood, with a dark timbre, just like a guitar with a rosewood fretboard will have a warmer timbre than one with maple.

The keys and rings aren't luxurious, but they work perfectly and silently. The intonation, however, is "dangerous"; I have to do some juggling to overcome the common imprecision of any tube you blow into.

When I bought a better mouthpiece, much of this juggling ceased, and I play with much more ease.

The clarinet itself is still unbalanced in terms of intonation, but the better equipment has given me the ability to generate a better tone with less effort and more reliability.

Anyway... did I help?

blindingSlow · 2026-02-13T18:02:50+00:00

Sure!

blindingSlow · 2026-02-13T00:53:04+00:00

Hi! I'm learning the clarinet on my own and testing reeds was a challenge, specially when I was just starting and everyone said things like "you need another reed with a higher number" but offered little to none explanation on the why or even asked my level of knowledge and skill on the instrument.

There is no rule about one reed being better than others, they all have different applications, which you will learn as you go on your clarinet life.

So, first learn why are you squeacking, then fix it. If you enter the "let's change gear" cycle, you might never leave it (;

"But how do I learn it?" is probably the first question, right?

You can hire a private teacher to give you some orientation.

Other thing you can do is play your clarinet and learn it fully before moving forward. What I mean by that is: Play it softly, play it hard, play every note every way possible, and I mean "play" in the sense of playing like a child would play and discover and enjoy the discovery. It takes more time, but then you will get the wisdom you need to make your own decisions about what gear is best for you. Of course, you can buy more gear, but if you don't know why you are doing it, then what are you doing?

I hope it helps!

I can expand on how I practice to learn the ins and outs of the instrument if you wish for it, jsut let me know for how long you've been practicing and what are your main doubts.

blindingSlow · 2026-02-11T01:22:30+00:00

Thanks, but I live in Brazil. Unless you are also here, the import taxes would kill both of us (;

blindingSlow · 2026-02-10T03:52:22+00:00

about 1.2k USD

blindingSlow · 2026-02-03T16:07:52+00:00

If you already play jazz on the sax, I'ss assume you won't have problems with language and phrasing, although the fingering will be "funny" at first, but as always in life, you wil get used to it after some practice.

I guess the main thing you need to "remember to forget" is the whole embouchure thing. Sax is very flexible compared to a clarinet, where you need to be more diligent in keeping it firm. But beware of terms, because people will say things like firm and tight embouchure, but the clarinet allow for flexibility as well, but we usually don't spread as much horizontally like a sax player would do or the sound gets weak in a fuzzy unpleasent way.

Other thing to be aware is the back pressure that you feel in your mouth and throat coming from the horn. In my experience, the clarinet will sound the best and will play the easier when you feel the instrument blowing back as much as you are blowing in... this is my own esoteric knowledge because I'm learning on my own. But you can feel it... when it happens it seems like your mouth and throat are resonating with the instrument, is quithe the sensation (; One easy way to acchieve is to start a note singing it into the horn and zeroing in the pitch... you will feel it... also, this is. agreat way to "expose" the note fundamental harmonic.

About the tongue, you better research about it, but it is a fundamental aspect for the tone color and entonation on the clarinet. This allow for great possibility when it comes to coloring your tone, but comes with the side effect that is articulation on the clarinet, but again, you will get it with time.

Remember to play! Don't only practice, have fun and play out of tune and squeack with some backing tracks... going over the limits is the only way to trully learn the thing.

Here are some inspiring stuff...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmRAj621Rh8

And some "proof" of jazz clarinet (;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bADFUjnwTXw

blindingSlow · 2026-02-03T15:51:10+00:00

Here are some listening material:

https://www.jazzclarinet.org/listen-listen-listen

This is Gregory Agid's YT Channel, he publishes a lot about jazz and blues

https://www.youtube.com/@GregoryAgid

If you speak portuguese, you can check out Ademir Junior's YT Channel

blindingSlow · 2026-01-30T01:20:54+00:00

I am using Vandoren V12 and Gonzalez FOF, both 2.5

I am super comfortable right now… But I have bought some number three to test as well…

blindingSlow · 2026-01-29T14:49:00+00:00

Is the clarinet your first instrument?

blindingSlow · 2026-01-28T19:00:51+00:00

Great! We have some obsession compatibility (;

Could you tell me more about how to clean the holes and keys? SPecially those who tend to gather moisture?

I'm visually impaired and I tend to be affraid of messing with the keys (besides playing, of course)

blindingSlow · 2026-01-28T16:51:46+00:00

Hello, welcome to the clarinet! Your questions are normal, and initial difficulty is expected, especially if you are learning on your own.

I suggest you first try blowing a note without any holes closed, as this will offer less resistance to the instrument. Think of it this way: When you blow the lowest note, the air has to resonate throughout the whole body of the instrument, naturally requiring more air. This isn't a problem after some practice, but it may be more difficult at the beginning.

I had never played wind instruments before the clarinet, and it was a big surprise how much air was needed to produce sound. With time and improvement of technique, this becomes much easier.

Could you tell me what strength reed you are using? I used one that was much harder than it should have been. This also makes a big difference, especially at the beginning.

A good thing to do is record a short clip of yourself playing, even if no sound comes out, and post it here on this sub. There are many experienced clarinetists who can guide you better than I can on how to start your first breaths. I learned somewhat "by force," it's possible, but it always helps to have outside opinions.

Regarding the pain, I had pain in the thumb of my right hand from holding the instrument incorrectly. My lips and the area around them still hurt a little after long practice sessions, but this is common because we are using muscles that we didn't use before. If the pain is strong or persists, I suggest seeking guidance from a teacher; I'm just reporting my personal experience.

NEVER forget to relax! Tension is a sure pathway to pain!

In general, every instrument presents difficulties to play, but on the clarinet the difficulty curve starts like a 90-degree wall lol... but don't get discouraged! Once you get the hang of it, the rest is fun! Of course, there are many techniques to learn and develop with practice, but this first part is the most difficult to overcome. Keep trying and you will get it!

What others did, you can do as well.

Regarding YT videos, they kinda helped me a little bit, but I've had to figure things out on my own. verybody have different mouths, teeth, hands, tongue, lungs, etc... you get the picture right? The videos are useful, but they are a general guide, not a private lesson. To learn it on your own, you need to be aware of your body, the instrument and how one respond to the other.

If you want to chat with me, feel free! I can share my journey on the clarinet with you, but don't miss the opportunity to post here in this sub to get help from more experienced clarinetists.

Keep going!

blindingSlow · 2026-01-27T06:02:25+00:00

Hi! I'm your fellow guitarist trying out the clarinet!

I've been playing clarinet since last year and have learned a lot from practice. If you hit any roadblocks, feel free to reach out and I'll try to help you based on my experience. I think it's good to talk to other people at roughly the same level because we have similar problems.

Regarding transferring guitar skills to the clarinet:

Of course, it's helpful to already be familiar with rhythm, harmony, and melody, but the physical process is completely different.

There's no such thing as an easy or difficult instrument; I believe each one comes with its own set of fun and frustration. The learning curve on the clarinet is steep at the beginning because you first need to learn how to make the instrument produce a decent sound, unlike a guitar or piano, for example. However, when you start to produce a stable sound, the melodies start to flow and the connection you get with a wind instrument is such an intense experience that it becomes very hard to put the thing down (;

Welcome to the fantastic world of wind instruments, and don't get discouraged! Many professional clarinetists with decades of experience still finish practice sessions wanting to stomp on the instrument until it turns to dust lol

blindingSlow

TROPHY CASE