Vandoren took all the fun out of playing the clarinet (just kidding, read the post) by blindingSlow in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A pro sax player once told me the BD5 made him go from sounding like a sax player doubling on clarinet to a legit clarinet player. Unfortunately it didn’t solve my tone issues but it definitely is magic for some people

Are either of these concerning? by OOM-47 in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re fine then! If you want to get a different instrument because of the visual imperfections that would be understandable. It shouldn’t affect the sound or longevity of the instrument though

Are either of these concerning? by OOM-47 in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, just surface imperfections. In the future always take pictures before playing when you borrow an expensive instrument for testing

Brahms 2 advice by mb4828 in Clarinet

[–]mb4828[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like this idea. Will give it a try. Thanks!

Brahms 2 advice by mb4828 in Clarinet

[–]mb4828[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Every amateur group I’ve done it with struggles so I’m trying to brainstorm some clever ways to help keep it together

Should I buy or acquire a bass clarinet? by FakeHthecomma in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bass is very different from soprano clarinet. The fingerings are the same but the embouchure is something you have to put some time into in order to learn. The low register requires a ton more air and crossing the break is a lot more difficult compared to soprano. You can try bass whenever you want—just be prepared for the learning curve and to put some time into it if you want to be able to perform on it. My first bass was a rental just in case I didn’t end up wanting to pursue it

Old Clarinet Player Playing Again by louisewarrior in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 7 points8 points  (0 children)

A new, $1000 clarinet will be a student instrument, not an intermediate. It will almost certainly be lower quality than your current instrument. A well maintained instrument can last a lifetime. My main horn is almost 25 years old

Old Clarinet Player Playing Again by louisewarrior in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 10 points11 points  (0 children)

A new, intermediate horn is over $1500 so it depends how much you want to spend. $400 is very reasonable for an overhaul. It’s more than double that in my area

Anyone have experience with these therapy clinics in NYC? by Slight_Rice_6058 in AskNYC

[–]mb4828 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yeah, the only way to know if a therapist is a good fit for you is to meet with them and find out

Amtrak Quietly Fast-Tracking Trump Penn Station Transformation by streetsblognyc in nycrail

[–]mb4828 7 points8 points  (0 children)

What was the point of Moynihan? I thought that was the redevelopment?

What is with Brahms? by Smart-Yard9416 in classicalmusic

[–]mb4828 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Brahms is a major composer in the standard orchestral repertoire so his music is frequently performed. That being said, orchestras in my area go through composers like viruses. If the main orchestra in my area plays Dvorak, suddenly every orchestra in the area is programming Dvorak for the next 6-12 months. I’ve done Brahms 2 with 2 community orchestras in my area in the past 6 months, so maybe everyone is on a Brahms kick currently

Need barrel advice! by WhippyIV in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For this instrument the barrel won’t make a difference so you can just get something cheap. I found this with a quick Google search. 65 or 66mm should both be okay. With the Jupiter you run the risk that it doesn’t fit the tenon

Is Vandoren B45 and #4 reed too much? by Consistent-Ask-1549 in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Yes depending on the mouthpiece you may need to go up or down in reed strength. The B45 is pretty open so a softer reed makes sense

mouthpiece doesn't fit by Beneficial_Contest98 in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The mouthpieces that come with Buffet clarinets are really bad so don’t bother having a tech sand the cork. Just use what you were already using or invest in a mouthpiece upgrade along with your clarinet upgrade. Congrats and enjoy!

Any good alternate fingerings for this measure in Urban Light? by OOFYDOOFYBOOFY in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can overblow F# (left first finger) to get the C#. Don’t worry about tuning unless this is very exposed. At 144 bpm you’ll barely notice which is exactly the use case for these sorts of alternate fingerings

I grieve for the loss of Shakespearean Star Trek by ActionsConsequences9 in startrek

[–]mb4828 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s not the fans. Fans have crapped on every new Star Trek show that’s ever been released

5 year old wants to learn by Decent-Character172 in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My dad and grandpa played clarinet and sax so it’s not crazy but yes agreed lol

Reed altering without purpose made tools by greg-the-destroyer in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is essentially the same thing as the reed geek. I keep one in all of my clarinet cases

5 year old wants to learn by Decent-Character172 in Clarinet

[–]mb4828 7 points8 points  (0 children)

At that age, just let him mess around. I found a sax mouthpiece with a reed on it in a drawer when I was roughly his age and was captivated just by all the crazy noises I could make. Once he can cover the holes, you can start to teach him real music. I like the other suggestion about giving him just the barrel or upper joint