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Clarinet Bore Oil Information

22nd February 2024

In this blog (with demonstration video) we discuss the how and why of oiling the internal bore of a wooden musical instrument. In this example we’re demonstrating using a Bb Clarinet, but the same technique and reasoning applies to any wooden bodied instrument.

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Which Clarinet is Best for a Beginner?

29th August 2023

Whether choosing one for your child or picking up the instrument for the first time yourself, it’s never easy knowing which clarinet is best for a beginner. There are so many options and a lot of jargon to wade through, making it near impossible to figure it out without a little help. That’s exactly why we’ve put together this guide looking at beginner clarinets.

beginner clarinet
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Buffet B12 Clarinet – An Old Favourite

23rd August 2023

The Buffet B12 (recently replaced by the Buffet Prodige) was THE student clarinet for many decades. We recently recorded a video featuring a limited edition clear perspex model (see below) and decided to look back at this popular beginner Clarinet here on the blog.

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Clarinet Playing Tips & Advice (Part 1/2)

24th October 2022

We recently hosted Peter Cigleris for a Backun Clarinet event here at Dawkes Music. Along with a stunning performance Peter also spent some time discussing common aspects of Clarinet playing. In this blog (part 1 of 2) we share some of the highlights with you…

clarinet playing
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Clarinet Mouthpieces: How to Test

10th August 2022

We asked leading UK professional player Nick Carpenter for his top tips on choosing the correct clarinet mouthpiece for you. Dawkes offer a wide range of clarinet mouthpieces, these tips will help you when testing between different models.

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Jazz Clarinet Mouthpieces – Which is Best?

25th November 2021

We asked leading UK professional player Simon Bates to demonstrate and discuss a range of jazz clarinet mouthpieces and ask “which is best?”. We looked at the leading models from Vandoren as well as alternatives from Otto Link and Meyer.

If you’re wanting to play in a more jazz oriented way on Clarinet we would advise selecting a jazz designed mouthpiece to really help. Check out the video and our info on how to choose below…

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Buffet or Yamaha?

25th August 2021

We’re often asked about the difference between Buffet Clarinets and Yamaha Clarinets. Each brand offers a range from student to professional. In this blog we take a look at the two manufacturers and their Clarinets and consider if you should choose Buffet or Yamaha?

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Top 5 Clarinet Gift Ideas

4th December 2020

Whether you’re looking for a loved one, or perhaps just treating yourself (!) we’ve put together our Top 5 gift ideas for Clarinettists of all levels. From accessories to instruments, we’ve got something for all players and all budgets…

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Mail Order: 14 Day Home Trial

2nd November 2020

As fellow musicians we understand that sometimes it’s important to compare similar items back-to-back and/or just get a few days to make sure something is right for you. Our 14 Day Home Trial option is there to help you find the right item and test it in an environment you’re comfortable in. Here’s how it works…

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Auxiliary Woodwind Instruments

19th February 2020

This is a term you may have heard before, but what exactly does it mean? In short, an auxiliary instrument is any ‘non-standard’ version of the common members of an instrumental family. They’re often used in orchestras and other ensembles by the specialist players. Today we’re looking at the auxiliary instruments in the woodwind family, as well as a few that we sell in store!

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What’s Your Set-Up? Sax & Clarinet…

This question gets thrown around a lot! From first time mouthpiece upgraders looking for something new, to highly-skilled amateurs looking for a different sound. Truthfully, someone’s answer – beyond letting you know how much money they dropped on a mouthpiece! – isn’t a lot of use to you. Why is this?

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Diamonds in the Rough – Vandoren’s New Mouthpieces

6th November 2019

Vandoren’s original Black Diamond, or BD5, was released in 2015 and rapidly became one of their most popular clarinet mouthpieces. It provides a rich, dark tone, with the compact sound we’ve come to expect from a good clarinet mouthpiece. Vandoren have recently developed new variations on the Black Diamond, the BD4 and BD7. I tried these new offerings, alongside my trusty BD5, to see how they compared.

The New BD4 and BD7
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Eddie Daniels joins the Légère Family!

30th September 2019

American jazz and classical clarinetist and saxophonist Eddie Daniels has made the switch! After using cane reeds throughout his career, Daniels now exclusively uses Légère synthetic reeds on clarinet and tenor saxophone.
Daniels is now a Légère edorsing artist. Read on to find out more about the innovate reeds he endorses. ‘Life just got easier’!

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“Faz” by Peter Gardner

9th March 2018

The number of great clarinet players who were born or learned to play in New Orleans when jazz was in its infancy is quite amazing.  Johnny Dodds, Edmond Hall, Albert Nicholas, Omer Simeon, Leon Roppolo, Jimmy Noone, Barney Bigard, Sidney Bechet and Irving Henry Prestopnik are just some that come to mind. If the last of these is not too familiar, maybe you know him under the Mediterranean name for ‘beans’, possibly acquired as a term of commendation, or because in his early days he only played from music in a prim and proper or ‘fah-so-lah’ kind of way.  Still, whatever its etymology, ‘Fazola’ replaced the east European name of his father, ‘Henry’ was dropped and for most of his adult life he was known as Irving Fazola or ‘Faz’.

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Learn To Play Day – Success Story #2

3rd March 2018

In preparation for this years national ‘Learn To Play Day’ we are chatting with some new players who started their musical journeys at a previous Learn To Play event. Whatever your age, there’s nothing to stop you picking up an instrument and achieving your musical dreams! Over to you Jinny…

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Squeaking? Blame the mouthpiece??

13th January 2017

Post Author: Prof. Anton Weinberg (www.antonweinberg.com)

I am always concerned when teachers and players assume that squeaks on a mouthpiece are caused by the facing being crooked. Yes indeed, it might be a possibility, however my research over many years has found that a great majority of the mouthpieces used by clarinetists that we admire are indeed crooked.

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5 Minutes with…Andrew Marriner (Principal Clarinet LSO)

29th November 2016

Marriner_A

We managed to catch up briefly with Andrew Marriner – Principal Clarinet with the London Symphony Orchestra and we fired a few questions at him to help all you Clarinet players out there. Andrew Marriner has held the position of principal clarinet in the LSO since 1986, when he succeeded the late Jack Brymer. During his orchestral career Andrew has maintained a presence on the worldwide solo concert platform, in the field of chamber music, and as a teacher. (www.andrewmarrinerclarinet.com)

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New Buffet Clarinets – Launch on Saturday May 28th…

12th May 2016

The New Buffet ‘Tradition’ Professional Model:

The new Tradition has been inspired by a pre-1950s design while taking into account the needs of modern musical repertoire and performance practice, this brand new cylindrical bore compliments the R13 and RC bore families, adding a new acoustic dimension to the Buffet offerings.

Featuring a cylindrical bore design, the new clarinet harkens back to the purity of sound produced by the BC20, with a tone hole placement inspired by the Tosca design. The result is an instrument that presents a clear, focused, rich sound suitable for any acoustic environment and an even scale for consistent intonation throughout all registers.

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The Uebel Emperior Bass Clarinet is a serious competitor!

29th December 2015

The Uebel Emperior is a fantastic new addition to the professional Bass Clarinet range.

boehm_bass_klarinette_emperior

“The Uebel bass clarinet is a fantastic and much needed addition to the bass clarinet market that compares favourably with it’s competitors. It plays extremely well and is a reliable alternative for players looking for a high quality instrument at an affordable price.” Sarah Watts, B
ritish bass clarinet specialist, teacher of bass clarinet at Royal Northern College of Music.

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Introducing… Dawkes Music Reed Selection Packs

29th August 2015

ReedSelectionPack

As fellow clarinettists, here at Dawkes we understand how important it is to find the right set-up.

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Workshop Tips: How we fix clarinet cracks

23rd July 2015

BEFORE: 20150608_115030-2

This Buffet R13 came into our workshop with an enormous crack in the top joint, running through the speaker tube and into the thumb bush. Miraculously, the crack had not travelled through into the bore of the instrument, so we were able to fill and secure the crack using wood powder, glue and a lot of patience.

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Clarinet Accessory Reviews – Bore Oil & Pullthrough

19th May 2012

Michaela Bell; Woodwind Teacher, Berkshire

I recently bought a secondhand Selmer 10S clarinet from Dawkes, which I had kept my eye on as soon as it came into the shop! This instrument was made some time between 1978-9 (so it is approximately a decade older than I am!).  Although it is in immaculate condition, (especially after the workshop had got their magic hands on it), I was concerned that due to its age, the bore might be prone to drying out and in need of some TLC. In the past, I have treated my oboe and Cor Anglais with bore oil, but this has led to problems with sticky pads and I wasn’t entirely happy with the results, so I was a little reluctant to try that particular brand of bore oil again.

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Vandoren CL4 and CL5 Clarinet Mouthpieces – NEW!

10th May 2011

VANDOREN CLARINET MOUTHPIECES CL4 AND CL5

The new Vandoren CL4 and CL5 clarinet mouthpieces arrived with us today. We passed them to our mouthpiece designer and Woodwind consultant Prof Anton Weinberg for a review:

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Yesterday Buffet R13’s – Today…a Tarogato!

20th April 2010
Just received a beautiful blood red looking soprano sax, which was not a soprano sax but, of course, a Tarogato. The owner needs me to make a mouthpiece for it, which roughly resembles a clarinet mouthpiece, as it fits into the instrument and not over it similar to the soprano. However, what is a Tarogato I can hear you asking? Originally a Hungarian/ Rumanian instrument steeped in folk law and when played with its original double reed certainly frightened the hell out of ones enemy. However, a revival of folk instruments by Hungarian musicians about 1890 saw it changed to using a mouthpiece and single reed, thus producing a much warmer sound without the ‘serial killers’ character.

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