Post-ClarinetFest Thoughts

Or – How I avoided GAS at ClarinetFest

I think all musicians at one time or another have succumbed to GAS.  That is – Gear Acquisition Syndrome.  You know the feeling. That finding just the right mouthpiece, or ligature, or barrel, or whatever it is will help make your playing better.  And, before I go any further let me be very clear about two things.  First, that I have fallen victim to this problem myself.  Second, that in a certain respect it’s true.  A different clarinet, mouthpiece, barrel or anything else could help you play better.  Certainly it’s easier to play on a professional model clarinet than a student one.  Just as it’s better to play on a nice mouthpiece than the stock one that comes with nearly every clarinet.

So, if you were intended to buy a new piece of clarinet equipment you could hardly find a better place to look than Austin Texas between July 21 and 25.  There were a huge number of vendors selling any number of accessories and instruments and no shortage of people trying them.  But if you want to sound like (insert famous clarinetists’ name here) you’re never going to get there.  Will some of these items make it easier to play?  Absolutely.  No doubt.  But you will always sound like yourself.  After a few weeks or months people invariably get used to the equipment they have and then find themselves faced with the same challenges they had before.  So the only solution is to practice harder (or smarter)  - iron out those issues of technique which challenge you the most.  After that (or at the same time) you need to develop your own style and voice.  In the two masterclasses I was able to see (led by Daniel Gilbert and Deborah Chodacki) the idea of developing a unique musical voice was the most important.

I don’t want to discourage you from trying a new mouthpiece.  I just think that it’s important to realize that you can’t expect it to solve all your problems or make you into a new player.  You’re the only one who can do that.