hey I just wanted to say that if you look at any of the cheapest instruments they are all going to have the same case design and the same gloves they all come from the same factory in china that pushes clarinets out at like 20$ a piece and like a trumpet at 70$ a piece.
just want to say all the cheapest instruments will have the same case design and gloves. They all come the same factory and you can tell just by looking at some of the photos most of them are just drop shipped garbage.
Awesome video! I liked and subscribed. For your 10,000th, which I am sure you will accomplish. I would like for you to fix your honeycomb in the background. Sorry! I can't not see it. Love you bro!
11:00 - Hi! Band repair tech and woodwind player here. The bridge key: You do press it down on the top joint while assembling the instrument. Also the reason it is “too open” when you looked at just the top joint was because the instrument was not assembled. It is meant to rest on the lower joint bridge key. Some times folks add a bit of cork to the back of the top joint bridge key where it touches the body when disassembled, but it isn’t necessary. As far as the ligature placement - the screws are always on the right side. So that ligature was meant to be played with the screws facing down. From a player/repair perspective on those low priced clarinets my experience is that they have a lot of intonation problems. The chimneys (open holes) are prone to leaking where they go into the body, and the tone holes aren’t very level.. which makes it a nightmare to keep the pads sealing. The keys tend to be extremely soft too so they bend easier and come out of adjustment faster. Also replacement parts are not available to repair shops. All that being said, if it’s the difference between a kid being able to participate in band and not being able to get a start on something they might love… that’s a decision for the band director and parents. Hope some of this information helps you in your career as a music educator!
@@MadMusicBand absolutely, it’s your job to teach the kids to play, and mine to help all music folks understand how their instruments work and to help them take care of it better. We’re all in this together.
Perhaps a fun idea, for when you have a full band worth of cheapest instruments, would be to record a band standard using all the instruments. Link I mean you record each part then splice them together in the video editor. You could even call it a performance by "Amazon's cheapest band"!
@@MadMusicBand Playing flute was definitely weird at first but I’ve gotten more used to it these past couple of months. I also play trombone, baritone, and a few other instruments. I’m going to Music Education and would like to learn as many instruments as I can.
So you had a student break your clarinet, but for me, it was the band teacher who broke my flute, a month into my first year of band. Couldn't afford to get it repaired or get a new flute, and that ended my band career right there.
@F1zzi_s0d4 I forget exactly why, but he asked me to hand him my instrument, and I did, and he accidentally dropped it right onto the hardwood floor. Ended up blowing some of the key springs and half my keys wouldn't work properly anymore
Some little words of wisdom from a very experienced woodwind player. Align the reed much lower than you think you should, reed placement can often have as big of a difference in playability as the clarinet itself. As a studying band director, I totally get the struggle of dealing side instruments without knowing the little things :)
I have a bundy bass clarinet and it’s been great, the poor thing was beat to death and is missing several springs, has a massive dent in the bell, and still plays great
This channel is super fun for me because, wow, the only instrument I had access to as a kid was my mom's piano, so I have no idea how any other instrument is played. Edutainment at its finest~
I got a clarinet at a thrift store for like 75$ and it was definitely used (ew) but I cleaned it and fixed it up and other than the crappy mouthpiece (like that one) it works great! I bring it to band a lot in case anybody forgets theirs/needs to get theirs fixed :-) very glad I found that one because I really thought it would be crap 😅
Hey! As a clarinetist I want to tell you that when you’re doing a chromatic scale, there is a key right between the low G and low A that you can press that makes it easier to go from Bb to B natural. Press it when play low Bb to make it a B natural. (Also works with F and F# with the register key)
Clarinetist (of sorts) here. I was laughing in tears! I sooo feel for the student getting the cheapo horn and ragequitting after 2 lessons. A good mouthpiece is a must. And not too expensive thing to add to that... BTW the zipper thing being 'off rails' is a bag manufacturing thing. Usually the one making the bag would set it but hey, that takes 2 seconds and time is money.
Yea, it's super frustrating thinking of a kid getting this and being unable to make a noise because of a terrible mouthpiece, and then quitting. That's funny about the zipper, didn't think of that, but yea each time it's taken two seconds to fix. Every second counts I guess 😂
7:40 - The LH2 ring key venting is usually higher when the top joint is separated as its venting is set by the RH ring keys once assembled. Most clarinets (even pro level Buffet, Selmer and Yamaha ones and others) are like that from the factory. You can fit a small stopper on the underside of the LH2 linkage (where the bend is) to lower it enough to make assembly easier so the cork on the LH2 linkage piece doesn't get torn off from clumsy assembly which is what you're doing at 10:38 - you should ALWAYS hold the LH2 ring key down when assembling both the main body joints to avoid any damage.
@@MadMusicBand The YamaUrrrr does have that stopper cork on the linkage, but it's far too thin to be of any use. But as a matter of standard practice with any clarinet, both cheap and expensive, always hold the LH2 ring key down during assembly. The tight fitting bell is crying out for the tenon to be resized (skimmed down to remove just enough material) as you can hear the tenon is binding in the socket. That happens on a lot of wooden clarinets too and is an easy fix for anyone who knows where and how much wood to remove (or plastic in the case of the YamaUrrrr) as no amount of cork grease will help and many people wrongly assume it's the cork that needs sanding down as it's the oversized tenon itself that's causing the problem.
My Yamaha (not Yamaer, the real one!) clarinet has a bevel on the bridge key where it just slides jn and you don't have to do that. I've been playing it for 10 years and never had damage from not pressing that key.
@@pikachuchujelly7628 It still helps to add that stopper, bevel or no bevel (or ears or no ears) as many people still mangle things up even with the ears on the linkage piece on both Yamahas and Buffets. Remember that when you put people into the equation, anything can and often will happen and prevention is always better than cure, even if you can't fix stupid. I always tell people to hold down both the LH2 ring key and the throat A key (with their left hand) and when they move onto bass clarinets with a fully automatic speaker mechanism, that also prevents the extra linkage running across the joints getting mangled up as the throat A key lifts it out of harm's way during assembly.
My granddaughter decided she wanted to play clarinet, so I gave her mine. It's 55 years old. I spent $500 to refurbish it.Which is more than what my family spent on it new. Inflation I guess. Of course, it hadn't really been played much since the last refurbishment. I guess it can be considered to be antique. Cause I guess I'm antique at 66. Oh, and yeah, mine is a Normandy. At least the cheep clarinet is a wood clarinet, not a plastic one. I can't complain, mine made me 1st chair my senior year. Reverse plastic ligature and everything. I didn't know that plastic reeds were a thing, either.
@@Murgoh Around $800 to $1000 (canadian, so even less US$) direct from China, for a Bassoon. That''l probably be synthetic...if you want wood, it's more like $1500 and up.
Hey! It’s that clarinetist from your trumpet video. All things considered, your tone wasn’t too bad! Though I can tell how tough it was to play the el cheapo clarinet with its mouthpiece. I’ve had my fair share of those. Keep up the great work! As for the stand situation, get one with locking legs. I got one from my local music store for about $20 and it still works great!
Yup, I've got a sax/clarinet double stand that works well for school, I'll just have to find one for home as well seeing as I shouldn't use this one :p. I'm actually pretty proud of my clarinet playing, I've gotten a lot better the past few years :)
Well, for some strange reason I don't fully understand, your video was the last push I needed to help me decide and look into actually buying a clarinet and start learning. Won't be an Amazon model but that's another story. I guess I needed a funny amazon purchase review to make me follow my dreams. Thanks 😂
@MadMusicBand thanks, I appreciate it! I actually opted for the Buffet Crampon Prodige you used in the video. I'm getting it for my birthday next month. Thanks again for the inspiration!
Your wife looks like a younger version of one of my great friends who is a master flute player. I love these videos, they are so fun as a horn player, please find a cheap french horn
Hello, I was in the band in middle and high school. I was a clarinet player and this brought back some old memories. I had a Henkin clarinet. I could see the difference between this one and my old clarinet.
Lifetime clarinetist here(50 years+) Noticed you don’t use the mouthpiece pads… beginning students can really benefit from using the pad, it helps with staying in position. However, I recommend using the clear pads (instead of the black rubber type) they are thinner and work more comfortably. If you plan on playing for years, it will protect your teeth. 👍Nice Vid!
I've actually never tried one myself on the clarinet. I'm obviously not playing a ton in comparison to someone who "mains" the instrument, but I really should give one a go and see what they're about. I never dissuade kids from using them, but maybe I should be promoting them. I'll give it a shot. Those rubber thumb pads on the other hand, my kids love them for some reason and I'm not a fan 😂
I’m not a band director, but I played trombone from 5th to 12th in school and I still play at home. I have a King 2b that is my main player. I also have a very antique Holton Revelation that I have more as a muse to write by than anything. But I have 3 kids currently in the band, 2 on trumpet and 1 on trombone. I REFISED to get them a cheap off brand horn. You can go on buy sell and trade and get them a fabulous instrument that will hang in with them for about the price of these slapped together things if you know what to look for. I bought my daughter a beautiful 70’s model King Tempo for 70 bucks. I could not get my money out fast enough. We got it chem cleaned, and it is fabulous. Bought my daughter a newer Olds trumpet for 150. Again, it’s a sturdy beginner’s horn that will last until she’s ready for an upgrade. Just Sunday, we bought at 70’s model olds euphonium (my more knowledgeable friends think- I thought it was a baritone) to learn on at home for 50 bucks. It is in great shape and has been in a closet for years. It’s so much better to buy used and cheaper in price than new and cheaper in quality!
I love these videos there so entertaining! I am very suprised your not more popular. You really remind me of my middle school instructor lol. Keep doing what your doing!
I think the difficulty of getting the bell on and off would be a dealbreaker in loaning to students... because I can see them gripping the lower section with the keys hard enough to bend/break them to get enough torque to twist the bell on. One could always mod the bell by sanding the inside to take off just a bit of material making it easier to get on and off. Certainly the customer shouldn't have to do this on a new horn, but it should work just fine, be easy to do and after all it is a $60 horn.
Yup, if you're a tinkerer or adult I think you can overlook these issues. I'll likely try to make it better myself, or I'll try the bell from my busted horn and see if it's a better fit before I check it out next year. I've already stolen that horns mouthpiece, it's nice that my old horn could be an organ donor 😂
Never sand the instrument. The cork is replaceable and is what is responsible for the fit. If the cork is too thick, you can sand THAT. Keeping in mind that cork compresses and soaks a little more grease over time, so you should aim for a slightly stiff (but not difficult!) fit on BRAND new cork. And yeah, a new player ideally should never be messing with this. Even if they know they can sand the cork, they might accidentally sand a little bit off the tenon itself in the process and that's no good.
For the prime day deals (ENDING AFTER TODAY!) you can get a tenor sax for $88. I believe it's one of the mendini's in black and gold. I don't recommend the cheaper horns unless you're well versed and know how to correct pitch. The mendini's are useable, but you'll have a real tough time with them if you don't know all the technicalities of the sax. I'm thinking of buying one, but probably won't as I have multiple sax's worth $XXXXX 🤣 Would be a fun horn to throw around and not care about though 🤷
This one was really close to being an easy recommendation, but it just fell short of that in a few ways. I'm sure a lot of kids use clarinets like this though
Thanks for the good word on the Evette Crampon. I have one of those... a flea market buy, cost me $20. Well used, but perfectly playable. I gave it to my little boy to start his band lessons at school.
@@MadMusicBand The best deals are at flea markets that are NOT related to the subject at hand. This is an electronics flea market, put on by radio hams. Another one of these yielded up a bowlback mandolin, and another - an autoharp. The mandolin was probably about a hundred years old. Luckily, it had one string left, which I was able to measure with a caliper and figure out what strings it needed. It also needed new tuning machines, which have a different spacing nowadays, so had to do some creative woodworking... The autoharp was a 15-button guy, and I upgraded it to 21-buttons, which is much better, with all the major chords on one row, the minors on another etc. Fun, fun fun. At the last one, I successfully resisted the tempatation to buy a banjo :).
Can you recommend a mouthpiece to use with the Evette Crampon? I'd like to have a second mouthpiece so we can take turns playing. Have a little father & son time, and learn together. I had gotten a $10 cheapie on Amazon, and it performed as you'd expect. So I just got a $20 D'Addario-brand and also a D'Addario ligature. The ligature doesn't work, it slides right off the mouthpiece. OK, I tried the ligature from the $10 cheapie, that worked. But I have to blow really hard - for some reason, the mouthpiece is not very free-flowing. The pressure is so high my face turns red.
I've thought that as well, but in talking with other directors over the years it seems the consensus is to start them around 2.5 or maybe 2. To each their own there obviously.
It would depend on the individual and how swift the progress is into the break. I am curious as to how the 60$ clari with original mouthpiece would sound on a 2... If you ever try would you let me know;). I enjoyed the video as well as the red plastic bone vid. I started my clari life on a schools boosy and hawkes regent... eventually bought a Buffet B12 then moved to an E11 as a middling adult. If I was that poor kid again saving my babysitting money the "trash" clari may have been appealing. Thanks for sharing these interesting notions for pondering.
@@lilikatebuggins374 agreed all around. I'd love to try either of those buffets, 90% of my instruments are cheapy ones, using a "nice" horn is a rare treat. I'll be sure to let you know how a 2 reed fares on the mouthpiece when I get a chance, I currently don't have any, but if/when I do a reed video I'll have to test that out.
Subbed and following.... ooo how about a super inexpensive Oboe? Do you have those in American school bands? Actually an overview of the band would make a great vid for us international viewers!
@@MadMusicBand - in the first year or so it's sensible to be down a strength or two because the embouchure muscles have yet to develop. But more importantly the reed strength correlates with the curvature of the tip of the mouthpiece. People playing Vandoren 4.5's aren't playing that strength because they have lips of steel, it's because they're playing a mouthpiece with a very narrow tip opening so the reed doesn't have to wiggle as much. Conversely, if a mouthpiece has a very wide tip opening you'll need lighter more flexible reeds that wiggle the extra distance. Softer reeds are also a little more forgiving of imperfections. This uber cheap poorly molded throwaway mouthpieces might not have smooth and even rails, so reeds will feel a strength or more stiffer on them because they aren't vibrating the way they should. Dropping reed strengths until you find something that behaves is the way to go until the student can get their hands on a mouthpiece with a better facing. You'll know you've gone too far soft when the reed closes off entirely when you try to put big air through it.
Clarinet (and beginning flute) player here. I cringed when I saw the reed already on the mouthpiece. Pretty crazy that there was not a paper sleeve or something to put the reed in after playing. A great way to mold on the reed and the mouth piece. A couple of years ago of not playing for a decade and a half, I bought a set of cheap reeds off of Amazon. I could not even make a toot. It put me off of playing for a couple of years until I got a set of Rico reeds. I got two cheap flutes off of Amazon and noticed that I always got light headed immediately after playing.
For $60 it's not horrible, but it's not good. I am concerned that students won't be able to make it work out of the box, but it might be OK for a backup instrument or marching.
It’s kind of funny this video popped up in my feed. I had just seen a Yamaer Clarinet at a pawn shop a week ago. At first I thought it said Yamaha until I looked at it closer (they had the case in the back). They wanted $80 for it originally, but had marked it down to $60. Keeping in mind it was used. I showed the assistant manager the Amazon listing was $60 new, and explained to him that I’ve played the clarinet for 35 years now, I tried to explain to him that it wasn’t worth what they were charging. He just said they have to sell it based on what they paid for it. I ended up walking out with a mint condition Selmer Student model for my son for $90. The cheap crap Clarinets they sell on Amazon is for those who don’t know any better to buy.
@@MadMusicBand which is why it caught my eye. From a distance all I seen was the gold Ya, and thought I struck gold. Instead it turned out to be fools gold.
I want to get a bunch of cheap instruments, not ones that are crap versions of actual instruments, but are just normally cheap, like a recorder or otamatone, and do some covers with them
Vandoren is the reed brand I usually use for both clarinet and alto sax. I prefer it over Rico but then again Rico is more affordable Rico is 3 AUD a piece and Vandoren is 5 AUD a piece
Not just that, but saxists who transfer over will use the shorter barrel, also. This is fun. I've always played on a LeBlanc - 1st clarinet was a Vito, then Noblet, 2 different Sonatas (my "new" one is my outdoor clarinet) and a professional one for indoor concerts. That Yamaher doesn't sound very good... mouthpieces, reeds, etc. makes a big difference.
I'm not sure if someone said this- but the screw(s) of a ligature always goes on the right side :) You can't just flip any ligature over. For example, I use the Vandoren optimum on soprano with the screw on the side of the reed, and on bass I use the Vandoren M/O ligature with the screw facing away; on both, however, they are both still on the right.
You should always press the two main barrels together offset and then rotate to the proper position. This should be true for any clarinet (as it is with both of my Bb Yamaha and Buffet). Sounds like the default reed is a 12 cut straight fro a mahogany tree🌴
The struggling to talk while the reed is in your mouth is too relatable. I have a younger brother who always wants to watch me practice and he asks my questions while the reed is in my mouth lol
If I were a beginner with a terribly difficult instrument to start out with, I'd probably quit. I had a beginner hard rubber Bundy and it lasted me for quite a while until I upgraded to a Buffet.
Usually the off railed zipper means it us a brand new zipper. Usually zippers of new bags ir backpack are like that too, especially the zipper on the inner pockets.
The two barrels are for different tunings, as the video says. The longer barrel is the one you generally use. The shorter one is for when you haven't warmed up, or it's a very cold day, and the instrument is playing flat.
@@MadMusicBand As a professional player, I very rarely use my short barrels. But once in a while, they come in handy when I just can't get my usual set-up up to pitch.
To add more clarity, the shorter barrel is made for A=440 while the longer is made for A=442. It's a regional thing...North America generally tunes to 440 but apparently at least a good chunk of Europe tunes to 442.
Wanting to help my daughter with her clarinet (which was mine, and my moms before that) was looking at a cheapie like this to practice along side her since i dont need it to sound fantastic l. Loving this review. I think i will get and a better mouthpiece.
I never really questioned the weird useless pockets companies put on their free cases. My violin case has one too and there are some odd bits in there: some of those removable sticky tabs for marking places in a book; a skinny book for noting music to learn or exercises to do; the instructions that came with my tuner that I have never looked at; and a digital metronome.
@@MilamberinxI think they just throw as much random stuff they can to make the package more enticing because it doesn't cost them anything to do so. I'd rather have had none of them yet gotten a working mouthpiece...
there is a chromatic fingering for low B natural and high F sharp where you use your ring finger to press a key between the middle and ring finger spots
My father and grandfather both worked for Selmer their entire careers. Dad is still kicking at 93, but I’m afraid to show him the Yamaer because it might kill him 😂
@triton6127 I personally don't, but I'm sure I've seen at least a few of the books floating around. I'm not the most well versed in woodwind methods, so you'll need to forgive me there haha
So I want to get back into music after years and watching you struggle with that bell was giving me war flashbacks because I broke my old clarinet’s bell from having to put so much into yanking it off and accidentally losing my grip and throwing it to the floor. 😢
@@MadMusicBand Yep. I got here because I was wondering about how good a super cheap clarinet could be and am not wholly shocked the answer is not great. The rainbow colored ABS ones I see everywhere (Medicini and Glory brands in particular) have me interested as maybe a step up from the YamaHER in quality, but I think I should save a bit more.
I used to have a Buffet Crampon E11, LOVED hat instrument. Much underrated imo, no need to buy the pricier RC etc. Also get off Rico reeds and move to Vandoren already.
Yamaha put pots of cork grease in my Alto, Tenor, and Bass Recorders in the 00's... but the one that _needed grease was the fife. Yes, I heard the airyness... on all reeds. I've heard worse from much more expensive instruments. Also, remember that you can sand down the cork. (Students should not.) Wrap some 180 grit or better the width of the cork around it, and gently sand it 5 revolutions or so. then check it. Repeat until it fits or the paper starts caressing the (wood? Plastic?). That foot joint definitely NEEDS less cork. That may be due to dryer conditions at manufacture. I'll note as well - my Bass Recorder, in plastic, a then $500 instrument in about 2001, I had to sand down the body-foot joint to get it to be adjustable. 300 grit to the rescue...about 10 revs. Would be nice to see a run through Yamaha's recorders, but then I was focused upon Elementary Orff based Classroom Music.
As a Clarinetist myself, the yamaer Reed and mouthpiece sounded so bad!😭 Also, pro tip for all the newbies out there, STAY AWAY FROM CECILIO REEDS! They are extremely low quality and are sometimes warped and won't work out of the box.
I bought a cheap "Yinfente" C clarinet on Amazon because I wanted a C clarinet without spending… any money. It's actually surprisingly usable. But yeah it came with pretty much exactly all the same stuff… two barrels, the little "thing" of cork grease, the pointless white gloves, the terrible reed. (Yeah, I never tried the mouthpiece.)
That's awesome that it works! Yea, mouthpieces seem to be an easy first upgrade to most of these cheap horns. I am also of the mind of wanting to spend very VERY little on horns that aren't my primary 😂
As a clarinet player- try switching to vandoren reeds such as the v12 or v21 as they play so much better than rico. Also I bought that stand for $20 I can't believe I could have gotten a whole clarinet for another $40.
I've had luck with both reed brands. I've found it's more about the individual reed vs which brand as long as you at least have a decent brand (Rico, vandoren, juno, lavoz, etc.).
I did notice a difference with the type of reed even within brand and it needing to match mouthpiece shape. I landed on ru le pic 56 on a vandoren 5 rv or a traditional or v12 on a b40. They are all subtly different. It’s also important to consider your own mouth and teeth shape.
I will say, the one thing is that you should ALWAYS grease the tenan corks with your fingers. I see horns all the time with cork in all kinds of places it shouldn’t be, mostly tone holes, from people applying too much cork grease by using the stick rather than their fingers.
Interesting, I had never heard that before. I feel like I actually used too much because I had to use my finger. Probably because I just had never done it that way before.
@@MadMusicBand yeah, just take a thin layer on your finger and apply it to the cork works really well you don’t need much. Using your finger also allows you to add a small amount to the inside of the receiving joint if it’s way too tight or the instrument is new.
I bought a second shorter rarrel last week. It’s for when you play in an ensemble and the clarinet is too flat because of the weather or whatever; sometimes it’s so bad that eventhough I support the note and try to sharpen it as much as I can it’s still a little bit flat, and so that I don’t have to sharpen all the notes as much, I can use the shorter rarrel. It’s pretty standard for professional clarinets to come with two rerrels and sometimes even two mouthpieces iirc
My 500$ starting clarinet had also a really bad mouth piece (I tried to play it now and no way I could get a note), so just take in mind that you need to buy one alongside with your instrument and that is it. The cheap clarinet makes a good sound and would get you for some years no problem while you save for an intermediate 2000$ one. I will always defend cheap instruments, I play the piccolo now and I got one for 100€ but I play regularly a 1000€ yamaha one (property of the band I play in) and the biggest difference is that in the expensive one the high notes are easy to play and the finishing touched are very refined but that is it
Okay I'm going to come in again. When you put the ligature on most of them are directional. Most beginner clarinets come with ligatures where the screws go across the reed. The part that you grab to tighten it should always be on the right. So it will be different for ligatures that are designed to have the screws go on the top.
Hey, read all your comments, thanks for taking the time. I'm not shy about my ineptitude on certain instruments (I'm a percussion main). One of my favorite parts about making these videos is that I get to learn all of the things that I've been doing wrong, and better teach my students. I am in fact a teacher 😂, so I do appreciate your comments so that I can make sure to better teach my students in the future. Every band director has their strengths and weaknesses, and obviously my largest strengths are percussion based. Also, you'd be surprised what some colleges pedagogy classes cover...my woodwind ped was basically us just playing the instruments, and not a lot of step by step/detailed info.
@@MadMusicBand you're young. I have had many years and it took me all of them to get thru precision, brass, and finally strings to feel like I've finally got it. Your willingness to show it all on RUclips proves you want to do this. Go get em! You're kids are lucky to have you!
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i think you should play a song on every instrument you own
hey I just wanted to say that if you look at any of the cheapest instruments they are all going to have the same case design and the same gloves they all come from the same factory in china that pushes clarinets out at like 20$ a piece and like a trumpet at 70$ a piece.
just want to say all the cheapest instruments will have the same case design and gloves. They all come the same factory and you can tell just by looking at some of the photos most of them are just drop shipped garbage.
@@kparserpcs6699 yup, doesn't surprise me at all, though I do think these gloves are a tiny bit better than the Mendini ones (which is meaningless 😂)
Awesome video! I liked and subscribed. For your 10,000th, which I am sure you will accomplish. I would like for you to fix your honeycomb in the background. Sorry! I can't not see it. Love you bro!
11:00 - Hi! Band repair tech and woodwind player here. The bridge key: You do press it down on the top joint while assembling the instrument. Also the reason it is “too open” when you looked at just the top joint was because the instrument was not assembled. It is meant to rest on the lower joint bridge key. Some times folks add a bit of cork to the back of the top joint bridge key where it touches the body when disassembled, but it isn’t necessary.
As far as the ligature placement - the screws are always on the right side. So that ligature was meant to be played with the screws facing down.
From a player/repair perspective on those low priced clarinets my experience is that they have a lot of intonation problems. The chimneys (open holes) are prone to leaking where they go into the body, and the tone holes aren’t very level.. which makes it a nightmare to keep the pads sealing. The keys tend to be extremely soft too so they bend easier and come out of adjustment faster. Also replacement parts are not available to repair shops.
All that being said, if it’s the difference between a kid being able to participate in band and not being able to get a start on something they might love… that’s a decision for the band director and parents.
Hope some of this information helps you in your career as a music educator!
Fantastic comment! Thanks for taking the time to write out such a detailed response, I'll definitely keep all of this in mind in the future. :)
@@MadMusicBand absolutely, it’s your job to teach the kids to play, and mine to help all music folks understand how their instruments work and to help them take care of it better. We’re all in this together.
Perhaps a fun idea, for when you have a full band worth of cheapest instruments, would be to record a band standard using all the instruments. Link I mean you record each part then splice them together in the video editor. You could even call it a performance by "Amazon's cheapest band"!
I got a similar suggestion on my Patreon...I like that idea a lot.
I love this idea 😂
You have to use the cheapest sheet music too. Mistakes included.
“Percussionists can grab sticks and start hitting stuff” 🤣🤣🤣 as a drummer I had to laugh. I feel your pain my friend.
😂 100%
as a bari sax player who switched to bass clarinet i feel u on calling clarinet fingerings sax notes
Imagine being a percussionist jumping to all these wind instruments! 😂
@@MadMusicBandI’m a percussionist but also play flute, it was a crazy switch 😅
@@sonicunkn0wn not only are the fingerings weird, it takes so much breath support!
@@MadMusicBand Playing flute was definitely weird at first but I’ve gotten more used to it these past couple of months. I also play trombone, baritone, and a few other instruments. I’m going to Music Education and would like to learn as many instruments as I can.
@@sonicunkn0wn that's awesome! You're way ahead of the game if you can already play all those, I couldn't even read music when I started college 😂
So you had a student break your clarinet, but for me, it was the band teacher who broke my flute, a month into my first year of band. Couldn't afford to get it repaired or get a new flute, and that ended my band career right there.
How?
@F1zzi_s0d4 I forget exactly why, but he asked me to hand him my instrument, and I did, and he accidentally dropped it right onto the hardwood floor. Ended up blowing some of the key springs and half my keys wouldn't work properly anymore
@@dominichubbard9732 ouch, that sucks.
These videos are like if Peter Quill was abducted by an orchestra instead of space pirates.
I'd watch that movie 100%
Best marvel movie ever
That's what I thought too! 😅😆👌🏻
Some little words of wisdom from a very experienced woodwind player. Align the reed much lower than you think you should, reed placement can often have as big of a difference in playability as the clarinet itself. As a studying band director, I totally get the struggle of dealing side instruments without knowing the little things :)
I'll give it a shot :)
A lot of my students play the Bb plastic Bundy clarinets (including myself) as they are made by Selmer and are max $50 for a used one.
And play/hold up pretty well. I use a Buffet as my normal horn and my mom has a Bundy, I really didn't struggle much playtesting her Bundy.
i used one all the way through my sophmore year of highschool, and that thing got me a job i love those things especially for student marchers
I still have my Vito resitone 3. Great beginner instrument and solid.
Bundy instruments are cheap, yet very sturdily built. They are the perfect marching band instruments.
I have a bundy bass clarinet and it’s been great, the poor thing was beat to death and is missing several springs, has a massive dent in the bell, and still plays great
Great video! The blind test with your wife helping was probably the highlight. Your humility, optimism and energy drive an engaging presentation!
Thanks so much! They're a lot of fun to make :)
This channel is super fun for me because, wow, the only instrument I had access to as a kid was my mom's piano, so I have no idea how any other instrument is played. Edutainment at its finest~
I'm glad you enjoy it! I started on piano, just couldn't stop learning after that apparently 😂
as a clarinet player, i laughed so hard
Thanks! I had a good time recording it too :)
Same
Same
Same and I'm scared
Same
I got a clarinet at a thrift store for like 75$ and it was definitely used (ew) but I cleaned it and fixed it up and other than the crappy mouthpiece (like that one) it works great! I bring it to band a lot in case anybody forgets theirs/needs to get theirs fixed :-) very glad I found that one because I really thought it would be crap 😅
That's awesome! Most of my instruments I got used and I've been fairly lucky with them.
Dang I found a wooden one for 30 at a thirft store one time havn't gotten fixed yet though.
@nathanielchristopher4699 you should get it professionally overhauled. They will give it a good oil and get it in good working condition.
Hey! As a clarinetist I want to tell you that when you’re doing a chromatic scale, there is a key right between the low G and low A that you can press that makes it easier to go from Bb to B natural. Press it when play low Bb to make it a B natural. (Also works with F and F# with the register key)
Clarinetist (of sorts) here. I was laughing in tears! I sooo feel for the student getting the cheapo horn and ragequitting after 2 lessons. A good mouthpiece is a must. And not too expensive thing to add to that...
BTW the zipper thing being 'off rails' is a bag manufacturing thing. Usually the one making the bag would set it but hey, that takes 2 seconds and time is money.
Yea, it's super frustrating thinking of a kid getting this and being unable to make a noise because of a terrible mouthpiece, and then quitting. That's funny about the zipper, didn't think of that, but yea each time it's taken two seconds to fix. Every second counts I guess 😂
7:40 - The LH2 ring key venting is usually higher when the top joint is separated as its venting is set by the RH ring keys once assembled. Most clarinets (even pro level Buffet, Selmer and Yamaha ones and others) are like that from the factory. You can fit a small stopper on the underside of the LH2 linkage (where the bend is) to lower it enough to make assembly easier so the cork on the LH2 linkage piece doesn't get torn off from clumsy assembly which is what you're doing at 10:38 - you should ALWAYS hold the LH2 ring key down when assembling both the main body joints to avoid any damage.
Interesting, I had no idea.
@@MadMusicBand The YamaUrrrr does have that stopper cork on the linkage, but it's far too thin to be of any use. But as a matter of standard practice with any clarinet, both cheap and expensive, always hold the LH2 ring key down during assembly.
The tight fitting bell is crying out for the tenon to be resized (skimmed down to remove just enough material) as you can hear the tenon is binding in the socket. That happens on a lot of wooden clarinets too and is an easy fix for anyone who knows where and how much wood to remove (or plastic in the case of the YamaUrrrr) as no amount of cork grease will help and many people wrongly assume it's the cork that needs sanding down as it's the oversized tenon itself that's causing the problem.
My Yamaha (not Yamaer, the real one!) clarinet has a bevel on the bridge key where it just slides jn and you don't have to do that. I've been playing it for 10 years and never had damage from not pressing that key.
@@pikachuchujelly7628 It still helps to add that stopper, bevel or no bevel (or ears or no ears) as many people still mangle things up even with the ears on the linkage piece on both Yamahas and Buffets. Remember that when you put people into the equation, anything can and often will happen and prevention is always better than cure, even if you can't fix stupid.
I always tell people to hold down both the LH2 ring key and the throat A key (with their left hand) and when they move onto bass clarinets with a fully automatic speaker mechanism, that also prevents the extra linkage running across the joints getting mangled up as the throat A key lifts it out of harm's way during assembly.
These videos are really fun! You seem like a great teacher.
Thanks! I'm not perfect but I think it's more important to make it fun 😊
My granddaughter decided she wanted to play clarinet, so I gave her mine. It's 55 years old. I spent $500 to refurbish it.Which is more than what my family spent on it new. Inflation I guess. Of course, it hadn't really been played much since the last refurbishment. I guess it can be considered to be antique. Cause I guess I'm antique at 66. Oh, and yeah, mine is a Normandy. At least the cheep clarinet is a wood clarinet, not a plastic one. I can't complain, mine made me 1st chair my senior year. Reverse plastic ligature and everything. I didn't know that plastic reeds were a thing, either.
Can't wait to see your reviews on the cheapest oboe and cheapest bassoon!
I'll have to add it to the list!
Oh yeah, I would love to find an affordable bassoon just to try it. I play bari (and tenor but mostly bari)sax but I love the sound of bassoon.
I'll have to keep my eyes open :)
@@Murgoh Around $800 to $1000 (canadian, so even less US$) direct from China, for a Bassoon. That''l probably be synthetic...if you want wood, it's more like $1500 and up.
4:56 like i say, it’s called a b flat clarinet because it’s in the key of b flat, not because you’re supposed to be flat😂
😂
The fact that you got a stand, gloves, and 2 barrels on a $60 clairnet while my $1400 clairnet came with a crappy cleaning cloth and that's it.
hopefully your clarinet is better than mine 😂
Hey! It’s that clarinetist from your trumpet video. All things considered, your tone wasn’t too bad! Though I can tell how tough it was to play the el cheapo clarinet with its mouthpiece. I’ve had my fair share of those. Keep up the great work!
As for the stand situation, get one with locking legs. I got one from my local music store for about $20 and it still works great!
Yup, I've got a sax/clarinet double stand that works well for school, I'll just have to find one for home as well seeing as I shouldn't use this one :p.
I'm actually pretty proud of my clarinet playing, I've gotten a lot better the past few years :)
Well, for some strange reason I don't fully understand, your video was the last push I needed to help me decide and look into actually buying a clarinet and start learning. Won't be an Amazon model but that's another story. I guess I needed a funny amazon purchase review to make me follow my dreams. Thanks 😂
That's awesome, I wish you the best of luck!
@MadMusicBand thanks, I appreciate it! I actually opted for the Buffet Crampon Prodige you used in the video. I'm getting it for my birthday next month. Thanks again for the inspiration!
Your wife looks like a younger version of one of my great friends who is a master flute player.
I love these videos, they are so fun
as a horn player, please find a cheap french horn
I'll do my best!
Hello, I was in the band in middle and high school. I was a clarinet player and this brought back some old memories. I had a Henkin clarinet. I could see the difference between this one and my old clarinet.
Lifetime clarinetist here(50 years+)
Noticed you don’t use the mouthpiece pads… beginning students can really benefit from using the pad, it helps with staying in position. However, I recommend using the clear pads (instead of the black rubber type) they are thinner and work more comfortably. If you plan on playing for years, it will protect your teeth. 👍Nice Vid!
I've actually never tried one myself on the clarinet. I'm obviously not playing a ton in comparison to someone who "mains" the instrument, but I really should give one a go and see what they're about. I never dissuade kids from using them, but maybe I should be promoting them. I'll give it a shot. Those rubber thumb pads on the other hand, my kids love them for some reason and I'm not a fan 😂
I use one and wouldn’t play without it, but that because I have a crack in my tooth. It makes a massive difference to comfort.
@@dees3179 Makes sense, it will also help make your mouthpiece last longer👍 Happy playing‼️
The anxiety I was feeling when you were putting the bell on. 😬 Lol
Haha yup, not good...
I’m not a band director, but I played trombone from 5th to 12th in school and I still play at home. I have a King 2b that is my main player. I also have a very antique Holton Revelation that I have more as a muse to write by than anything. But I have 3 kids currently in the band, 2 on trumpet and 1 on trombone. I REFISED to get them a cheap off brand horn. You can go on buy sell and trade and get them a fabulous instrument that will hang in with them for about the price of these slapped together things if you know what to look for. I bought my daughter a beautiful 70’s model King Tempo for 70 bucks. I could not get my money out fast enough. We got it chem cleaned, and it is fabulous. Bought my daughter a newer Olds trumpet for 150. Again, it’s a sturdy beginner’s horn that will last until she’s ready for an upgrade. Just Sunday, we bought at 70’s model olds euphonium (my more knowledgeable friends think- I thought it was a baritone) to learn on at home for 50 bucks. It is in great shape and has been in a closet for years.
It’s so much better to buy used and cheaper in price than new and cheaper in quality!
This is what I got taught by my clarinet teachers is that you start at the bell and work up it is so you don't chip or split the reed.
That makes sense, I'll likely do it that way from now on :)
6:20 as a clarinet player, the coarse grease comes in tubes sometimes so that’s why it came with a tube
I love these videos there so entertaining! I am very suprised your not more popular. You really remind me of my middle school instructor lol. Keep doing what your doing!
Thanks so much! Your middle school instructor sounds like a cool dude 😎
The first thing I learned was to hold the keys of the upper joint down when assembling.
That makes sense, I was never taught that :/
I think the difficulty of getting the bell on and off would be a dealbreaker in loaning to students... because I can see them gripping the lower section with the keys hard enough to bend/break them to get enough torque to twist the bell on. One could always mod the bell by sanding the inside to take off just a bit of material making it easier to get on and off. Certainly the customer shouldn't have to do this on a new horn, but it should work just fine, be easy to do and after all it is a $60 horn.
Yup, if you're a tinkerer or adult I think you can overlook these issues. I'll likely try to make it better myself, or I'll try the bell from my busted horn and see if it's a better fit before I check it out next year. I've already stolen that horns mouthpiece, it's nice that my old horn could be an organ donor 😂
Never sand the instrument. The cork is replaceable and is what is responsible for the fit. If the cork is too thick, you can sand THAT. Keeping in mind that cork compresses and soaks a little more grease over time, so you should aim for a slightly stiff (but not difficult!) fit on BRAND new cork.
And yeah, a new player ideally should never be messing with this. Even if they know they can sand the cork, they might accidentally sand a little bit off the tenon itself in the process and that's no good.
@@JHouse4 Good to know! I'm a brass guy and it's obvious I don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to woodwinds.
Thanks!
For the prime day deals (ENDING AFTER TODAY!) you can get a tenor sax for $88. I believe it's one of the mendini's in black and gold. I don't recommend the cheaper horns unless you're well versed and know how to correct pitch. The mendini's are useable, but you'll have a real tough time with them if you don't know all the technicalities of the sax. I'm thinking of buying one, but probably won't as I have multiple sax's worth $XXXXX 🤣 Would be a fun horn to throw around and not care about though 🤷
Welp, I bought it 😂. If I get in trouble from my wife I blame you! ;)
@@MadMusicBand Beautiful 🤣
I’m in orchestra, but I still wanna watch this video because I love this channel. Thank you.
I'll hopefully get to reviewing some string instruments as well!
I used to play the clarinet in the school band and i swear the clarinets reminded me of the clarinet you ordered off Amazon 😭😭✨️
This one was really close to being an easy recommendation, but it just fell short of that in a few ways. I'm sure a lot of kids use clarinets like this though
@@MadMusicBand yepp but I sure did sound so good
Excited to see the flute since i played flute back in middle school
That's up next!
Thanks for the good word on the Evette Crampon. I have one of those... a flea market buy, cost me $20. Well used, but perfectly playable. I gave it to my little boy to start his band lessons at school.
Wow, $20 for any functional instrument is great, but even better for a Buffet, great find!
@@MadMusicBand The best deals are at flea markets that are NOT related to the subject at hand. This is an electronics flea market, put on by radio hams. Another one of these yielded up a bowlback mandolin, and another - an autoharp. The mandolin was probably about a hundred years old. Luckily, it had one string left, which I was able to measure with a caliper and figure out what strings it needed. It also needed new tuning machines, which have a different spacing nowadays, so had to do some creative woodworking... The autoharp was a 15-button guy, and I upgraded it to 21-buttons, which is much better, with all the major chords on one row, the minors on another etc. Fun, fun fun. At the last one, I successfully resisted the tempatation to buy a banjo :).
Can you recommend a mouthpiece to use with the Evette Crampon? I'd like to have a second mouthpiece so we can take turns playing. Have a little father & son time, and learn together. I had gotten a $10 cheapie on Amazon, and it performed as you'd expect. So I just got a $20 D'Addario-brand and also a D'Addario ligature. The ligature doesn't work, it slides right off the mouthpiece. OK, I tried the ligature from the $10 cheapie, that worked. But I have to blow really hard - for some reason, the mouthpiece is not very free-flowing. The pressure is so high my face turns red.
@@jeromekaidor7254 my gear recommendations (including mouthpieces) can be found here - madmusic.band/gear :)
I’m a trumpet player and I’m gonna get this and force my friend (clarinet player) to teach me how to play 🤗
Ha, nice! Good luck :)
This was super helpful as someone who is trying to buy a decent clarinet
Students generally begin on a 1.5 to 2 rico or vandoren, Possibly a softer reed on the trash clarinet would help.
I've thought that as well, but in talking with other directors over the years it seems the consensus is to start them around 2.5 or maybe 2. To each their own there obviously.
It would depend on the individual and how swift the progress is into the break. I am curious as to how the 60$ clari with original mouthpiece would sound on a 2... If you ever try would you let me know;). I enjoyed the video as well as the red plastic bone vid. I started my clari life on a schools boosy and hawkes regent... eventually bought a Buffet B12 then moved to an E11 as a middling adult. If I was that poor kid again saving my babysitting money the "trash" clari may have been appealing. Thanks for sharing these interesting notions for pondering.
@@lilikatebuggins374 agreed all around. I'd love to try either of those buffets, 90% of my instruments are cheapy ones, using a "nice" horn is a rare treat. I'll be sure to let you know how a 2 reed fares on the mouthpiece when I get a chance, I currently don't have any, but if/when I do a reed video I'll have to test that out.
Subbed and following.... ooo how about a super inexpensive Oboe? Do you have those in American school bands? Actually an overview of the band would make a great vid for us international viewers!
@@MadMusicBand - in the first year or so it's sensible to be down a strength or two because the embouchure muscles have yet to develop.
But more importantly the reed strength correlates with the curvature of the tip of the mouthpiece. People playing Vandoren 4.5's aren't playing that strength because they have lips of steel, it's because they're playing a mouthpiece with a very narrow tip opening so the reed doesn't have to wiggle as much. Conversely, if a mouthpiece has a very wide tip opening you'll need lighter more flexible reeds that wiggle the extra distance.
Softer reeds are also a little more forgiving of imperfections. This uber cheap poorly molded throwaway mouthpieces might not have smooth and even rails, so reeds will feel a strength or more stiffer on them because they aren't vibrating the way they should. Dropping reed strengths until you find something that behaves is the way to go until the student can get their hands on a mouthpiece with a better facing. You'll know you've gone too far soft when the reed closes off entirely when you try to put big air through it.
cant wait to see this new video of yours 🔥
The two tiles for tuning is useful, because I use the longer one in summer, the shorter one in winter. In Germany this is very helpful
Clarinet (and beginning flute) player here. I cringed when I saw the reed already on the mouthpiece. Pretty crazy that there was not a paper sleeve or something to put the reed in after playing. A great way to mold on the reed and the mouth piece. A couple of years ago of not playing for a decade and a half, I bought a set of cheap reeds off of Amazon. I could not even make a toot. It put me off of playing for a couple of years until I got a set of Rico reeds. I got two cheap flutes off of Amazon and noticed that I always got light headed immediately after playing.
I've also had terrible luck with cheap Amazon reeds. I plan on doing some testing eventually to see if there are any that are actually usable.
@@MadMusicBand Hopefully there is something out there!
For $60 it's not horrible, but it's not good. I am concerned that students won't be able to make it work out of the box, but it might be OK for a backup instrument or marching.
Yup, I'd be nervous as well. At least in my case if I need to get it to a student I can help them learn to with around its issues.
With SUCH soft reeds and loose embouchure differences are masked
I'd love to hear the Yama-error (that's its name now) with a Fobes Debut mouthpiece! Those sound so good, especially for the price.
It’s kind of funny this video popped up in my feed. I had just seen a Yamaer Clarinet at a pawn shop a week ago. At first I thought it said Yamaha until I looked at it closer (they had the case in the back). They wanted $80 for it originally, but had marked it down to $60. Keeping in mind it was used. I showed the assistant manager the Amazon listing was $60 new, and explained to him that I’ve played the clarinet for 35 years now, I tried to explain to him that it wasn’t worth what they were charging. He just said they have to sell it based on what they paid for it. I ended up walking out with a mint condition Selmer Student model for my son for $90. The cheap crap Clarinets they sell on Amazon is for those who don’t know any better to buy.
I'd have bought a Yamaha clarinet for $60 in a heartbeat :p
@@MadMusicBand which is why it caught my eye. From a distance all I seen was the gold Ya, and thought I struck gold. Instead it turned out to be fools gold.
I suspect the similar name is deliberately meant to confuse people who don’t know any better.
@@paulineb66 I guarantee it.
I want to get a bunch of cheap instruments, not ones that are crap versions of actual instruments, but are just normally cheap, like a recorder or otamatone, and do some covers with them
That sounds like a lot of fun!
This channel is definitely underrated
Vandoren is the reed brand I usually use for both clarinet and alto sax. I prefer it over Rico but then again Rico is more affordable
Rico is 3 AUD a piece and Vandoren is 5 AUD a piece
Not just that, but saxists who transfer over will use the shorter barrel, also. This is fun. I've always played on a LeBlanc - 1st clarinet was a Vito, then Noblet, 2 different Sonatas (my "new" one is my outdoor clarinet) and a professional one for indoor concerts. That Yamaher doesn't sound very good... mouthpieces, reeds, etc. makes a big difference.
That cork grease is actually looking very similar to what yamaha puts in their recorder boxes. Well, except the cap, their cap is purple
8:10 - I got a $259.99 EAS-II Alto Saxophone (Now it's $519.98). The reed it came with actually did very good!
I'm not sure if someone said this- but the screw(s) of a ligature always goes on the right side :) You can't just flip any ligature over. For example, I use the Vandoren optimum on soprano with the screw on the side of the reed, and on bass I use the Vandoren M/O ligature with the screw facing away; on both, however, they are both still on the right.
You should always press the two main barrels together offset and then rotate to the proper position. This should be true for any clarinet (as it is with both of my Bb Yamaha and Buffet). Sounds like the default reed is a 12 cut straight fro a mahogany tree🌴
Can't. Wait. For. The. Second. Semester. Because. Of. My. New. Clarinet. Course.
The struggling to talk while the reed is in your mouth is too relatable. I have a younger brother who always wants to watch me practice and he asks my questions while the reed is in my mouth lol
Haha yep, woodwind life
@@MadMusicBandfor real
I got a clarinet about 10 years ago for $30 at my local thrift store and it was actually a nice one too
Dang, great find!
If I were a beginner with a terribly difficult instrument to start out with, I'd probably quit. I had a beginner hard rubber Bundy and it lasted me for quite a while until I upgraded to a Buffet.
Usually the off railed zipper means it us a brand new zipper. Usually zippers of new bags ir backpack are like that too, especially the zipper on the inner pockets.
Yea, I had no idea, but that does seem to be the case. Odd... thanks for the info.
The two barrels are for different tunings, as the video says.
The longer barrel is the one you generally use. The shorter one is for when you haven't warmed up, or it's a very cold day, and the instrument is playing flat.
I'll likely never use the shorter one, but I suppose there's nothing wrong with options! Maybe I'll do a short barrel comparison video or something.
@@MadMusicBand As a professional player, I very rarely use my short barrels. But once in a while, they come in handy when I just can't get my usual set-up up to pitch.
@@PlayerClarinet that's good to know!
We have to play short barrels in our quartet because our bass player can’t get to pitch.
To add more clarity, the shorter barrel is made for A=440 while the longer is made for A=442. It's a regional thing...North America generally tunes to 440 but apparently at least a good chunk of Europe tunes to 442.
Wanting to help my daughter with her clarinet (which was mine, and my moms before that) was looking at a cheapie like this to practice along side her since i dont need it to sound fantastic l. Loving this review. I think i will get and a better mouthpiece.
It's still working well for me :) thanks for the kind words!
Love ur vids!! For next video can you rate the cheapest saxaphone on Amazon??? It will make my day❤❤❤😂😂😂
Editing it now!
2:50 I have a similar pocket on my case. I usually put my marching band music in there since it’s only half a page lol
Good call! Good luck on your upcoming season 👍
I never really questioned the weird useless pockets companies put on their free cases. My violin case has one too and there are some odd bits in there: some of those removable sticky tabs for marking places in a book; a skinny book for noting music to learn or exercises to do; the instructions that came with my tuner that I have never looked at; and a digital metronome.
@@MilamberinxI think they just throw as much random stuff they can to make the package more enticing because it doesn't cost them anything to do so. I'd rather have had none of them yet gotten a working mouthpiece...
there is a chromatic fingering for low B natural and high F sharp where you use your ring finger to press a key between the middle and ring finger spots
My father and grandfather both worked for Selmer their entire careers. Dad is still kicking at 93, but I’m afraid to show him the Yamaer because it might kill him 😂
😂, that's really cool though!
@@MadMusicBand question: do they still use Nilo Hovey's beginner books for woodwinds at the schools?
@triton6127 I personally don't, but I'm sure I've seen at least a few of the books floating around. I'm not the most well versed in woodwind methods, so you'll need to forgive me there haha
Mad props on "Concerning Hobbits". You got a sub just for that!
LOTR will always hold a special place in my heart :)
It’s funny I still use my beginner Yamaha clarinet, I’m doing alright on it but I want to upgrade but I don’t think we have enough for a new one 🤷
I play saxophone and as someone who started with clarinet I’m laughing really hard right now
*Me watching this knowing damn well am a flute player…😃*
But you seem like a really nice band director!
Maybe you'll start doubling on the clarinet soon ;)
#3 Peter and the wolf! I think maybe the duck? My dad played they for us on car rides and it was so much fun
Correct on the piece, wrong on the animal ;) 🐈
7:45 that’s very normal when the clarinet isn’t assembled. when you put it together, the side lever lowers the keys
We love Mrs. J ❤
This
18:10 can’t take my eyes off the shake clarinet on the stand 😳😳😳😳
😂
So I want to get back into music after years and watching you struggle with that bell was giving me war flashbacks because I broke my old clarinet’s bell from having to put so much into yanking it off and accidentally losing my grip and throwing it to the floor. 😢
Oh no! Haha, sorry for bringing up old wounds, but I'm glad to hear you're getting back into music! 🎵
@@MadMusicBand Yep. I got here because I was wondering about how good a super cheap clarinet could be and am not wholly shocked the answer is not great. The rainbow colored ABS ones I see everywhere (Medicini and Glory brands in particular) have me interested as maybe a step up from the YamaHER in quality, but I think I should save a bit more.
I used to have a Buffet Crampon E11, LOVED hat instrument. Much underrated imo, no need to buy the pricier RC etc. Also get off Rico reeds and move to Vandoren already.
I'm not a good enough woodwind player to have strong reed opinions, Rico and Vandhoren are both fine and work, many pros use both.
Rico reeds are inferior to Vandoren, I’ve done my own blind tests. You can tell Vandorens straight away.
I always used Mitchell Laurie. I hated vandoren
You’re good at music I think you’re good. You’re great at music keep working hard on the clarinet.
Yamaha put pots of cork grease in my Alto, Tenor, and Bass Recorders in the 00's... but the one that _needed grease was the fife. Yes, I heard the airyness... on all reeds. I've heard worse from much more expensive instruments.
Also, remember that you can sand down the cork. (Students should not.) Wrap some 180 grit or better the width of the cork around it, and gently sand it 5 revolutions or so. then check it. Repeat until it fits or the paper starts caressing the (wood? Plastic?). That foot joint definitely NEEDS less cork. That may be due to dryer conditions at manufacture.
I'll note as well - my Bass Recorder, in plastic, a then $500 instrument in about 2001, I had to sand down the body-foot joint to get it to be adjustable. 300 grit to the rescue...about 10 revs. Would be nice to see a run through Yamaha's recorders, but then I was focused upon Elementary Orff based Classroom Music.
You should put Vaseline on the corks the first few times you put a new clarinet together. Especially try it on that dry bell cork.
As a Clarinetist myself, the yamaer Reed and mouthpiece sounded so bad!😭 Also, pro tip for all the newbies out there, STAY AWAY FROM CECILIO REEDS! They are extremely low quality and are sometimes warped and won't work out of the box.
I've also had bad luck with cheap Amazon reeds (I got a box a while ago just to try). I plan on making a video about them eventually
Thank you for these videos. I learn more from you then some of the Udemy classes I have paid for.
Glad you enjoy them! :)
New sub here. Quality content here; don't give up!
Thanks! :)
You gotta get some amazon bagpipes, even if you dont know how to play, theyre a hoot
I'll look into it! Haha
I ordered a glory flute off Amazon it ended up being 75$ and I got it 2 years ago and it’s still in perfect condition
Nice! My incoming review flute was cheaper... we'll see if I'm as lucky 😂
Hi im in band now and i play clarinet ❤ love this video
Nice!
You pointed out the adjustment issue out of the case on the D, C#.
I bought a cheap "Yinfente" C clarinet on Amazon because I wanted a C clarinet without spending… any money. It's actually surprisingly usable. But yeah it came with pretty much exactly all the same stuff… two barrels, the little "thing" of cork grease, the pointless white gloves, the terrible reed. (Yeah, I never tried the mouthpiece.)
That's awesome that it works! Yea, mouthpieces seem to be an easy first upgrade to most of these cheap horns. I am also of the mind of wanting to spend very VERY little on horns that aren't my primary 😂
As a clarinet player- try switching to vandoren reeds such as the v12 or v21 as they play so much better than rico. Also I bought that stand for $20 I can't believe I could have gotten a whole clarinet for another $40.
I've had luck with both reed brands. I've found it's more about the individual reed vs which brand as long as you at least have a decent brand (Rico, vandoren, juno, lavoz, etc.).
I did notice a difference with the type of reed even within brand and it needing to match mouthpiece shape. I landed on ru le pic 56 on a vandoren 5 rv or a traditional or v12 on a b40. They are all subtly different. It’s also important to consider your own mouth and teeth shape.
@@dees3179 I've also landed on the Ru Lepic once I tried them. I even got a box from the vandoren HQ. They play so well
I was the brass player who kept putting the tuba down on its horn.
Sono professore di clarinetto italiano e mi complimento per il video 👍👍👍.
Grazie!
@@MadMusicBand grazie a te 👍
I will say, the one thing is that you should ALWAYS grease the tenan corks with your fingers. I see horns all the time with cork in all kinds of places it shouldn’t be, mostly tone holes, from people applying too much cork grease by using the stick rather than their fingers.
Interesting, I had never heard that before. I feel like I actually used too much because I had to use my finger. Probably because I just had never done it that way before.
@@MadMusicBand yeah, just take a thin layer on your finger and apply it to the cork works really well you don’t need much. Using your finger also allows you to add a small amount to the inside of the receiving joint if it’s way too tight or the instrument is new.
I bought a second shorter rarrel last week. It’s for when you play in an ensemble and the clarinet is too flat because of the weather or whatever; sometimes it’s so bad that eventhough I support the note and try to sharpen it as much as I can it’s still a little bit flat, and so that I don’t have to sharpen all the notes as much, I can use the shorter rarrel. It’s pretty standard for professional clarinets to come with two rerrels and sometimes even two mouthpieces iirc
"rarrel" will never not be funny 😂
@@MadMusicBand I don’t know if you noticed but at the end I misspelled rallel as rerrel😂
Apparently my spelling skills are just as good as Yamaer
My 500$ starting clarinet had also a really bad mouth piece (I tried to play it now and no way I could get a note), so just take in mind that you need to buy one alongside with your instrument and that is it. The cheap clarinet makes a good sound and would get you for some years no problem while you save for an intermediate 2000$ one.
I will always defend cheap instruments, I play the piccolo now and I got one for 100€ but I play regularly a 1000€ yamaha one (property of the band I play in) and the biggest difference is that in the expensive one the high notes are easy to play and the finishing touched are very refined but that is it
Yup, it's definitely worth making sure your mouthpiece is good, and thankfully there's some good mouthpieces for reasonable prices as well.
It was funny when you weee talking about buffet crampon because that’s the clarinet I own
How do you like it? I love mine :)
I love it
Keep up the good work Mr.JJ
Okay I'm going to come in again. When you put the ligature on most of them are directional. Most beginner clarinets come with ligatures where the screws go across the reed. The part that you grab to tighten it should always be on the right. So it will be different for ligatures that are designed to have the screws go on the top.
Hey, read all your comments, thanks for taking the time. I'm not shy about my ineptitude on certain instruments (I'm a percussion main). One of my favorite parts about making these videos is that I get to learn all of the things that I've been doing wrong, and better teach my students. I am in fact a teacher 😂, so I do appreciate your comments so that I can make sure to better teach my students in the future. Every band director has their strengths and weaknesses, and obviously my largest strengths are percussion based. Also, you'd be surprised what some colleges pedagogy classes cover...my woodwind ped was basically us just playing the instruments, and not a lot of step by step/detailed info.
@@MadMusicBand you're young. I have had many years and it took me all of them to get thru precision, brass, and finally strings to feel like I've finally got it. Your willingness to show it all on RUclips proves you want to do this. Go get em! You're kids are lucky to have you!
6:34 I thought that the stand was a mute lol😂
Now we need a cover of Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now) by Van Halen.
Love these videos dude. You should find a trombone soon.
Check out my cheap trombone review if you haven't! ruclips.net/video/p_9sINu1aoA/видео.htmlsi=u9mv523GwBJO93Rx
@@MadMusicBand Thank you my bad, i forgot you already did it. Maybe a tuba?