How to buy a clarinet of your choice online or offline?

Clarinet is a member of the woodwind instrument, with a single reed and a cylindrical design adorning it. When investing in the clarinet, you should know the materials that are used in investing the clarinet’s reed and the other parts of the body. Most often, the reeds are designed using plastic or synthetic materials. The two materials that we have just talked about are both good for the reeds, and help maintain the good health of the same. The clarinet, being from the same family as the oboe, looks quite similar, however, you will see that this instrument has a wider mouth and a full length diameter, which tends to make it a bit different.

When investing in a clarinet, you ought to think through the point- do you need a beginner instrument or are you at a more advanced level of playing the instrument?

Things to consider when buying the clarinet

• ·         What would be the material that suits your purpose and needs when it comes to buying a Clarinet. This would be the first thing to consider, immediately after you have decided whether you want to go for a beginner level or an advanced level instrument
• ·         The material check done, you might want to decide the budget that you are ready to spend for the Clarinet. This would be based entirely on the research conducted on Clarinets, and the available types in the market. Make sure you don’t go beyond the set budget when you actually set to buy the instrument
• ·         Would you want to go for a first hand instrument or are you ok with investing in a second hand instrument. This would also determine how and where you should purchase
• ·         Finally, you should always research on the providers of the instrument. There would be offline shops that you can go and research. You can even see the clarinet and know which will work for you.

Maintaining the clarinet

• ·         There are many keys on the Clarinet. Make sure you oil each key with light oil at least once a year. You can make DIY oil by mixing three oils. You can use the oil applicator and put a drop at a time in the rod connection
• ·         You should always dust the keys before you apply oil to them and swab the clarinet regularly
• ·         You should make sure you dry the excess water from the tone holes and keep the pads as dry as possible
• ·         Make sure the cork joints are greased regularly so that there is no wear and tear around the instrument. In case the cork is compressed, you can always use the dental floss
• ·         Make sure you check the Clarinet for the leaks and adjustments on a yearly basis

• ·         You should always carry the Clarinet with the mouth piece, especially when traveling
• ·         Avoid keeping the clarinet near the heat

Finally, you need to invest in a good clarinet insurance to keep up the health of the instrument. You will also see that the insurance solution helps maintain a long life and smooth running of the instrument. This will also help you bear the expenses related to the instrument maintenance and care.

Buying oboe reeds: Here’s everything you should know

The reed is the most important part of the oboe instrument, and you ought to consider taking care of the parts while investing in the instrument or the insurance. You need to understand that the reeds are the most temperamental part of the instrument. However, the choice of the reed depends on a lot of other things. Here are a few things that you might want to consider when investing in the reeds.

Buying the perfect reeds

·         The choice between commercial and professional reeds is an important factor, one to be considered before investing in the reeds.  Reeds have a short life-span, typically two weeks of daily use. Replacing these reeds can be quite expensive and cumbersome. There are the commercial and professional reeds. The commercial ones are adequate for beginners and are available in the range $8-$12 and the professional reeds cost anywhere between $13 and $18. The professional reeds last longer and are better compared to the commercial reeds, and are used by most professionals.

·         The reeds can be classified according to the strength- soft, medium and hard. The soft ones require less air and the opening collapses under pressure. The other two strengths need to be scraped before using, and can be used in a more professional setting. They tend to vibrate more freely as compared to the soft reed. Try to start with soft reeds before you move on to medium reeds

·         The wire wrapped around the base of the reed can also tell you how good or bad the reed is. The long narrow shape of the reed allows you to keep the blades open. The wires make the reed soft for playing, which allows the opening to collapse. So the wire needs to hold the opening in a tight form for you to make sure the reed works. This means you need to consider the wire wrapping when buying the reed

·         The blades tend to overlap along the reed. If there is a tape along the base, there is a leak in the reed. So look for reeds that exist with an asymmetrical opening

These are the basic factors, from strength to the type of reeds that you need to keep in mind when choosing the reeds for your instrument. You obviously need to invest in good Oboe insurance if you want your oboe and the reeds to live a long and healthy life.

Need for an oboe insurance

It helps you ensure any cracks in the reed do not cause you to empty the pockets. You simply need to use the insurance and get someone who can repair it for you. The idea is to buy insurance that covers both the oboe and the reeds. Instead of spending a lot of money in replacing the reeds, the insurance will help you get the reeds repaired or repaired well within the budget.

Before planning the oboe insurance, you need to have a planning in place as to what you need from the insurance, and how to get the best solution for the same. You should also research for the options available in your budget.