Andrew Roberts Clarinet Service Latest News
The Summer of 2015 is going to be a busy time for ARCS, Andrew has been invited to appear at the Texas Clarinet Colloquium in Dallas. This has been made possible by the generous support of Ton Kooiman and D’Addario Reserve reeds. Checkout the details on the Facebook link https://www.facebook.com/events/1400709943562863/?fref=ts
ARCS is finalising the plans for the 2015 Clarinet Academy, which will be held at Liverpool Hope University’s Creative Campus form 1st- 4th August . Keep checking for further update and application forms here.
We hope to make this a hugely enjoyable learning experience for clarinet players of Grade 7 and above standard, or anyone very keen to join in the fun!
At the end of August Andrew will also be on hand offer advice as part of the International Clarinet Course with its director Nicholas Foster, a regular ARCS Customer, at Cheltenham Ladies college for further details click on the link below.
CASS article
Following its recent publication in the CASS magazine (December2014) do please read this article Do we really need music?
The Ulster Orchestra needs your support in their campaign to survive the current threat to their existence please sign up to their Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/ulsterorchestra
The Ulster Orchestra clarinet section with Paul Schumann, Andrew Roberts & Chicco Scola
Bass clarinet problems
Some players ask why the springing on the clarinet needs to be quite firm, in answer to this read on…..
We have received an interesting bass clarinet into the workshop in the last week which although only a few years old, it demonstrated some problems, which are currently being worked on. Before we started work we thought it would be interesting to show the effect of too weak springing on the bass, or indeed any clarinet! The video shows the energy within the body of the bass clarinet is strong enough to lift the closed pads on the lower joint producing a rattling buzz and a spectacular loss of air and energy, it is impossible for the player to actually fill what is effectively an open tube, with enough air to make this happen.
This loss of air tight seal will significantly affect the intonation as when the pad was pressed closed, the pitch of the note went down by 30 cents. It will also affect the upper register harmonics which may be less obvious but can still be felt.
Click on the link below to see the video of the low F sharp and G sharp pads buzzzzing away!
E flat clarinets
Some years ago I wrote an article on how to play the E flat clarinet, which emphasised the need for the instrument to seal perfectly.
As my own instrument had not had any attention for quite a number of years (actually a millennium has since passed) I realised it was in need of some TLC, as I had been asked to play in Till Eulenspiegel with the Ulster Orchestra. What drew my attention to this was the difficulty I had with the altissimo register and the problems with the tuning in that register. I can report that having got the instrument completely air tight, its normal excellent tuning and ease of production was restored, and the concert last night went well for it … and me!
As the highest register of the Eflat often remains uncharted territory, the difficulties we encounter could easily be attributed to our lack of skill/practise.This is caused by the lack of upper partials/harmonics which simply cannot work if there is a loss of seal. It is nothing short of a revelation to find that a top C on the Eflat is relatively easy to achieve, which although it may not appear in the repertoire very often, does make the notes below it feel much feel comfortable and easier to control. If you would like more information on this please contact me, you could find out just how much you are losing out to your instrument!
Read the latest testimonial from a recent customer below
Upon visiting Andys workshop/home, I realised straight away that this was a man who knew his business. A close inspection of my Selmer 10S clarinet which I’ve owned for over 30 years, using technology along side his own expertise and experience, soon established what was needed. You don’t often find a very accomplished clarinettist who is also top notch in the repair/ overhaul business. This is exactly what Andy is, making modifications to my instrument so the throat notes sing out much better, and a double top C which can now be played with relative ease. A true professional whose aim is to bring the very best out of each instrument he gets his eager hands on.
20.9.2014
Silverstein Ligatures
We are pleased to announce that from August 2014 ARCS will be one of the few distributors for the outstanding Silverstein Ligatures, check out their site here http://www.silversteinworks.com/ligature/
We have a full stock of clarinet and bass clarinet ligatures available to try but hurry as they are proving very popular!
A very high quality product, which carries a limited life-time guarantee, this innovative design is proving very popular amongst players in the UK already. Keep checking here for pricing and availability.
my good friend Les Craven wrote an interesting article on the Silverstein ligatures which you can read here CASS-article-copy
Do you want to avoid this happening to your new clarinet?
Before….
This is the kind of problem we all dread happening to our new clarinet. This clarinet was a rare unused Leblanc Opus which had come from France after sitting in a warehouse for quite a number of years, there may be more to come from this source keep checking this site!
Despite the best prevention techniques being applied in its preparation for sale, this instrument was returned to the workshop in just 6 weeks.
So why did it crack so badly? African Blackwood or Grenadilla, which is the wood mainly used for clarinet production, has one big problem for the instrument maker. It absorbs water at an alarming rate, pulling the clarinet through after a few minutes helps, but if you want to avoid this problem follow this simple procedure.
From new you should play the clarinet for only 10 minutes at a time and then pull it through and leave it for at least one hour before you play it again. The ten minutes allows some water to go into the wood, which gets into the wood at the end grain, for example the top of the socket of the joint or in the top tone holes. If you continue to play after the 10 minutes the water builds up in the top of the joint and can’t dissipate through the rest of the joint. This build up means the water will make the wood swell and as it swells, it will force the outer wood, which has not absorbed any water to split open. After a week of blowing for ten minutes you can gradually increase the time by 5-10 minutes at a time, but no more.
The problem for most players is that they want to play their shiny new clarinet as much as they can because they like it so much, which is a good and bad thing. If you don’t want your instrument to look like the one above then follow the simple advice above. After a month your clarinet will have got used to absorbing water evenly throughout the top joint, it is extremely rare to see a cracked lower joint, and you can then increase the time you play for confident that it shouldn’t crack, don’t forget to pull it through with a good quality pull through after 10 minutes of playing though.
The instrument above was repaired including a metal socket to strengthen the joint, and is now playing just as well as before 
After…..
Reserve reeds
The New Reserve and Reserve Classic reeds are now available through this website. After a period of substantial trials with many players around the UK involved, Reserve reeds now have a new profile and are proving very popular. Why not try them for yourself? Check out the D’Addario website here
Brad Behn mouthpieces
The latest shipment of Behn Artist and Overture mouthpieces are now available, There has been a slight increase in the prices, the Artist model retails at £185 and the Overture is now £45, in the new improved packaging.
The Overture model retails at £45 and the Artist model is now £185.
Both represent outstanding value and offer amazing consistency. Many of the top professional players in the UK now use the Artist model as they offer excellent sound quality, flexibility and most importantly, improved tuning in all registers. ARCS offer a 7 day trial period, so why not try these outstanding mouthpieces for yourself.
New ARCS instruments in stock
ARCS now has a larger range of pre-owned clarinets in stock, check them out in the for sale section of the site.
Advertise your second hand instruments
Want to sell your second hand instruments then advertise your second hand clarinets somewhere that will attract interest. With some many hits our website offers the perfect place to add you instrument, include a picture and make it sell quickly. Why pay too much commission? Our initial commission rate of just 5% is the lowest available and will mean you get more cash from your instrument sale. Ask about our enhanced sales offer, you can’t lose! Contact us at sales@theclarinet.co.uk for further details.
Testimonials
I first met Andrew, just after I joined the Ulster Orchestra three years ago, having tried his clarinets during a rehearsal I realised that my ageing Buffet clarinets were not performing as well as they could. This was mostly due to the wear over 15 years since I had never been brave enough to allow any repairer to work on my instruments as I was scared that they might change in the wrong way. Andrew worked on my clarinets in an emergency and it was clear to me that he understood my demands for the instruments. I eventually got the courage to take my instruments to the ARCS workshop in Liverpool and stayed with them to check that everything was done to my satisfaction. I was so happy with the work that was done to my instruments that meant I could play with so much more security and control, this is important to me as the clarinet sound should be flexible and easy to change colours and dynamics. I also found that legato was now much easier to achieve than I had thought possible. During our work together in the Ulster Orchestra I began to trust Andrew’s tuning ability, which is unusual as most repairers cannot play to the highest levels you need to change the tuning of an instrument for another player. I now feel I have the right tuning and setup with my clarinets for the first time in my life, I don’t know anyone else in the UK or in Europe that I trust in this way. My friends, many Principal clarinets around Europe, have been made to try my clarinets and they were all shocked as to how well they worked and how quiet the ARCS pads were. The ease of legato which no other pad has allowed before was a big surprise. I now send my friends and students to ARCS to find out for themselves what they have been missing in their clarinets! A huge thank you to a friend that has made my life easier Francesco Paolo Scola Principal Clarinet Ulster Orchestra