Maison SELMER

[Know-how] Clarinet finishing

[Savoir-faire] Le finissage clarinette
Finishing is the last stage in the manufacture of the clarinet, before the instrument is checked and certified in an acoustic cabin. Nolwenn has been a finisher for six years in the SELMER workshops...

Nolwenn is specialised in making bass, contralto and Eb clarinets. Less common than Bb clarinets, these unusual instruments require more time to finish, about 17 hours for a bass clarinet. The job requires patience and meticulousness, and requires between fifteen and eighteen months of training.

"We do everything ourselves, preparing the keys, preparing the wood, installing the springs, the corks and the pads, and then we finish the instrument, the adjustments, the seals."

Having joined the company six years ago, Nolwenn has developed a passion for this profession and has even taken up the clarinet, since SELMER offers lessons to its employees.

Once the instrument is finished, it undergoes inspection of its form and function. It is then tested in a soundproof cabin by one of our certifiers (professional musicians) who guarantees its acoustic perfection.
 

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