The Case of the Clarinetist

Some things run in the family. In my family, it's the perfect jaw structure of a clarinetist. Jealous? 

Three Generations of Band Girls

Note: If you know my tiny little sister, you know it’s super hilarious that she played the trombone. 

Another Note: I suspect that Gracen's band instructor somehow overlooked the great clarinetist in his midst, but at least a saxophone is in the same family as the clarinet. He was close.

Isn't clarinetist a nice word? It makes you sound all fancy and slender, like a ballerina. I might start using it when I meet people. "Very nice to meet you. I'm a clarinetist. And you?" 

Alli found out yesterday that she’s our newest little clarinetist! Yay, Alli! Luckily, Emma decided not to be in band this year, so we happened to have an extra clarinet at home. Instruments are expensive, my friend! And as an extra bonus, we also have the books she'll need for the next three years. Every penny counts!

I should tell you that I really, really hated playing the clarinet. One time, I asked my parents nicely if I could quit. But mostly I was not so nice about it. And then my dad would tell me the story about how he wasn't allowed to be in band, and he had to sit outside in the hall and do homework while everyone else got to make music. I appreciate a lot of opportunities my parents gave me, but the opportunity to play the clarinet is still pretty low on the list. It's not a skill that comes in handy. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water in a bad way remembering that woody saliva that gets trapped in the back of your mouth while you play. You other clarinetists know what I'm talking about. So it’s only fitting that I grew up and had to invest in a clarinet. I bet that made my parents pretty happy. It always comes back around, doesn't it! 

Most instruments these days come in vinyl cases. We bought a well-used, but completely refurbished horn in an old-school hard black leather case. It was showing some wear. New clarinet cases are about 50 bucks. No way. I'd rather have a pair of jeans than a cool clarinet case! Here’s what we started with before I got creative.

First, I cleaned it up with some Goo Gone. Then I took a black Sharpie marker to the chips. Next, I cut a sheet of peel and stick vinyl to the size of the area I wanted to cover on the case. I found a zebra pattern online to use as a guide. I looked for a pattern that was equal parts black and white. I used a pencil to freehand a pattern on the back of a sheet of peal and stick vinyl. I cut out the stripes. I used every other stripe on the front and back of the case, so one side of the case is the reverse of the other. Here’s how it came out! 

 Better, right?