[Dixielandjazz] Re: Plateau Clarinet

[Edgerton, Paul A]

"Plateau" is where you spend most of your time between those sudden
spurts of progress that sometimes follow periods of intense practice. 

If you play a plateau clarinet (which has only covered keys -- no
rings), you can reach that first plateau more easily, but it will take
longer to move on to the next plateau.  Sort of like the valve trombone,
which everybody disparages as "automatic transmission" since it offers
the path of least resistance to failed trumpet players.  O:

-- Paul Edgerton