The Buffet Crampon ClariMate is a digital mute system for A and Bb Boehm-system clarinets that allows players to practise wherever they are and at any time of day (or night) without disturbing anyone. Unsurprisingly, it features a headphone output, but can also send MIDI files to an optional expander. Thanks to its inbuilt rechargeable battery, the Buffet Crampon ClariMate can be operated wirelessly for an average of around four hours on a single charge. The battery needs to be fully charged (indicated by the red charging light switching off) before initial operation.
Though it may be easy to assume so at first glance, the ClariMate is neither an embouchure trainer nor a pickup system, but rather a solution for converting the clarinet into an electronic wind instrument and learning the correct fingering, and for this purpose it can be taught to recognise the specific fingering that the player is using. An authentic playing feel is ensured by features such as the high-quality breath sensor with realistic clarinet settings and the active reed, which can be positioned just like a natural clarinet reed. The device is additionally MIDI-capable and, with "plug & play" connectivity, can transmit four MIDI values simultaneously (pitch, expression/breath, pitch bend, and velocity), though it should be noted that it transmits data rather than audio signals.
The ClariMate is an interesting solution for both advanced clarinettists and those just starting out on the instrument, and it can be used purely as a finger trainer or as a mute that allows the player to practise in almost complete silence. Users who have a DAW (digital audio workstation) at their disposal can even use it to record songs - in which case the ClariMate functions as an interface between the instrument and computer - and its MIDI capability additionally makes it possible to play the clarinet with different sounds. The ClariMate is compatible with iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads as well as with Android devices and computers running Windows or MacOS. As mentioned above, the ClariMate has to be fully charged before initial operation, so if it does not respond when the user goes to switch it on for the first time, the battery should be checked.
Buffet Crampon is a long-established French wind instrument manufacturer that was founded back in 1825 by Denis Buffet-Auger and has its headquarters in Mantes-la-Ville. The company is currently the world’s leading producer of clarinets using the Boehm system, while its subsidiary Buffet Crampon Deutschland GmbH, established in 2010 in the German town of Marktneukirchen, is the world’s leading brass instrument manufacturer. The BC Group currently employs around 1,000 workers worldwide in the manufacture and distribution of its products, approximately half of them based in Germany. In addition to the Buffet Crampon brand, the Group’s portfolio today includes instruments from brands such as Besson, B&S, Hans Hoyer, Melton Meinl Weston, J. Scherzer, W. Schreiber, and Julius Keilwerth, with the majority of production taking place in Germany and France and the remainder in Peking, Shanghai, and Maynard.
To allow users to control and edit the ClariMate's different parameters and keep a central overview of their settings, Buffet Crampon has also developed an app of the same name, which can be used via PCs, smartphones, or other mobile devices. The app features four different screens - Note Display, Note Training, Synth Controls, and Reed & Breath Controls - in addition to a calibration mode. The app can be connected via Bluetooth as well, e.g. for playing along to backing tracks, and the user can adjust the reed sensitivity and breath pressure threshold, transpose notes, and perform numerous other detailed functions. And those who want the utmost level of convenience can of course install the app directly to the mobile control hub of their choice.