Is there a place for innovation in musical instruments?

What more can be said about an early 19th century brand like Buffet Crampon, that hasn't already been said in music publications, organological analyses of instruments, blog articles from the Buffet dealer network of the planet...

For a mere narrative, we refer you to one of our articles published some time ago; the history behind a brand: Buffet Crampon.

 However, we would like to go a little further and think outside the box on how the different clarinets they have created over the years have been received by the market and professional clarinetists.

What does it tell us when today, clarinets launched in 1950 (R13) and 1975 (RC) are still the best selling models today?

It seems to us a very interesting subject to discuss, from the musician's point of view and from the point of view of Buffet Crampon's production in Mantes-la-Jolie. 

In 1953, it seems that just after Robert Careé replaced Paul Lefevre as production manager, the Buffet R13 appeared (which is the best-selling model in the American market) and has not undergone any substantial change in its manufacture since the initial model. 

The RC was designed by Robert Carrée and launched in the 1970s, in 1975. The main feature is its poly-cylindrical bore which makes it unique and appreciated in the European market.

Both the R13 and its R13 Prestige version and the RC and its RC Prestige version remain benchmarks in the American and European markets respectively.

But the big question is... 

Is there a market opportunity for new proposals, do the big players switch to the "new thing" and if they do, is it because of conviction or "contract"?

It is said that failure is the beginning of success, and if we look at the novelties brought, there are models of clarinets with different acceptance among musicians.

So, is it necessary to saturate the market with new models? What is the real reason for bringing new models to the market? 

If something works, it is better not to change it. But the business world needs to create a product every now and then and turn it into a reality so that the market continues to take it into consideration, consumers continue to value the brand, the company and its mission are justified…

There are several lines when launching a new clarinet:

• Testing among a small group of collaborators/developers and making prototypes and then launching the final product. Everything stays in-house until the launch.
• Choose a clarinet that already works, introduce small changes, change the name and launch it on the market to see how it reacts, creating as many models of clarinets as modifications introduced. Same product with different names.
• Design and implement an idea that is different from everything else out there. Probably the most difficult option of all and in which the R+D+D part (and all the acronyms we can think of) is the most important, as we have to look for and find a gap.
• Making a small and insignificant modification (change of color, a decorative piece...) and making a big marketing campaign, spending more on this campaign than on the development of the product itself. Sometimes, look and feel is more important than quality.

To finish, we leave in the air a question, which you can answer below in the comments area:

In the world of the clarinet (instruments and music in general).... 

Is it better to continue with the classic, the traditional, or is it better to create innovation, something new, something different, something different?