Klarinet Archive - Posting 000275.txt from 1994/04

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: One piece instruments
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 1994 10:19:55 -0400

Let us not go too far in our wishes for one piece instruments. One
submitter suggested a one piece bass clarinet because the assembly of
his instrument is a pain in the neck (different anatomy than suggested),
but whatever technical advantages might come from such an arrangement
would be more than offset by the terrible inconveniences of having
to carry such an instrument. One would also have difficulty getting
the case into the trunk of a car. For a contrabass clarinet, it
would border on the absurd to have a single piece instrument.

Let me add a variation on this discussion. I have a C clarinet that
is standard in this respect; i.e., it breaks at the middle. But
I made a very bad mistake in having a case made for it that requires
that the instrument not be separated at that joint. The net result
is that that center cork never gets relieved from pressure and never
gets any air. So the join at the middle is tenuous and has to be
recorked more frequently than would be otherwise the case.

Bottom line is that an instrument that IS broken at the middle joint
should be cased that way. But with that caveat, it would be much
better if the clarinet were not built to be broken at the middle
joint. Lots of complications would go away were this the case.

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Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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