Klarinet Archive - Posting 000121.txt from 1994/12

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Curved barrel
Date: Thu, 8 Dec 1994 21:24:03 -0500

Tom has a neck problem for which he suggested a curved barrel. Good
idea. I can point you in just the right direction. The barrel of
the basset clarinet has been modified to permit the much longer
instrument to be held close to the body. The barrel is cut in half
with an angle cut, the pieces are turned around and fit together
which gives a barrel with an angle. It is not curved, but the effect
is precisely the same as you want. The angle is about 40 degrees;
i.e., the instrument extends from the mouth is a normal fashion and then,
half way down the barrel there is a 40 degree bend and the instrument
is then brough much closer to the body.

Go into a big clarinet store in Chicago and ask to see a basset
clarinet. Or else call Larry Combs of the Chicago Symphony and ask if
you can see his basset clarinet (which I think is a LeBlanc). The barrel
is the same length as a B-flat or A (maybe a little longer but not much)
so what you want to do can be done on a traditional soprano clarinet.

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

   
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