Klarinet Archive - Posting 000614.txt from 1996/09

From: Barry Kruse <bkruse@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Bb
Date: Sat, 28 Sep 1996 20:10:19 -0400

There's no question that covering a lot of holes and using the side key
will give you a better sounding B-flat than the register key, all other
things being equal. All the same, I'd rather have a good reed and be
forced to use the register key than have a bad reed and use the side key.

I also wanted to thank Dan L. and Dan P. for explaining why the low note
extensions were useless for replacing the throat tones. I should have
known it would be one of those acoustical compromises. Still, it seems to
me that the extensions could be optimised differently, sacrificing the low
notes instead of the clarion register. Taking these fantasy extensions a
step further, you could have two sets of holes and another weird little
mechanism like the bass clarinet has for the register/B-flat hole to
control which ones get used. (Getting way too expensive, isn't it?)

Here's wishing everyone finds the perfect reed (and the perfect clarinet
too),

Barry
Subject: Re: Bb
Author: Richard Johnson <rjohnso@-----.com> at INTERNET
>
I've never had a clear Bb on any reed. I suppose reed may help, and some
instruments may have a better Bb than others, (?) but I personally have
never gotten a clear sounding Bb from the A key and the register key
alone. I tried that fancy fingering and was very pleased with the sound.
Too bad it's so hard to find while playing! I'll work on it.