Klarinet Archive - Posting 000064.txt from 1996/10

From: Dick Walters <waltersd@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: odd comment (acoustics)
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 15:33:37 -0400

Jonathan,

I have admired your thoughtful and scientific comments on the net.
Two questions:

1) What are some examples of a "light" reed and "open" mp setup?

2) Earlier, during your discussions about pipe resonances, etc, had
a request to explain in those terms what's happening with partials,
ie: altissimo notes. I'm sure their physics is similar to mid
register notes with the register key depressed, but what is really
making the same fingerings blow two different altissimo pitches?
When instructed to "think" the higher note, I'm sure there must
be subtle differences to the resonance characteristics of the
human/clarinet system at work beyond a different state of mind.
Maybe a more technical understanding will help an old engineer
understand how to make these note be more reliable.

Best regards,

Dick W

Dick Walters
waltersd@-----.net

From: cohler@-----.NET
Date: 10/3/96 9:17:00AM
To: Clarinettist's Network
Subject: Re: odd comment (acoustics)

Roger,

When you say intonation adjustment is "easier" on a hard reed,
I believe
you are mixing up two things: stability and actual ability to
adjust. A
hard reed is certainly more stable, but definitely more
difficult to
adjust. The laws of physics (mass, momentum, etc.) dictate it.

On a hard (i.e. thicker, more massive) reed it is more
difficult (i.e.
requires greater blowing pressure and greater embouchure
pressure) to make
the reed vibrate in any way. To change the way in which the
reed is
vibrating is also correspondingly more difficult.

On the other hand, this can be interpreted as being "easier",
because the
sound is more "stable" (i.e. difficult to change). Stability
of sound
forced by the stiffness of the reed is often misinterpreted by
clarinetists
as being a good sound. Because even if the embouchure and air
pressure are
not handled very carefully, the sound doesn't change much, and
the player
is fooled into thinking they have good steady support and a
good steady
embouchure.

With a lighter reed, it is much easier to make changes in pitch
and sound
quality with smaller adjustments of air pressure and embouchure
pressure.
Therefore, one must also exert greater control to maintain a
nice sound at
all times.

So, yes lighter reeds do require more control, but they offer
much greater
"controlability." There is much more intonation control on a
soft reed
than on a hard reed. For example, as you reduce embouchure
pressure on the
reed, the pitch drops more rapidly and further on a soft reed
than on a
hard reed.

Hard reeds are a false security blanket for those that do not
wish to
develop real control. Also, the harder the reed, the worse the
articulation response.

----------------------------
Jonathan Cohler
cohler@-----.net

At 9:29 AM 10/3/96, Roger Shilcock
<roger.shilcock%modern-languages-l wrote:

>I wouldn't want to contradict Jonathan C., who is much more
experienced
>than I am. However, an advantage of using a hard reed seems to
me to be
>that adjustment of intonation is much easier - it's easier to
hit the
>right degree of adjustment because less physical movement is
needed.
>If Gary changes to a hard reed using the *same mouthpiece*,
then he has a
>fair chance of having air noise, shortness of breath,
restricted dynamic
>range, etc., etc. I would be interested to know what players
in the States
>consider to be a hard reed. Various contributors to this list
have
>reported playing on strength "4" or "5" reeds as a maatter of
course -
>over here, they would be considered as ultra-hard reeds. As an
aside,
>I've been trying to get to grips with a "4" currently, which
gives a
>considerable tonal improvement compared with the previous reed
I was
>using, but takes rather too much effort on the B flat or the
A; however,
>it was amazingly easy to blow on a Noblet C.
>(I don't know anything about the mouthpiece which was on it,
though). I
>haven't been getting air noise - presumably the (Hite)
mouthpiece I
>usually use is reasonably compatible with a hard (?) reed.
>Roger Shilcock