Klarinet Archive - Posting 000065.txt from 1997/03

From: James Pyne <jpyne@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: barrels
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 1997 23:20:43 -0500

>On Sun, 2 Mar 1997, James Pyne wrote:

>

>> increasing the bore size raises the pitch while decreasing the bore

>> size lowers the pitch.

>

>Is it possible that this is a typo, or that the two items were

>unintentionally transposed?

>

>If not, and if the above is true, it certainly is a revolutionary
musical

>phenomenon. In every other case I know of, increasing the bore size

>_lowers_ the pitch, and vice-versa. For example, opening a bassoon
or

>oboe reed increases the bore size and lowers the pitch. Loosening
the

>embouchure on saxophone or clarinet allows the reed to open more,
thereby

>creating a larger interior volume (among other effects) and lowers
the

>pitch.

>

>Ed Lacy

>el2@-----.edu

---------------

Mr.Lacy,<fontfamily><param>Times</param>

</fontfamily>It was not a typo but what I had intended to say, and as
far as I know, not revolutionary. Doug Sears has suggested an
experiment that I have not done myself but that I have heard about. It
should quickly show that for a given length tube decreasing bore size
lowers pitch. In any event please allow me to outline an experiment I
have conducted that will further support my
point.<fontfamily><param>Times</param>

</fontfamily>I have constructed an tube/instrument that is = 1/2 inch
shorter than a Buffet R-13. The bore of this instrument is .500 and
perfectly cylindrical. It has no bell flare or bore perturbations and
is socketed to take an Eb clarinet mouthpiece which is tapered but
roughly .500 in bore diameter. <fontfamily><param>Times</param>

</fontfamily>The main bore size of my Buffet R-13 is larger at @-----.575
and it flares considerably toward the bell. The bore is enlarged at the
inlet of the upper joint as well. This is common practice in clarinet
bore design. Please note that these deviations from a perfect cylinder
all involve increasing the bore size above .575, and in terms of the
lower joint the increase is dramatic. <fontfamily><param>Times</param>

</fontfamily>In play testing utilizing a CONN strobotuner the .500 bore
tube/instrument produces a somewhat flat low D3 (Bb clarinet written
pitch) while the considerably larger bore R-13 produces, as you know, a
low E3 with all tone holes closed utilizing the maximum tube length. So
the smaller bore produces a lower frequency, a bit more than a whole
step below the larger bore instrument. Even though the larger bore R-13
is @-----.500 tube/instrument, when they are
measured from the tip of the mouthpiece to the bottom most end of the
tube or bell, it plays significantly higher in
pitch.<fontfamily><param>Times</param>

</fontfamily>Considering changes in bore size and taper of the clarinet
barrel only is a less straight forward issue in that the basic bore
size of the clarinet is not changed. Also the barrel is near the
generative device and the closer one gets to the sound producing
mechanism the more complicated small changes in any design parameter
become. One interesting example is that a small change may affect one
register significantly more than another and so on.
<fontfamily><param>Times</param>

</fontfamily>James Pyne<fontfamily><param>Times</param>

</fontfamily>

James Pyne

Clarinet Studio/Research Group

School of Music

The Ohio State University

1866 College Road

Columbus, Ohio 43210

pyne.1@-----.edu

Tel: 614 292 8969

Fax: 614 292 1102

   
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