Klarinet Archive - Posting 000412.txt from 1997/10

From: Janet McNaught <mcnaught@-----.com>
Subj: Intonation (I think)
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 01:51:10 -0400

I have been reading the Klarinet archives - about intonation, tone, voicing
etc. I understand that various clarinets "sound" different - to the player,
to the listener, and that difference is not easy to quantify or describe,
and depends as much on the player as on the instrument.

My question is this; Over the range of the clarinet, are there certain
notes with markedly different harmonics from those immediately above and
below in the scale? (I think that is what I mean - sets of undertones and
overtones). I am finding that the full B natural (middle of the staff)
sounds different than the C above it, and the throat B flat. I first
thought that the intonation was flat, but had it checked by my repair man,
and he says it's fine. So, is it possible that there are fewer overtones or
undertones on that note? It is not just my clarinet, (a Selmer series 9) as
by teacher played the same thing on his Buffet and I think I heard the same
effect. And I don't think its the way I hear that frequency, because I heard
the same thing on his A clarinet.

And does this make any difference? Am I just hearing things? Is there some
weakness in the voicing of the clarinet for which I should be trying to
compensate?

Janet McNaught