Klarinet Archive - Posting 000175.txt from 1997/11

From: Edward Branham <ebb@-----.net>
Subj: [Fwd: Materials]
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 1997 16:07:01 -0500

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Message-ID: <345F9A97.BE1626E5@-----.net>
Date: Tue, 04 Nov 1997 16:58:48 -0500
From: Ben Bentley <Ben.Bentley@-----.net>
Subject: Materials
References: <01bce956$4a4f46e0$04abaccf=reedman>

Re. materials discussed in another thread, let's do an experiment. Take three
dimensionally identical drinking glasses. On is plastic, one is glass, one is
crystal. Tap each lightly with a fingernail. If they sound the same, materials
don't matter. If the sound different, materials do matter.

The materials used to make clarinets are much more similar that the above extreme
example, therefore the differences between clarinets made of different materials
will not be as great. The resonance of the materials of the mouthpiece and bore are
secondary to the tone generation which takes place within the chamber of the
mouthpiece (minimal impact of the material used).

The size and shape of the chamber, reed condition, embouchure, and support of the
air stream are the primary tone inducing factors within the chamber. The length of
the bore (modulated by the holes & keys) is the primary tonal factor in the body of
the clarinet.

Other secondary tonal effects are produced by variations in the bore diameter,
method of cutting tone holes, and other such things that either aid or impair
generation of harmonics of the primary tone being produced. The wall thickness is
important to the ability to sustain resonance after the note has changed. Thinner
walls sustain higher tones better, while thicker walls sustain lower tones better.

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