Klarinet Archive - Posting 000313.txt from 1998/03

From: George Kidder <gkidder@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Scientific American Article
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 1998 14:42:56 -0500

On March 4, Francois Kloc wrote:

<snip>

>Lastly, Green Line instruments undergo 80 tons of pressure, not the 80 pounds
>mentioned in the article.

<snip>

First, let us thank M. Kloc for his comments. Maybe we can open a dialog
between makers and players.

I have the article in front of me (Scientific American, March 1998, p20)
which says "These instruments [the Greenline] are made of M'Pingo sawdust
and a patented mixture of carbon fiber and epoxy glue that is heat-treated
and placed in a press to give it the density of whole wood." There is no
specific number given for the pressure used (or for the heat, for that
matter.) I should also comment that "80 pounds" is not a pressure, it is a
force. Pressure requires some indication of the area to which this force is
applied, such as pounds/sq. inch. Eighty tons per square inch (160,000 psi)
seems a bit high - it seems more likely that this number is the force
applied to the whole blank by the machine which does this.

But this is a quibble, and the real problem remains. If indeed the shape
and size of the bore and its vents is the only thing that affects the tone,
loading the plastic with dense wood is merely a way to further strain our
right thumbs. As several have commented, we will never be sure of the
effect of clarinet material on our playing until someone makes a plastic
clarinet with the same skill and devotion as currently used on wood
instruments, and until some expert players are willing to give these
instruments an unbiased trial.

   
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