Klarinet Archive - Posting 000756.txt from 1998/05

From: Matthew Hanson <mchanson@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Anti-alto clarinet forces, BORES
Date: Thu, 14 May 1998 03:12:21 -0400

Matthew Hanson wrote:
>
> >There are 2 basic problems with the Alto clarinet.
>
> >First, as posted by others, it is usually (but by all means not always) >the
> >less strong player that plays it--and consequently it does not sound so
> >good. Second (which is the reason for the first) is that the >instrument
> >should not exist at all.
>
> >In the saxophone family, there is little or no overlap between the >soprano
> >and the tenor.
> >In the Clarinet family, on the other hand, this gap does not exist. >Except
> >perhaps for the extreme altissimo register in the hands of virtuosos,
> >clarinets have a much wider range than saxophones. Indeed, the
> >standard
> >range of the bass clarinet and the soprano clarinet overlap.
>
> Uhhh... Is there a gap between the Bb and A??? In the above manner, someone
> could just as easily argue that the Bb soprano and Bb bass clarinets
> shouldn't even exist since the Eb family exists.
> Granted, the alto is not made correctly, but no instrument should be
> considered useless simply because there is no tonal gap in the family.
> You might as well say that the C and A clarinet shouldn't even exist.
> It's all about timbre.
> And actually, the newest Buffet alto clarinet has a smaller bore and is
> built quite well. It has the low Eb on the body instead of the bell,
> like the low C bass and has been improved dramatically.
> Bore size affects sound, but it isn't a reason to hate an instrument.
> Selmer Paris and USA Eb Contra clarinets have a bore of .988".
> Leblanc Paris and Vito (USA) Eb contras have a bore size of 1.182".
> This is a significant difference in bore size.
> Incidently, Leblanc uses the EXACT same bore size for both their Eb and
> Bb contras, metal and plastic.
> With Selmer, the difference is astounding!
> Eb contra-.988",
> Bb contra-1.333"!!!!
> Down that low, bore size doesn't affect the instrument quite as much,
> but I don't think alto clarinet should be the bastard of the band
> because of its bore size or key.
>
> sorry for rambling,
> Matthew Hanson
> Houston, TX
> mchanson@-----.com
> http://www.infohwy.com/~bkburks/mch/music_m.htm
>
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