Klarinet Archive - Posting 000955.txt from 1998/07

From: <Felix1297@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] QUestion for Mr Kloc
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 11:34:07 -0400

kirk wrote:

1. Can you explain the differences between/main characteristics of the
different Buffet models (R 13 (Prestige), RC (Prestige), Festival,
...), at least theoretically, i.e. what sound characteristic is
intended with a certain design?

I read many contradicting descriptions of the sound characteristics of
the models:

"The RC has a softer/darker/brighter/duller tone than the R 13"

I don't understand this.

2. Is there a difference in the quality of the wood? On the Buffet
homepage one can read, that one model is of "premium" quality wood,
the other of "highest" quality wood etc. But is meant the same?

3. How is the different pitch (440/442) reached? Only by length of the
barrel, or are there also other differences?

4. Is the letter (A or F) in front of the serial number equivalent to
the pitch, i.e. A=440, F=442?

Dear Kirk,

I'll try!!!!

1) The Bore design of the Buffet calrinet is slightly difent for each model, I
'll try to find the easiest way to describe it.You have the Polycilindrical
clarinet that Robert Caree invented in1950 and I should say it is the base.
Then you add dimentions to make it work. This creat a total volume from the
top thru the bell,this total volume include the tone
holes,undercutting,register tube and thumb tube. At the top of the instrument
you have what we call an entry cone,then a cylinder another cylinder and a
flare another little polycilinder and the end of the bell big flare.All those
ingredients are the total volume.Now you change one of the tone hole,you raise
the register tone hole, you move a tone hole up or down and you change the way
the air travel inside the instrument and make it sound differently and feel
differently. This is the receipy ( you can add salt and pepper if you want :-)
)

Now the differences.

The R13 is knomn to be a focused and darker sound instrument than the RC it is
because on the RC the design is different it is an instrument very popular in
Europe little bit like the R13 here. The bore design of the RC is
Polycilindrical bore upper joint and conical lower joint that mean that when
the player put some air in the tube the air will go down very fast and will
come back slowre and make the reed vibrate slaower which is what European
player like.Now The R13 is totaly polycilindrical then the air will go down
fast and come back fast wich give more resistance and it is aparently what the
musicians in North America like.

R13 focused and dark sound
RC bright and less focused sound
R13 Prestige focused and warm or round sound
RC Pretige Warmer sound than the RC
Festival focused, dark and somewhat flexible sound

2) For the wood it is not really a quality question we cannot use not good
quality wood the instrument will soun like a cream pot if we did that. We use
different wood density which is the center of the tree is used for the
Prestige Line because it's very dense. Around we the center will be the R13
and RC models which will be less dense of course.

3) Just whit the barrel lenght

4) Yes

Hope this was clear enough

Musicaly Yours

Francois Kloc
Woodwind Product Specialist
Boosey & Hawkes Musical Instruments Inc.

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