Klarinet Archive - Posting 000822.txt from 1998/12

From: Roger Shilcock <roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: [kl] The Bb sounds different
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 04:16:56 -0500

There cannot be simply fewer overtones in the throat notes. If that were
so,
these notes would be pure and flutey, instead of (in bad cases) verging on
the kazoo spectrum. Surely, the "overtones" which are present must be
discordant with the fundamental rather more than elsewhere on the
instrument.
A good reed makes a big difference to these notes - especially one that is
not too stiff for the mouthpiece. Another important point is that the
fuzzier these notes are, the more difficult they are to play in tune.
"Resonance" fingerings can also change the pitch; for instance, on both my
B flat & A, putting any RH fingers down for the middle G flattens it
unacceptably.
Roger Shilcock

On Mon, 21 Dec 1998 CmdrHerel@-----.com wrote:

> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1998 14:07:32 EST
> From: CmdrHerel@-----.com
> Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: Re: [kl] The Bb sounds different
>
> In a message dated 12/21/98 11:34:31 AM Eastern Standard Time,
> steen.nygaard@-----.com writes:
>
> << How can it be, that my clarinet sounds more "airy" when I play the midle Bb
> and A? Dont tell me: it is my embouchure?! >>
>
> Because when we play Bb, A (and also Ab and G) very little of the clarinet
> tube is being covered. What happens is that with that short little area that
> the sound wave is set up in, there isn't a lot of room for overtones, making
> those notes sound thin and weak (please pardon the laymen's physics,
> everyone!) or "airy."
>
> What we tend to do for those notes is used what are called "vented"
> fingerings, that is, fingering combinations that result in forcing the air to
> travel further down the clarinet body, allowing for more overtones in the
> sound. I use vented fingerings whenever time allows, that is if the notes are
> slow enough so that I have time to get the extra fingers down.
>
> Now there are a number of vent options since every clarinet is a bit
> different, and these fingerings need to be in tune. For starters, I'll give
> you mine, and from there you can either grab a good fingering chart for
> others, or if these are out of tune, ask the list and I'm sure you'll get
> more! :)
>
> Okay, if you label your fingers 1, 2 and 3 on each hand with the index being
> one and the ring finger being 3, these are my vented fingerings (top hand
> listed first, bottom hand listed second)
>
> Bb: A key, Bb key, 3 / 3 Low F key
>
> A: A key, 3 / 1 2 Low F key
>
> Ab: Ab key, / 1 2
>
> G: / 1 2
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> Teri Herel
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

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