Klarinet Archive - Posting 000620.txt from 1999/01
From: Felix1297@-----.com
Subj: [kl] R13
Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 10:18:04 -0500
The R-13 was designed in the late 1940's by Buffet plant manager, Robert
Carree, who did not play the clarinet at all.......I'm not sure he played
anything.
It's low register tube placement results in the inherent defect of a flat
thumb "F", sharp high "C", the off color and somewhat low left hand
chalumeau "E", and very sharp clarion "B". Attempts to tune the clarion
"C" and "B" well result in impossible tuning for the left hand chalameau
"F" and "E".
Lee Gibson wrote about this in "The Clarinet" for almost a decade and a
half and how it needed to be corrected.
The bore, with its' polycylindrical upper joint reaming gives the
impression of a "dark" clarinet in the low register, because it feels free
blowing and "easy to the air". This ease, however, translated into the
upper register tones, results in a lack of resistance or "hold" in the
shape of the instrument, causing the left hand clarion tones to be thin
or bright in color as well as sharp. This coloristic problem increases with
the dynamic level; the tones getting brighter and brighter as you play
louder.
Clarinet players often think the bright upper clarion and third register is
their fault, but it is not; it is inherent in the R-13 bore design.
Further, the R-13 bore, with it's, relatively speaking, truncated lower
bore taper , causes the right hand to be comparitively more resistant than
the left. This results in making softer dynamic passages over the middle
break difficult to manage response-wise, without alterations in embouchure
or air pressure, and requires venting of the throat "A" when playing the
bell "B" for anything remotely close to a predictable response and flexible
tone color.
The bore problem, combined with undercutting faults results also in lower
altissimo tones that are somewhat resistant and, as as consequence, not
secure or predicatble in either response or color.
This shortened lower bore flare also is partially responsible for the
stuffy clarion "D",
Other such defects in tone hole placement and undercutting result in sharp
clarion "A", sharp clarion "G"and the tendency for the lower clarion "C"
and "D" to "sail" sharp, the side key clarion Bb to be too free and
uncentered, and the high "F" to be flat.
Despite the grave defects, clarinetist in America have persisted in playing
this instrument and managed with mouthpieces and reeds and a whole variety
of tricks to work around or mask some of the inherent defects in the
acoustics of this clarinet.
The lack of a clear pedagogy regarding the clarinet has aided in the
perpetuation of these defects.
The French themselves abandoned the R-13 almost two decades ago.
The R-13 now plays a bit differently than when it first appeared, and tunes
somewhat better, and with an improved hand response on most models.
However, the designers simply removed the resistance from the right hand
and failed to displace it to in the left, which would have given rounder,
darker, fuller and more color stable upper clarion tones. What they did
improved the evenness, but made the clarinet over all brighter than ever
before and giving the clarinet less "hold" and pitch and color stability in
dynamic changes.
In my opinion, there are lots of models out there now, some by Buffet, that
yield a more satisfactory technical and aesthetic result.
If you are stuck on Buffets try the Festival or the RC Bb. They will at
least tune better in most, but not every, cases.
Product variability is, as we all know, a serious problem with the R-13
and always had been, despite improvement in recent years in padding and key
work. Someone one the list said to try a lot. Good advise! I can only
ad to that, before you try them you ought to have a clear idea of what you
are testing for. I might recommend that youread my article on "how to
select a clarinet" on the "articles" section of my web site:
http://home1.gte.net/klarinet/
We sell the R-13 at RCP for $1680.00 and I hand select them with an eye to
what I know are the faults of the model. Your price of $1700.00 is
certainly reasonable. Go for it! And.............
Good luck!
tom ridenour
--Dear Lauren and all,
First the R13 was designed in 1955 and secondly even if Robert Careewas not a
clarinet player he was the ONE who DESIGN THE FIRST POLYCILINDRICAL CLARINET,
every one took the idea and design theirs from this design. I will double
check to make sure Master Caree was not a clarinetist. As you may know every
player is different and every instruments are different it is why a statement
like Mr Ridenour post to the list is very dangerous. I am not defending the
R13 specially but all the clarinet in the market.With a statment like the one
from Mr Ridenour some player could have a wrong idea of the instrument. I know
and respect Mr Lee Gibson and I do know for exemple that when I was in Texas
last year we discussed about the different instrumnet and he has also a lot to
say on the Leblanc, Selmer and Yamaha clarinets. My point is that a clarinet
is unique like the musician who play on it and everything can be done to solve
any problem or concern you could have. I did a lot this last two year and for
the one of you on the list that know me I will always be open to any
discussion and concern. For the Memory of Master Caree I cannot let anybody
diminish is work.
Musically Yours
Francois Kloc
Woodwind Product Specialist
Boosey & Hawkes Musical Instruments Inc.
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