Klarinet Archive - Posting 000400.txt from 1999/02

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Evette Clarinets
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 13:17:49 -0500

This thread, Evette Clarinets, as splintered into two subjects.
Originally, as the title implies, Evette clarinets was the topic. Mr.
Carl Schexnayder's posts generated responses that sent the thread into a
different direction. (Carl, that happens all the time and I'm not
complaining about it.) The two topics are concurrently running parallel
under the same subject title. Not wishing to rock the boat, I am
responding within the thread title, but responding to the latter
conversations that Mr. Schexnayder's contributions generated.

Carl's original posting, other's responses to his posting, and then his
follow up responses have, collectively, proved to be a most stimulating
and provocative thread. Many diverse ideas, and even philosophical
questions bait the reader and encourage response. Such are the makings
of a good and stimulating conversation.

Becoming more cunning in my ways, more temperate and deliberate
(smiley), I have lurked in the wings, waiting for the right moment to
spring my wisdom and knowledge upon this group. (Actually, I've been
trying to organize exactly what and how I would respond.)

First, I believe Carl's moving in a right direction. Anytime one can
have enough influence to achieve compatibility of brands and/or models
within the clarinet section, better tuning will result. It stands to
reason that having highly similar tuning tendencies from instrument to
instrument will eliminate many of the variables when the whole section
is playing in unison.

Similar results could also be enjoyed with other brands, but in some
situations, good unison tuning might be as far as it would go. The other
half of the equation is to also have every individual instrument playing
well in tune with itself. That means that all E's are close to each
other, all F's the same. Another way of putting it, is to have
instruments that come close to playing a tempered scale.

While this is not, nor ever will be possible, the best tuning will
become a greater possibility and likelihood when all instruments play at
the same pitch level, tune will with each other and play close to a
tempered scale. That doesn't mean that reproducing tempered tuning is
the end objective, but rather a point of reference and also being a
point of departure when more precise just tuning is sought.

For those who would like to find out how close they're coming to
achieving a well in tune section, try the following test, if you dare:

Divide the clarinet section into three parts. (Most clarinet sections
are already divided this way into 1st, 2nd and 3rd parts.) Play, very
slowly, a chromatic scale. Have one section start on lowest E, the
second section start an octave higher on first line E and have the third
section start two octaves higher on fourth space E. Ascend chromatically
for one octave. (If you're brave enough, continue ascending three more
half steps to G.) If you wish, switch parts. There are six possible combinations.

You will discover every problem with every instrument and every player.
Even two people could test themselves by playing octave unisons and
running up the chromatic scale for two, ascending octaves.

Carl mentioned that he never found student model plastic clarinets
satisfactory. This is understandable. While I don't think this is a wood
vs plastic debate (while admitting that I find plastic instruments do
seem to play a bit brighter and with less total substance and richness
in tone than fine, artist grade wooden instrument), I think, because of
the way most student instruments tune, there is a real issue of
compatibility when mixing them with higher grade instruments. The one
thing that will kill the sound of a clarinet section, that will rob it
of having any presence and projection, or even being able to balance
with other sections of the band, is having the section out of tune with
itself. Bad tuning eats up the overtones and destroys the perceived
volume and depth of the collective sound. The worst thing about this is
that it only takes one or two players playing out of tune to do it. It
only takes one skunk to stink up the wood pile!

Let me explain.

Most student model plastic clarinets are, for the most part, patterned
after tried and true formulae. Tolerances are probably not kept as
tight, but in many regards, they are diamonds in the rough. Where they
most significantly differ is that they have been shorted at the top of
the top joint to "help" the beginner play up to pitch during that first
or two when the embouchure is underdeveloped and the reeds being used
are on the soft side. Well, shortening the top end of a tried and true
formula instrument raises hell with their scales. Throat tones and the
upper end of the second register (which is sharp, anyway) goes off the charts.

Vitos, current production models of their student model plastic
instruments, are at least 2 mm short. Bundys are about 1 1/2 mm short
and Yamahas are about 1 mm short.

Returning these instruments to a correct length cannot be done UNLESS
tuning rings are used to fill the gap produced between the top of the
top joint and the bottom of the barrel socket. Leaving the gap causes
the throat tones to go disproportionately flat. Further, I know for a
fact that Vitos are set up with the key heights for the throat tones set
too low (an attempt to compensate for the too short top end of the
instrument). Once an instrument is lengthened to a correct length, with
tuning rings filling the gap, the height of the top ring key, the G# and
A keys must be reset to a more open position. Forget all of that crap
about a little pull at every joint. USE TUNING RINGS!

Now, I've played my Vito (that's right, I take a Vito into the pit and
onto the bandstand) next to Leblanc Concerto players, Selmer 10G
players, Buffet players and pro line Yamaha players and have had
NO-ZERO-ZILTCH problems playing well in tune with them. No complaints.
We get along famously. Sometimes they are amazed.

I play on a Morgan mouthpiece. I use a DEG Accu-Bore barrel. The barrel
is the "M" Moennig bore (very close to the reverse bore of the stock
Vito barrel, in a 67 mm length. I also use an inverted Bonade ligature.
With this barrel, adding one and a half mm worth of tuning rings then
brings my instrument down to pitch and puts it in tune with itself. The
barrel is also the thick walled Dark variety that looks like a ripe
watermelon. This darkens the somewhat bright sound of the lightweight
Vito clarinet and substantially improves response at low volume levels
and allows for much louder playing without stuffing up.

As Tom Ridenour expressed on another thread, the larger bored horns have
problems in the bottom half of the lower register and go sharp when
played softly. Right! I'm aware of these deficiencies and compensate for
them with my Vito, which is a fairly large bored formula.

To all of you who said that a good mouthpiece, reed and maybe a barrel
change were most important, I would say YES!

To all of you who said that the player, the person who's in the driver
seat, is more important than the instrument itself, I would say YES!

To those who hold prejudices about plastic clarinets, I would say, you
have valid reasons for not liking them, BUT you haven't played a student
model plastic clarinet that I've set up. If you did, you would change
your mind and thinking about them.

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