Klarinet Archive - Posting 000145.txt from 1999/04

From: ROBERT ABRAHAM <rkabear@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Barrel vibration
Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 15:40:37 -0500

The kind of barrel can definitely change the sound of the note coming fro=
m the
clarinet, but the concept of being able to change the sound of the tone b=
y
holding the barrel while playing seems strange to me. =

A different perception in sound could be attributed to the player changin=
g how
the instrument is being played to accommodate having to grab the instrume=
nt in
a different way.

This could also be attributed to the internal vibrations of your body cha=
nging
when you grab the barrel. The sound would definitely change for the *PLAY=
ER*
because the body has more contact with the vibrations, thus giving more
vibrations *going* to the body of the player. The sound wouldn't apprecia=
bly
change to the listener who is not playing the instrument, but it would
probably sound quite different to the player *holding* the instrument. =

A good analogy would be to singa note, and then put your hands on the sid=
es of
your mouth barely touching your cheeks while continually singing that sam=
e
note. The color and vibrations of your voice seem to change, but no diffe=
rence
is detectable from the listener's standpoint (someone *not* singing), unl=
ess
the singer does something different with tone production. The vibrations =
for
the singer, or at least the internal perception, has changed. The tone co=
lor
has not.

A good way to test this theory would be to play a note on a clarinet and =
have
*SOMEONE ELSE* grab the barrel. This should change nothing in the sound a=
nd
color of the note to the one playing the clarinet. So if the player can't=
tell
that there is a difference in sound with someone ELSE holding the barrel,=
the
sound most probably has no noticeable change in color when the barrel is =
held
to the listener or audience.

Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds/Computer Geek
New York City
*************************************************************************=
*
David Blumberg <reedman@-----.com> wrote:
=

> There is argument that the Barrel does affect the tone quality by its
material vibrating. The reed sure does not move on my Vandoren Optimum
Ligature - regardless on how I hold the instrument. But even with a metal=

barrel, it is easy to get a good sound (DEG ribbed metal barrels- the
barrel from mars ;) Now imagine billions of tiny molecules banging agains=
t
the walls of the instrument. Theres power in numbers.
> =

> =

> David Blumberg =

> play it@-----.com
> http://www.mytempo.com =

Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D=
1

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