Klarinet Archive - Posting 001011.txt from 1999/04

From: Sfdr@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] The Moennig Challenge
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 00:29:28 -0400

In a message dated 4/22/99 5:52:14 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
Felix1297@-----.com writes:

<< Hi Alvin,

First most of the player in europe don't have any problem with the longer
tube then you will tell me that they don't play R13 some of them do not a
lot
but some of them do and I don't know everybody. What I am trying to say is
that there is no magic and unique solution and maybe the moenning tube is
working but are you sure it will work for everyboy? I am not very interested
to have any challenge. I just would like people know that there is a lot of
things out there a lot of different opinions and it is very interresting
that
way. I just have a problem with people saying that all the sudden they have
the exact answer. When you are saying that if the Bb tube was that great on
the A and why Buffet doesn't do that authomaticly since I guess you are an
expert in accoustic you should know that thereis other things that a tube on
the way a clarinet is manufactured and tuned. I hope that I will not be call
Rude again and if I hurt the feeling of anybody I apologize in advance.

Musically Yours

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

Dear Francois,
Please forgive my comments about the Sharp pitch of the High A, B, and
C of the R-13 clarinet. I guess I did not realize that the Buffet company
designed the clarinet to suite the European needs of A-442 first and the
common American A-440 pitch standard second. What is most frustrating for me
is that I have witnessed the true potential of the R-13 clarinet when
properly set up to the proven traditional standards of A-440. I have spent
many hours with flustered Clarinetist trying to get there horn to play in
tune with itself. The wide 12ths have been a problem ever since World War
II. I realize that the individual's mouthpiece and desired pitch level is a
factor in the end results of the clarinet.
However, according to Hans Moennig, the original design of the 22,000 series
R-13 Buffet that Ralph McLane used did play in tune from the factory without
extensive set up work. During that time the tone holes were larger in
diameter and had extensive undercutting for maximum resonance. Because of
this extra large tone hole design, it was necessary for players to use a 67
mm barrel just to get the pitch down to A440 (believe it or not). And Robert
Marcellus used a 70 mm barrel with even larger tone holes during his reign
with the Cleveland Orchestra. This always comes as a shock to most players
but I have four of his 70 mm to prove the my point.
Mr. Moennig often said the A clarinet design was acoustically
illogical. If the Bb clarinet standard barrel length is 66 mm then common
sense would dictate that an A clarinet which is a longer horn would have a
longer barrel such as a 67 mm or 68 mm length. But instead the standard R-13
A clarinet come from the factory with a 65 mm barrel. The shorter barrel
affects the left hand notes much more than the right hand notes, Therefore
making the instrument play out of tune from one register to another. The
High c is almost always Sharp on the R-13. That is because of the incorrect
barrel design. If you pull out, you lose the Throat tones. If you use a
longer barrel the throat Bb, D, E, and F will drop inn pitch. This is a bad
situation for a clarinetist who is already struggling to maintain a pitch
center.
I don't claim to be an expert acoustician, nor do I know all of the
answers to problems
facing clarinetist of today. But I have done extensive research on
instruments that were proven worthy by some of the greatest players of this
century. I have X-rays, CAT Scans, and MRIs of Mr. Moennig's original
prototypes. And believe me the instruments that were
played by Marcellus, McLane and Wright during the 50's and 60's are totally
different from what is being produced today. I inquired about this design
deviation when your boss invited me to the factory a few years back. One or
the production engineers said that some of the hand workmanship had been lost
to assembly line automation.
Good luck with your product!

Alvin Swiney

Affordable Music Co.

P.O. Box 4245

Virginia Beach, VA 23454

757-412-2160 fax 412-2158
E
mail sfdr@-----.com

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