Klarinet Archive - Posting 000994.txt from 1999/05

From: "Ed Maurey" <edsshop@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Tone hole diameter
Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 20:12:20 -0400

Alvin,

Thankyou for your discription of bore dominated and tone hole dominated
designs. You've described perfectly large bored clarinets [old Selmers,
old Leblancs and Boosey and Hawkes] and small bored clarinets [R-13's and
damned near everything else made today.] However, this tone hole diameter
phenomenon applies to both these design types. Must we, therefore,
conclude that it is done only to keep the player's fingers from being
stretched apart too much on the A and being too crowded on the C?

I'm sorry, Benade nor Gibson never really answer this little question in
their books.

Thanks,
Ed Maurey
> From: Sfdr@-----.com
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: Re: [kl] Tone hole diameter
> Date: Wednesday, May 19, 1999 10:21 PM
>
> In a message dated 5/19/99 7:27:33 PM EST, edsshop@-----.ca writes:
>
> << Alvin,
>
> I don't follow your reasoning at all. The maker could just as well
> control the pitches emitted by the various holes on an A clarinet by
making
> them larger and locating them farther from the mouthpiece.
>
> My question could just as well have been:
> "Why do makers choose to place the tone holes so near the mouthpiece on
an
> A clarinet and the compensate with small diameter holes?"
>
> Ed Maurey >>
>
> Dear Ed,
> First of all, Let me recommend a Famous acoustics book called HORNS,
> STRINGS AND HARMONY BY Arthur Benade. You will find answers to many of
your
> technical questions.
> In answer to your tone hole question. There are two styles of
> clarinet design, Bore dominated and tone hole dominated. A bore
dominated
> clarinet is one that has very large tone holes with little undercutting.

> This instrument is normally tuned through the bore dimensions. The tone
hole
> dominant clarinet has smaller tone holes with large undercutting. The
bore
> of this horn is quite a bit smaller. This instrument is normally tuned
> through the tone holes VIA undercutting and chimney diameters. The
Buffet
> R-13 is an example of this style. The older Leblanc clarinets are usually

> bore dominated as the undercutting is very little and the bore is larger.
> The greatest consideration when placing the tone holes is finger
> positioning for comfort. Next is register tuning. Yes, it is true one
can
> compensate for tone hole placement by chimney diameters. However, the
bore
> is a main factor in the proper tone hole placement. There is a minimum
> diameter that the straight tone hole must have and which is much larger
than
> the same tone hole that has been undercut. If you were to block the
bottom
> of the both style holes with tape and fill them with water they will
usually
> hold the same volume of water. The hole shape however will give the
player a
> different register tuning relationship. For example Wide 12ths, Narrow
12ths,
> ect.
> So before anyone can give you an acoustically correct answer for you
> tuning question, you are going to have to determine whether your C
clarinet
> is Bore or Tone Hole dominated. And if your A clarinet is Bore or Tone
hole
> Dominant. The Answer that I offered in the previous posting applied to
Both
> Clarinets being Tone Hole dominant. What is the Brand of your C Clarinet
and
> A Clarinet? You can make a comparison of apple to oranges but not apples
to
> coconuts.
> I hope that I can get your tuning dilemma resolved for you.
>
> Thanks,
> Alvin
> Swiney
>
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