Klarinet Archive - Posting 001005.txt from 1999/05

From: Sfdr@-----.com
Subj: [kl] [K] Moennig Tone Holes Examples for wide 12ths
Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 23:03:39 -0400

In a message dated 5/20/99 7:12:07 PM EST, edsshop@-----.ca writes:

<< Alvin,

Thank you for your description 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 don't know about your finger theory? I have found that the diameter of
most finger holes are based on the raised tone hole heights and not the hand
placement.
For example the Left hand E tone hole (under the ring key pad) is half the
size of the Fork Bb tone hole just below it. The fact that the Bb hole is
taller by design causes the note to play flatter and therefore must be
compensated for with the larger cylinder diameter.
Hans Moennig always struggled with the wide left hand 12th of the E
To high B. During the 1930s Ralph McLane brought Mr. Moennig a Student model
"Robert" Clarinet. The horn was badly out of tune except for one interval the
E to B 12th. Those two notes were perfectly in tune with each other.
Bewildered by this instrument, Mr. Moennig filled the hole with Dental
impression material and made a casting of the "Well Tempered" tone hole. This
is how they compared.
______________ _________________ _________________________
l l l l
l l
l l l /
l
l_____________l l_______________ / \_______________________l
^ ^
Buffet R-13 l l Moennig
Buffet (Robert Clarinet)

Mr. Moennig used this tone hole design until his retirement, as it
worked quite well. He also modified the F to High C hole to improve the wide
12ths. This technique was slightly different due to the raised chimney.
That impression looked like this: ____
____
l l l l
______________l l__________________l l______________
l l l l
l l
l l l /
l
l l l
/ l
l __________ __ / \______________ / \____________l

^ ^
l
l
Buffet R-13
Moennig Buffet (Robert)

I know this information probably does not answer your question but
maybe it will shed a little more light on the tone hole discussion.

Thank you,

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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