Klarinet Archive - Posting 001349.txt from 1999/05

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] resonance keys
Date: Sat, 29 May 1999 12:07:52 -0400

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what Gary Van Cott meant in his
response to Loh Tzu Liang's question about resonance keys.

I always thought that a resonance key was a bit of mechanism, key work or a
pad that came into play to improve a particular note. An example of this
would be the resonance key for low Bb on some oboes. When the low Bb key on
the bell of an oboe is closed, a smaller connected pad opens below it for
additional venting and some improvement of the lowest Bb note. This pad
closes when the Bb key returns to an open position.

Gary@-----.com wrote:

> I am probably not the best person to discuss this, but I believe that
> resonance keys are one way to resolve problems relating to the size and
> placement of toneholes. In other words, to prevent having to make
> toneholes too large or to avoid place them in awkward places.
>
> My alto clarinet has for resonance keys. Working from the top down:
>
> 1. A key that works with the clarion g [When you say "A key," do you mean
> the pitch "A" or are you using it an an article of speach, as in "a,"
> "and" and "the?"] , the g# key actually runs between the touchplate and
> the resonance key. The resonance key is somewhat smaller than the main
> key. [When you say "clarion g" are you talking about second line "g" or
> top space "g?" If you are talking about second line G, this G is often
> called throat tone G or open G. The easiest way to know would be for you
> to state which finger opens or closes it. Until I know that, I really
> can't figure out what you are talking about.]

The registers of the clarinet are the chalameau, the upward extension notes
at the top of this fundamental register, the throat tones of F#, open G, G#,
A and Bb (A#), the clarion register, which is the repeat of the fundamental
register but a twelfth higher, the notes of third line B natural to second
ledger line above the staff, high C, and the altissimo register, which is
any and all notes above high C.

>
>
> 2. A very small resonance key that works with the clarion f key.

You could be talking about the Bnat./F# key at the top of the lower section
that closes when the first or second finger of the right hand go down, or
you could be talking about the throat tone G key that closes when the thumb
goes down or the first finger of the left hand goes down.

>
>
> 3. On many alto and bass clarinets there isn't a tonehole beneath the
> clarion d touchplate, the tonehole is on the right side of the instrument
> near the pinky keys. This instrument has this key plus a tonehole under
> touchplate.

On any alto or bass clarinet, the ring finger of the right hand closes an
offset G/D key. There is no additional hole under the touch plate PERIOD!

>
>
> 4. The lower clarion c pinky keys open two tone holes about 40 mm apart
> instead of one.

It is common on many artist quality bass clarinets to have two keys and tone
holes work in tandem to vent for low G and second register D. They both
close to play F and C. This configuration might loosely be called a
resonance key, but I doubt it. My old Buescher baritone has a similar
configuration in the left hand to vent A, and they both close when the third
finger goes down to play G.

Many keys on a full plateau system bass or alto clarinet are not resonance
keys, just a pad and key cup version of what we find to be open finger holes
and/or finger holes with surrounding ring keys.

Gary, I realize that talking about technical things can be damned hard, but
when doing so or attempting to do so, try to use an appropriate vocabulary
and very detailed descriptions. Most importantly, learn what to call the
different registers of the clarinet.

>
>
> Hope this helps answer your question.
>
> Gary
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> + Gary Van Cott - VCIS, Inc.
> + Clarinet Books and more - New & Used - Sold & Purchased
> + Intonation Training and Single Reed Adjustment books by Larry Guy
> + http://www.vcisinc.com/
> + P.O. Box 9569, Las Vegas, NV 89191, USA
> + Phone & Fax: 702-438-2102 Email: Gary@-----.com
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> Please respond to klarinet@-----.org
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> cc:
>
> Subject: [kl] resonance keys
>
> Hello...
>
> >>Richard Bush wrote: . . . Unlike the alto clarinet, that has a
> >>weak upper register because of its large bore . . .
>
> >Gary Van Cott wrote:
> >Not necessarily. My alto clarinet (a current model Buffet 1503) sounds
> >very good in the upper register. I believe the resonance keys it has is
> >one of the reasons.
>
> I have seen one on the Yamaha bass tt I played a tiny pad attached to the
> Bb/F key.
>
> I was hopping tt someone can enlighten me on what resonance keys are and
> how
> they help?
>
> thanx!
>
>

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