Klarinet Archive - Posting 000405.txt from 1999/12

From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] cylinders & cones
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1999 19:27:59 -0500

> > The bore size question is unclear. The clarinet bore is supposedly
> > cylindrical, but in practise, it varies in size several places. The
> > answer here is WAY to complicated to answer in an e-mail.
>
> But in the grand scheme of things, you're saying that the clarinet
> is categorized as a cylindrical bore instrument? I always thought
> it was conical, simply by intuition. 'Starts out narrow at one end
> and gets wider as you go down. This isn't the most exciting of sub-
> jects (it's boring, yes), but I'd be interested to know the common
> cone-ceptions on the subject (and hopefully spawn a few more really
> bad clarinet jokes in the process).
>
> -- Neil

I have heard of the clarinet bore being described as poly-cylindrical. My
understanding is that it is pretty close to a cylinder for the first half of
the way down (obviously mouthpiece and barrel bores are slightly different)
and then it begins its flair out towards the bell. If you look at your
clarinet, the size of the bore between the top and bottom joints is pretty
close to the barrel bore size. However, the bottom is much larger.

Now, think of a soprano sax. It is quite small at the top and has a pretty
constant flair out all the way to the bell. This would be a conical bore.

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Freelance Clarinetist and Recording Engineer
Los Angeles, CA
benmaas@-----.com
http://www.fifthcircle.com

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