Klarinet Archive - Posting 001040.txt from 2000/02

From: "Dee D. Hays" <deehays@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Eb Clarinets
Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 09:42:46 -0500

----- Original Message -----
From: "Diane Karius, Ph.D." <dikarius@-----.edu>
Subject: Re: [kl] Eb Clarinets

> Dee:
>
> Regarding your Eb - did the 5RV have the same affect on the altissimo
> range? If so, how did you counter that?
>
> I'm curious because my Selmer/bundy Eb with a Fobes mouthpiece is
> generally sharp without a lot of work on my part, but the altissimo
> is so flat I've hesitated to try other mouthpieces - Short of a
> mouthpiece driving the altissmo so flat that I could lip down from
> half a step up, I'm not sure I could control the sound and still
> bring up the pitch.
>

I am far from an expert in this area so consider the following just my
thoughts, opinions, and speculations.

To start this discussion, I will start with a fact. The altissimo register
is generally played as the 5th and 7th harmonics of the fundamental or
chalumeau note. Mathematically, both are flat in comparison to the even
tempered scale with the 7th harmonic being even flatter than the 5th.

Now here's where I go to thoughts opinions and speculations.

On the Bb clarinet, designers are able to compensate to a reasonable degree
for this inherent altissimo flatness. Players are able to compensate the
rest of the way by embouchure and breath development and choice of reed
strength, etc. However, notice that beginners who have not yet learned all
this are indeed flat when they first start playing altissimo on the Bb.

For the Eb clarinet, the bore diameter to length is unfavorable for tuning
the altissimo. This aggravates the tendency for it to go flat on top. It
is thus much more difficult for the player to compensate.

Since it is much more inherent in the Eb instrument compared to the Bb, I
doubt that it can be solved with a mouthpiece. If the mouthpiece is in tune
in the chalumeau and clarion, it is going to go flat in the altissimo.

So how can we address this? From the equipment side, it seemed to help to
play on the hardest reed that I could stand but that didn't solve the
problem completely. Then, of course, there is the additional embouchure
support and breath support that can be developed and seems to be necessary
for this smaller member of the clarinet family. But again this is probably
not enough. To me it seems we now enter the realm of what is called
"voicing." We need to manipulate not only the embouchure but also the oral
cavity to get up to pitch. I personally don't know how to quantify this but
perhaps some other list members can help here. What I did find is that for
example, I was struggling with altissimo E. Day after day, I was flat (and
the concert was coming up rapidly). Then one day it just "snapped into
place" and I was in tune with it. Don't ask me what I changed, I don't
know. My guess is the voicing.

This is all that I can think of right now. I hope this is helpful.

Dee Hays
Canton, SD

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