Klarinet Archive - Posting 001191.txt from 2000/06

From: Mark Thiel <thielm@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Stuffy throat B-flats on bass clarinets
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2000 14:32:58 -0400

>
> From: Spiegelthal.Dave@-----.COM wrote:
>
> In my hobby of restoring older clarinets, I've run across a phenomenon on a
> number of bass clarinets which baffles me.
> The two instruments I'm working on now (a Kohlert and an M. Lacroix) have a
> similar automatic double register vent mechanism
> which opens one medium-sized (approx. 3/8" ID) hole (metal-pipe) in the body
> for clarion notes from third-line B through
> fourth-space E, then above that note the larger hole closes and the register
> vent function is taken by a very small hole on
> the neck itself (on some other models this hole is on the very upper portion of
> the body just below the neck joint).
>
> What I can't understand is the sizing and placement of the lower (larger) vent
> hole, because these two bass clarinets (and
> many others I've tried) produce a throat B-flat (using the standard fingering)
> that is quite stuffy, and frequently sharp as well.
> To correct this, I have had to remove the existing metal tube from the vent
> hole, enlarge the hole considerably, insert a
> larger-diameter and longer tube which extends about 1/8" into the bore, and
> line with cork the upper part of the newly-created
> register tube to lower the effective center of the hole and bring the pitch back
> down.
>
> This raises two questions:
> (1) With the poor tone quality, and sometimes poor intonation, of the throat
> B-flat being so blatantly bad, why didn't the original
> manufacturers correct this? Certainly the incorrect size and placement of this
> vent are not driven by the need to function correctly
> as the lower register vent, because my two instruments work just as well in the
> second register after my 'fix' as before.
> (2) Since (in my experience) the alternate (r.h. side trill key) fingering for
> throat B-flat is nearly always clear and in-tune, why
> didn't the manufacturers design their mechanisms to activate this key for throat
> B-flat (a la Mazzeo)? Perhaps the side key
> would also work satisfactorily as the lower register vent, in which case the
> mechanism to use it would be no more complicated
> than the existing mechanisms. However, I did try last night (clumsily) using
> the side trill key on the Kohlert as a lower register
> key, and it didn't really work. Haven't tried this trick on any other basses
> yet.
> Anyone else have some thoughts on this situation?
>

Well of course Bundys and other cheap basses have a mechanism that opens a hole the
same size and level as trill key #3, but they use just one compromise vent hole for the
entire clarion register. Also you can't get anything near a B natural with throat fingerings,
at least on my Bundy.

I'm actually surprised that the compromise Bb/lower clarion vent hole works as well
as it does on my Buffet bass. I find the A + register pratically indistinguishable
from the A + third trill key, and I haven't found that any resonance
fingerings make any difference to it. It's surprising because this register hole seems to
be very analogous in placement to the register on a soprano clarinet and I always add
00X|00X F when playing Bb on the soprano.

It seems that on your Kohlert and M. Lacroix horns, the fact that you were able to
get them to give satisfactory results indicates that either somehing happened
to them over the years, or else they just weren't trying very hard
when they made them.

I also think it would be very cool if, on my low-C bass, I could
use the extra extended-range length
in the clarion -- which would theoretically give me a 2nd line G in the clarion!
Unfortunately, the compromise vent is too big and high, so the clarion goes
sharp and funny starting with the Bb.

Mark Thiel

>
> ------------------------------

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