Klarinet Archive - Posting 000993.txt from 2000/12

From: George Kidder <gkidder@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] B natural/F# [was better high Ebs]
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 07:50:59 -0500

I remember reading somewhere (library book, so I can't look it up quickly)
that some performers had the sliver-key fingering tuned correctly for the B
natural and the "RH second finger" fingering tuned for the clarion F#, so
that they always had one fingering which was correct. How common this is
(or was) I have no idea. Trying to remember to use the right one must have
been a problem.

At 09:14 12/17/00 -0800, you wrote:
>Avrahm Galper noted that Alexandre Selmer advocated using the fork
>fingering (that's what I call it, anyway), RH first finger plus sliver
>key, for chalumeau B nat. and clarion F#, as well as high Eb. This is
>what I had been taught many years ago in a woodwinds class (just audited
>it - I was a Bio major) by my college band director, who was
>principally a brass man (unfortunately, almost all my directors have
>been brass men, and I'm almost 50 now. Gimme a break!). Coincidentally,
>in the same class, I learned that with the flute, the analogous notes
>are always played with the RH ring finger, leaving the _two_ tone holes
>above it open. I remember reading in recent years (on the K-list?) that
>as an acoustical principle, you always get a better-quality pitch when
>two, rather than one, tone holes are left open in such a fingering.
>That's certainly applied to flute playing, where there really is no
>equivalent sliver key to prevent the "blurp" when switching fingers.
>Maybe flutists just get used to it, or better at it, or perhaps it just
>isn't noticeable on a flute. Anyway, I've developed the habit of,
>whenever practical, using the third finger rather than the second for
>high Eb as well as clarion F# - can't remember trying it for chalumeau B
>nat. It really does sound noticeably better. Tom Ridenour's book says
>you can also just close the ring and leave the tone hole itself open.
>
>Bill Edinger
>
>"Music and wine are one" - Ralph Waldo Emerson
>
>
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George Kidder
Bar Harbor, ME

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