Klarinet Archive - Posting 000562.txt from 2001/07

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Tuning a mouthpiece
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2001 13:59:21 -0400

Walter,

This seems like a valuable piece of info indeed. What you have already
written will certainly be an excellent basis for me, on how I may look at my
students` instruments.

And I have two Leblanc LL`s, quite old, which I have been frustrated with,
due to the original mouthpieces and barrels going walk about (shame on me).
Even with new barrels made, (not Leblanc) I just have not been able to
temper the 12ths.

If an old instrument has, or develops bad 12ths, is it possible to correct
this - even to <some> degree, to enable a student to use?

Best,

Tony W.
----- Original Message -----
From: <GrabnerWG@-----.com>
Subject: Re: [kl] Tuning a mouthpiece

> << How do you tune a mouthpiece? (Maybe you tune the instrument rather
than the mouthpiece.)>>
>
> Unless you are a repairman or a mouthpiece technician, you don't tune a
mouthpiece.
>
> In terms of tuning your instrument, it is MUCH more helpful to consider
the mouthpiece and barrel as a unit. It is the total volume of air enclosed
with the chamber of the mouthpiece and the bore of the barrel that determine
basic tuning characteristics.
>
> After that, it is the shape of the bore in the barrel that determines
which 12ths will be affected, for better or ill.
>
> None of this information helps the player with a given mouthpiece, and
barrel, and instrument, sitting in a rehearsal hall.
>
> What I suggest is this procedure.
>
> 1. Thoroughly warm up your instrument. No point in trying to tune a cold
clarinet.
>
> 2. After you are warmed-up, test your throat "G" with a tuner. Pull out as
far as you need to to bring this note in tune. If you need tom pull more
than 1 mm, you should consider using tuning rings.
>
> (Many clarinets, especially student models, are sharp in the throat tones.
If you're flat, you're in trouble, and need to do something with any or all
of the following: embouchure, reed, mouthpiece, barrel, top joint of
clarinet. See a GOOD teacher and a GOOD technician.)
>
> 3.Only after tuning the throat "G", test concert A or Bb. If you are on
pitch, great. If you are sharp, you might consider pulling out slightly
between the top joint and the lower joint. (I always need to do this on my
bass clarinet, I even made a tuning ring which always stays in the tenon
socket of the lower joint.)If you are flat on concert A or Bb, you know you
shouldn't pull out any further.
>
> 4. After I do all this, I compare below the staff C, fourth space C, and
above the staff C, to see if they are in tune with each other. At this point
you should be very close. If the high C is sharp (and it probably will be,
you might want to pull a little more at the barrel and lip the throat tones
up to pitch. It's almost always easier to lip "up" than "down" and maintain
control.
>
> I hope this is helpful. I'm interested in hearing about other's tuning
routines.
>
> Walter Grabner
> ClarinetXpress.com
>
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