Klarinet Archive - Posting 000265.txt from 2002/01

From: George Kidder <gkidder@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Benade Clarinet Mouthpiece Overblowing at the Octave?
Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 21:25:00 -0500

Not wanting to disagree with either you or Bonade, but ---

Maybe 5 years ago, Michael Dicker (bassoonist at Illinois State University)
and I tried an experiment in which we shoved a one-hole rubber stopper into
a clarinet in place of the mouthpiece and put a contrabassoon reed into the
hole. He blew it (I know noting about double reeds!) and when the register
key was opened it produced an octave jump. Sounded terrible, but it WAS an
octave, not a 12th. We used the contra reed as giving the best match to
the clarinet bore, and even so, there was a large change in diameter
between the reed and the barrel. One can preserve the hypothesis if one
claims that 1) the bore step makes the instrument no longer cylindrical, 2)
the double reed does not produce a closed tube within the meaning of the
act, or 3) neither Michael, myself or anyone else that heard it knows the
difference between an octave and a 12th. Rejecting #3 out of hand, I
cannot decide between the others.

In an attempt to experiment further, I just tried the effect of using an Eb
mouthpiece (ID 13.3 mm - one of yours, Walter) on the old Vito that came to
hand (MP ID 14.45 mm). Had to use a lot of paper as shim, but: it
overblows a 12th. Maybe the difference in bore diameter isn't great
enough, or maybe it has nothing to do with it. Where can I find a tiny
single reed mouthpiece?

Always something new.

At 15:40 1/10/02 -0500, you wrote:
> A clarinet..... is a clarinet..... is a clarinet!
>
>In fact, Benade tried bassoon reeds, and other sound generating options on
>the clarinet. The clarinet still overblew a 12th. The closed cylindrical
>bore insists on it.
>Has something to do with the laws of physics.....
>
>Walter Grabner
>clarinetXpress.com
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------

George Kidder
Bar Harbor, ME

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