Klarinet Archive - Posting 000274.txt from 2002/01

From: Dan Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Benade Clarinet Mouthpiece Overblowing at the Octave?
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 10:15:53 -0500

I have also reported on this list as early as 5 years ago that a
clarinet with a cork in the upper end of the barrel and which cork had a
hole in it with an oboe reed inserted there overblew an octave.
Furthermore, several members of this list at that time tried an
experiment to see what would happen and they all overblew an octave.

So Walter's comments as contradicted by George Kidder, must have been
made without trying the experiment. It is not believable that Bonade
tried that experiment and said what Walter attributes to him.

Dan Leeson

George Kidder wrote:

> 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

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** Dan Leeson **
** leeson0@-----.net **
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