Klarinet Archive - Posting 000650.txt from 2002/01

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Gap in tenon socket between upper and lower joint
Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 23:46:24 -0500

Joshua says
<<Actually, I was the first one to bring up this topic a few weekes ago. But anyways...do you think Buffet may put this gap here for a reason?>>

Three points here
1.) Both my Buffets and my Selmer 10G's have gaps.

2.) I think the reason (if there is one) is that, machining wise, "too deep" is easier than "perfect fit" and not deep enough would be noticed visually by everyone.

<< (SIC)...... Perhaps to lower the clarion G and improve the 12ths is this area.>>

I think lowering the clarion g in this manner would be a mistake. A gap in the bore is going to do more to mess up successive tuning of individual notes, just as pulling at the barrel lowers notes closer to the barrel more than those farther away.

<<How and why do you think filling the gap
improved your tone and response?>>

By "feel", and by and listening critically.

It seemed to me that I picked up a little more "resonance" and more clarity in staccato. It certainly didn't hurt.

<< I can see this gap being used to adjust
pitch in the area of the clarinet (to an extent). Any opinions?>>

I was always taught that if you were too sharp, that a smart thing to do was to pull at the middle as well as the barrel, even at the bell, if necessary.

However, if you pull more than 1/2 mm, you need to realize that although you are lowering pitch in general, you are lowering certain notes far more than others and are in effect altering the basic scale of their instrument. When pulling at the barrel, the use of tuning rings can really help, by avoiding a gap.

Of course, there is no such thing a "tuning rings" for the lower joint tenon socket. I have seen some for the upper tenon socket where the mouthpiece meets the barrel.

Maybe there should be such a thing as a set of tuning rings for each and every tenon socket of the clarinet.

Just a thought.

Walter Grabner
clarinetXpress.com

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