Klarinet Archive - Posting 000575.txt from 2002/04

From: "Mark Charette" <charette@-----.org>
Subj: RE: [kl] Prestige RC vs. Prestige R13
Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 15:16:52 -0400

> From: Jay Webler [mailto:webler1@-----.com]
> Sent: Friday, April 19, 2002 1:59 PM
> Will that
> instrument be able to project (sorry Tom Rindenour) in a concert hall as
> well as an instrument with a "brighter" sound. I know an individual who
> switched to another brand of Clarinet that sounded louder when he
> played it.
> But when he took to play in a show the sound technician had to put the
> microphone closer in order to get the same volume that was given from the
> previous instrument.

There are many effects which can cause a physiological measurement
(loudness) to differ from a physical measurement (volume). There are curves
which are applied to sound to make it appear to sound "right" at lower
volumes, etc. (one of the reasons many stereos have "loudness" buttons).

Also, +/- 3db means +/- a factor of _2_ (if a particular clarinet player
plays a note at 60db, and if you could add an identical player to the
sound - it would be 63db. Funny things about logarithms ;^)

Opera singers use particular frequency ranges and formants to project "over"
the orchestra, and I wouldn't be horribly surprised to find that fine
orchestral players use the same "trick" (it's really not a trick - it
involves knowingly forming a set of tones that meet the requirements to
"project". Opera singers spend years trying to get it right, if they ever
do.)

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