Klarinet Archive - Posting 000694.txt from 2002/06

From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Modern Basset Horn designs
Date: Thu, 20 Jun 2002 16:12:24 -0400

Bill, I don't think that Joe Wakeling was asking about the issue on
which you commented. He specifically citing a source saying that there
were metal bells and flared wooded bells and which one is said to be in
greater use in contemporary instruments. (And by the way, Stadler's
basset horn bell is not accurately described as "spherical" but rather
an "ellipseoid" or a three dimensional ellipse. It's the same idea
behind an English horn bell which is certainly not a sphere.)

I have played on basset horns with a metal bell and now have one with a
wooden bell. I will also mention that Steve Trier of London once told
me that, in his opinion, a metal bell on a basset horn reinforced all
the overtones that one does not want, so he replaced his with a wooden
bell and did the same for his bass clarinet.

I suspect, but do not know, that contemporary instruments made by the
big three use metal bells because they are easier to make and also to
attach to the lower joint. My particular wooden bell is flared but
Steve Fox put a bunch of holes (called lattice holes) around the
circumference and pointed me to a technical paper that discussed the
physics of the matter. I certainly recognize a distinct difference in
the character of the low notes with my wooden bell, though the only note
that it can affect is the low C, the others never getting the air column
down that low.

I tried on several occasions to get wooden bells made for my older
Selmer basset horns but the cost was prohibitive so I never had one
before.

There is an issue that I don't understand relative to Stadler's
ellipseoid bell because it does not seem to play a role in the low C.
There is a hole at the top of that bell near the connection to the lower
joint, and that is where the air comes out for a low C, so it never gets
to the other end of the bell. In fact, if you close that hole (with
your foot or your calf), you get a low B-natural on the instrument
because the air comes about about 3-4 inches lower than it does for the
low C.

Hope this is helpful for Wakeling.

Dan Leeson

William Wright wrote:
>
> <><> Joseph Wakeling wrote:
> I recently read in the "Cambridge Companion to the Clarinet" that there
> are a couple of different bell designs favoured by modern players [of
> basset horns]
>
> Joseph, everyone else on the list has heard this before, but I can't
> resist:
>
> Stadler's basset horn had a spherical bell (probably). I had one built
> for my Bb just out of curiosity. It does affect the sound (quiets the
> highest partials, acts as a resonating chamber to increase loudness);
> but it does these things most noticeably in the lowest notes. The
> effect disappears completely at the top of the clarion register. So
> I'm hoping that a modified barrel of some sort will bring the high end
> of the instrument's sound a bit closer to the lower end.
>
> Tony Pay has warned me that this will destroy the 12ths tuning. It's
> risky to argue with Tony because he has much experience in such things,
> math and physics as well as music on period instruments.
>
> The craftsman has a special tool on order which is required for the
> barrel, and eventually I'll learn the answer by actual experience.
>
> Cheers,
> Bill
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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