Klarinet Archive - Posting 000150.txt from 2003/04

From: "Kevin Fay" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Clarinet sound
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 00:31:27 -0400

Keith Bowen posted:

<<<Clarinets made of the lighter boxwood, which does vibrate more than
grenadilla, do sound different. I have a suspicion that the material is
a significant contributor to this, but they are usually also different
in so many other ways (tone hole lattice, bore, mouthpiece) that one
cannot be sure. I don't know of real side-by-side comparisons between,
say, a 5-key boxwood and a 5-key grenadilla or rosewood.>>>

William McColl is the clarinet professor at the University of Washington
here in Seattle - one of my teachers in both high school and college, a very
fine player. (He also had a great collection of vintage, very old and
really, really old clarinets and basset horns. Wow.)

His weapons of choice for the last 30+ years have been Buffet instruments
made out of boxwood. I have played them, and listened to Mr. C play my
R-13s for just such a comparison. Did the blind test - hands over eyes and
all that.

. . . they *do* sound different. It could be because they are lighter in
weight (lower density). It could be because of great porosity of the
boxwood. It could be magic; who knows? Whatever it could be, it is; they
sound different. Sorry, Dan.

I also liked them simply becuase they weigh less. If Buffet (or Yamaha
etc.) were to sell them, I would buy them.

Bill also uses a Viennese mouthpiece on these things, handmade reeds and all
of that. I've read on this list that it's impossible to get good results
doing so - I suppose that it's about as impossible as it is in the
apochriphal story for the bumblebee to fly.

I wish I sounded like Bill McC.

kjf

Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online
http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

---------------------------------------------------------------------