Klarinet Archive - Posting 000849.txt from 2003/04

From: "Patricia A. Smith" <patricia@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Rebecca's project, and string down bore of Bb clarinet; was, history
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 00:43:05 -0400

Rebecca Brennan wrote:

> So I will use Bill's wonderful ideaand I am going to do a demonstration
> of the range of the different clarinets. I also came up with an idea
> where I am going to demonstrate how the length of the instrument effects
> the pitch by sticking poster paper in the bell to extend it and I am
> gathering mouthpieces to clean so people can try it out if they want.
> I'm still searching for ideas but this is coming well. Tomorrow we are
> going to go around asking what other people want to know about our
> presentation subjects.

Oh rats. I bet that I'm WAY too late for this, and that you've already
done your presentation.

Another kind of fun suggestion to do that would not take a great deal of
effort and is even less troublesome than putting a bell in water -

Play the fingering for a concert Bb in the lowest register. Then have
one of your fellow students remove the shoestrings from one of his/her
Nikes; drop it down the length of your clarinet, attaching it between
either the mouthpiece and the barrel or the barrel and the first joint.
Then, play the same fingering for that concert Bb again. It should
sound Concert A this time. Age old trick for playing A clarinet on Bb
when you either don't have an A clarinet or yours is in the shop. It
might make a fun demo.

If your demo is already done, I for one would like to know how it went.
I substitute teach for elementary music teachers all the time. I can
always use new ideas for introducing the various instruments of the
orchestra. Though I do try to stay away from "gimmicks", at the same
time I like to use things that get their attention, and at the same
time, teach a specific concept.

Also, can someone tell me why that "string down the length of the Bb
clarinet" changes the pitch making it lower? I know it makes the bore
narrower in some fashion. However, I'd think that would make the pitch
higher, not lower. Is it because the string is inserted between two of
the upper joints, extending the length? I don't think that much extra
length is created. I freely admit that items such as bore measurements
have, in the past, "bore-d" me (sorry - I couldn't resist that!) but at
the same time, I also realize the need on my part to learn these things.

Patricia Smith

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