Klarinet Archive - Posting 000067.txt from 2003/05

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Use of barrels
Date: Sun, 4 May 2003 16:50:05 -0400

In a message dated 5/4/2003 11:22:41 AM Eastern Standard Time, Matthew@-----.uk writes:

> My pair of RC's are supplied with two barrels. Each has the length and the pitch of the clarinet on it. I had always understood, following Jack Brymer, that it was good practice to use the same barrel for the pair so that more of the instrument was warm when changing and that there was less likelihood of pulling of the ligature and reed. But the markings imply that the barrels are different. forgetting the length question for the moment. >>

Matthew -

I've been making barrels for three years now. For about a year and a half, I used my favorite barrel on both A and Bb. I originally made the barrel for my A, to help conquer what I thought was unacceptable sharpness on B and C above the staff. This barrel tunes very well on the A and produces a lovely warm, dark (sorry Dan) sound. I was happy when I found the barrel worked well on the Bb.

However, as I played this barrel on the Bb, and especially in a session with Russ Dagon, I found I was not producing the sound I wanted on the Bb.

So I went back to the drawing board and made a barrel especially for the Bb, with which I am very happy. The difference? They are both reverse taper, similar to a Chadash barrel. The A starts the taper at a slightly smaller diameter, and continues smaller all the way down. At the bottom of the A barrel, I reversed the taper infinitesimally which is what controls the high B and C, while keeping the throat tones stable. The Bb barrel is 65 mm, the A is 64.5 mm.

So, as much as I found it convenient to only use one barrel, I found I was actually cheating my total potential.

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
mouthpieces, barrels, repairs

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