Klarinet Archive - Posting 000531.txt from 2003/08

From: "CLARK FOBES " <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Transition from throat tones to B or C
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 12:44:40 -0400

I agree with Avrahm that one must have sufficient support or air speed to
cross the register break smoothly. However, considering the fact that
clarion B natural is emitted from the bell and all of the other tones are
produced from tone holes it is almost impossible to eliminate the disparity
in timber from the throat tones to long B.

As a repair technician for 23 years (now retired!!!) I worked on several
full Boehm clarinets and was always pleased with how much easier the
transition was from any note to B natural. This is due to the fact that
full Boehm clarinets have as their last tone Eb. This allows B natural to
be produced by an acoustically correct tone hole rather than through the
bell where the impedance on the sound wave is the greatest. This difference
is also apparent on Low C bass clarinets where the tone hole for B natural
is even further from the bell.

This correctly positioned tone hole for B natural was the premise I was
working from when I came up with the design for my Eb clarinet extension.
The piece inserts between the bell and the end of the clarinet. It does NOT
produce a low Eb. It does produce a beautiful B natural and as a bonus
produces a much more fluent feel through out the range of the Eb clarinet.

I am experimenting with the same concept for soprano clarinet.

CLARK FOBES
reedman@-----.com
Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.