Klarinet Archive - Posting 000675.txt from 2004/07

From: "Mark Charette" <charette@-----.org>
Subj: RE: [kl] Character of sound based on medium
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2004 00:07:43 -0400


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gary Truesdail [mailto:gir@-----.net]

> I any of you think the material from which an instrument is made makes
> no difference in the instruments tone, then consider three things:
>
> 1. a pine or douglas fir reed compared to one made of cane
> 2. a plastic guitar compared to a wooden guitar
> 3. why violin makers not only use very specific woods for the tops,
> backs, necks, of a violin but when selecting these woods they look for
> specific grain density.

Those three things make their sound by vibrating a material that is then
coupled to the air.

A clarinet sound is made by a vibrating air column, a very different thing.
The clarinet body vibrates a negligible amount.

BTW - there are plastic guitars (Ovation has been around for a long time now
and is used by professionals around the world).

> 4. There is no reason why a plastic blank can't be machined to the same
> specs as the wood used for clarinets. Would you play a plastic one for a
> living? (Oops, shouldn't have said that, my Wurlitzer BsCl is plastic
> and plays great).

In answer to #4 of three - considering that the blank is not very expensive
compared to the cost of the finished instrument - why bother. Also, the
Buffet Greenline is not wood in any standard sense and is used by people
making their living at playing the clarinet.

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