Klarinet Archive - Posting 000245.txt from 2005/06

From: X-MailScanner-tom.henson@-----.com
Subj: RE: [kl] Ricardo Morales' Clarinet
Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2005 13:52:33 -0400

Fred,

I don't own the Selmer Recital model clarinet that Ricardo plays on, so
I may not be 100% correct.

It is my understanding that this additional mechanism is a low E/F vent
key that allows these two low notes that are traditionally flat on most
clarinets to play at a higher pitch when this mechanism is opened up. I
am not familiar with how the Selmer mechanism works, but I have a
similar system on my Wurlitzer Reform-Boehm clarinet.=20

The Buffet Tosca clarinet also has something to raise the pitch on the
low E/F, but this mechanism is not an automatic one and is rather clumsy
in my opinion. Morrie Backun told me that he thought the Selmer
mechanism worked better, but then the Buffet only has a single
additional tone hole at the bottom of the lower joint, whereas the
Selmer actually has a tone hole key combination on the bell itself.

On the Wurlitzer, this additional key is also on the bell and is opened
up by your right hand thumb using a key that sits next to the thumb
rest. There is another smaller tone hole at the bottom of the lower
joint that is tied into this system and is automatically opened when you
play the low E. When playing the low F, the second key stays shut as it
would raise the pitch too much.

In practice, the Wurlitzer system works perfectly, but I can only see
using whenever you have to play a long and exposed low E or F. You would
not want to use it for anything short or fast. Most likely, the most
benefit would be gained by using this mechanism on an A clarinet more
than a Bb.

I hope this helps to answer your question.

Tom Henson

>> Can anyone tell me what the extra mechanism at the bottom of his
>>clarinet is for. The horn looks like a standard Bb except for this=20
>>and perhaps some more left pinky keys.
>>Fred

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