Klarinet Archive - Posting 000024.txt from 2007/08

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Acoustical Properties of Materials (was: Clarinet
Date: Sat, 04 Aug 2007 00:52:47 -0400

At 09:37 PM 8/2/2007, Kevin Fay wrote:
>Bill Hausmann posted about his blind taste test:
>
><<<The results of the mouthpiece test was essentially the same. The
>recorder was approximately 5 feet from the player. Two metal Otto
>Links, a Brilhart Tonalin, a hard rubber Link, an Acrylic Sugal
>(extensively refaced) and a Wolfe Tayne metal were used, using the
>same reed on nearly all (if it worked) and the same ligature when
>possible were sampled playing the same lick. Almost no difference
>could be detected between the various samples.>>>
>
>Um, Bill - I'd agree with you, but these mouthpieces are really rather
>similar to each other. The Links have pretty much the same interior design,
>the Wolf Tayne is based on Wolf Tannebaum's Link, and the Sugal also has a
>similar chamber.

The Sugal I have is quite a bit different in chamber from the Links
(relatively small and round) , and, of course, the Brilhart is also
different. The metal LInks were both New York chamber, but of
different facing sizes, with one extensively reworked by yours
truly. And however close the Wolf Tayne may be in design, it was
probably the most different sounding of all of them. I picked it up
cheap, it needed serious facing work and still needs a touchup or
two, but it will never be my mouthpiece of choice.

>I don't know that the 10M and the Committee are all that different, either -
>both are American big-bore horns with the thick brass that makers used to
>use. (The fact that you have both is also making me drool a bit).

Yes, but one has drawn and rolled tone holes, the other soldered-on
tone holes, among other differences. They are currently engaged in a
knock-down, drag-out fight for the job of my regular gigging horn
(most recently held by the Conn, but...) On the other hand, if you
have a Reference 36 to trade for them, we might talk. :-)

>This would be even more interesting on clarinet, though - there is
>comparatively little variation in clarinet mouthpieces, and even less in the
>clarinets themselves. Dan Leeson ran a blind test over the internet a while
>back to see if folks could figure out who played "French" and who played
>"German" - his point being that it's pretty meaningless.

I agree there is less variation in clarinet design. Last night,
using only my ears and not the recorder, I could not detect a
significant difference between my old wood Rene Dumont (my first
clarinet, just refurbished) and a Pan-American propeller-wood
job. The Dumont measures a tiny .563 bore and I believe the
Pan-American is around .590. Both were producing remarkably accurate
intonation, too! (Selmer C85 115 and a Legere, my jazz setup, for
anyone interested in such details.)

>(OTOH, there is certainly a tonal difference between Johnny Dodd and Daniel
>Bonade. Don't think it's the mouthpiece, though.)

Yep. The player and his approach are nearly everything.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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