Klarinet Archive - Posting 000043.txt from 2010/08

From: Jennifer Jones <helen.jennifer@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Bass Part - Rachmaninov 2
Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:59:59 -0400

As an outsider (amateur clarinetist/bachelor's degree level botanist
and biochemist), who has read this list avidly in the past, I found
the article under scrutiny to be quite interesting and informative, at
first. I do have specific criticisms.

First, there are no references cited to turn to to check accuracy.
The article relies on a lot of specialized knowledge, as evidenced by
the post asking what undercutting of tone holes is. And what is a
bushing? Granted that anyone with a clarinet and a tuner can go test
the width of intervals, but you either have to own both a wide and
narrow bore clarinet or find a friend with one or both to complement
your situation. Someone with a lot of time, straws and motivation
might be able to create drinking straw oboes using different diameter
straws. Try to find some conical straws.

Second, the figure describing the effects of the speaker bush on the
tuning of the second register appears to be lacking a parameter. What
is presumably the caption, says that the figure describes the relation
between tuning of the second register on speaker key and bore size.
Nowhere in the figure itself, is bore size addressed, let alone is
diameter and location of diameter specified. The range in bore size
needs to be demarcated, and the location of the variation in bore size
needs to indicated. Which portion of the clarinet bore is being
varied, the upper or lower portion? What does Top, Middle and Bottom
mean? What on earth are they talking about when they mention speaker
key? This needs to be specified. Is this the size of the hole, is
this the size of the key or is this the distance of the speaker key
from the hole? What are presumably twelfths, do not indicate what
octave they

Thirdly, this piece reads like an example high scoring essay for a
standardized exam or an advertisement for the Buffet R13, Robert
Carree or A Benade. Reading it puts a pain in the stomach; making one
feel as if there is no other work besides theirs. What about all the
people A Banade worked with? What about people who worked
independently. If I had done some of that work this article would be
incendiary and painful to me. As a relative or friend of the person
who had done that other work, I may feel very sad and over-ridden. It
might even inspire one to shoot the author in the knees.

Fourthly, "Sadly no manufacturer...". feels like a parent chastising
a child indirectly that they hadn't done the work to improve clarinet
tuning or aren't working towards that. What are the circumstances
that make a lack in advance of clarinet design sad? Who the fuck
cries over tuning in a musical instrument? You don't cry about a
stupid musical instrument. You cry about death, or hunger or pain,
when it will help.

The last paragraph is completely wrong in my experience. I have not
experienced large discrepancies in tuning when exchanging barrels with
friends.

There are some minor typos near the end.

Overall, it is a condescending, pompous piece of advertising fit for
use as an emetic.

A second reading agrees with this assessment that it is concescending
and pompous, agrees with Kenneth Shaw that there are a lot of idiotic
errors and agrees with Tony Pay that they needed to be pointed out, in
the context of this tawdry saga.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Jones

On Tue, Aug 10, 2010 at 11:42 AM, Tony Pay <tony.p@-----.org> wrote:
> On 10 Aug 2010, at 19:25, K S wrote:
>
>> I also suggest that personal attacks are undignified, and I will
>> respond only to your comments on clarinet matters.
>
> Good. =A0My criticism of you is not really personal; it is criticism of y=
our behaviour. =A0You choose to relabel it as personal.
>
> Since you now will respond to me on clarinet matters, perhaps you will do=
us ALL the courtesy of replying properly to my:
>
> http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=3D1&i=3D314881&t=3D3=
14881
>
> ...which is a clarinet matter through and through.
>
> THAT is my only real beef with you -- that, and your subsequent prevarica=
tion on the matter. =A0Sort it out, and our disagreement is over.
>
> I have to say that I am astounded that no-one on the BBoard has supported=
me on this. =A0It makes me think less of these lists as responsible commun=
ities of enquiry.
>
> Tony
> --
>
> Tony Pay
> 79 Southmoor Rd
> Oxford OX2 6RE
> tel/fax +44 1865 553339
> mobile +44 7790 532980
> tony.p@-----.org
>
>
>
>
>
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