 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wjk
Date: 2006-06-13 03:41
I have a whole bunch of Bb barrels in different lengths---can I use these on my A clarinet? (I assume 65mm is the usual length of an A clarinet barrel.)
Is the taper of an A clarinet barrel different than that of a Bb? Will a Bb barrel on an A clarinet have an adverse effect on tone, etc.?
Thanks!
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Author: joannew
Date: 2006-06-13 06:45
I played on a borrowed A clarinet for a few years, and found it to be quite resistant compared to my Bb. One day to make a quick change easier I decided to switch mouthpiece and barrel together, so I didn't have to readjust the reed & lig if they slipped. Surprise - the A then felt much more like my Bb! Less resistant, and the intonation didn't seem different, so the A barrel stayed in the case from then on.
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Author: pmgoff78
Date: 2006-06-13 13:38
The barrel that came with my very old Selmer A (~1928) is a 68mm barrel....way too long, especially for me. I used the barrel from my Bb at the behest of a sectionmate in youth orchestra.
We played the Saint-Saens 'Cello Concerto' with one of the concerto competition winners. The first rehearsal he said "Wow, are you playing really flat or am I really sharp?" He looked at my barrel and we called over our coach (who is also the Principal in the big boy Orchestra) and she said "This barrel is soooo long!" My sectionamte suggested using my Bb barrel and it worked out great!
I've since bought an aftermarket A barrel (only 66mm this time) and it plays even better! But, if you don't have that kind of option your Bb barrel should do you well in some cases.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-06-13 14:39
I use the same barrel on both A and Bb clarinets as I find it much easier and quicker to change the barrel and mouthpiece rather than just the mouthpiece - I usually play on a 67mm one, or a 68mm one at this time of year when it's too hot, plus the fact the 68mm one doesn't have to be pulled out as much (or at all) when it's hot.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2006-06-13 16:52
Try it, and if your clarinet doesn't explode or suddenly play up in the tessitura of an Eb clarinet, you're probably OK............
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2006-06-13 22:13
It works for some. For others it does not.
The bore of the A is usually different than the Bb (Buffet most notably)
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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