 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-10-11 15:18
Morrie suggested using a solution of water with 5% of Vinegar (white) when you humidify the Clarinet (with whatever you use such as a humistat or sponge/film case).
Also use the same solution to store your reeds in the winter if you add moisture to your reed storage device.
That keeps the Clarinet Bore from drying out as well as the acidity is similar to the mouths acidity when playing. He is sure that the mixture will keep mold off of the reeds, and prevent the clarinet from cracking much better than water alone as he tested it with 400 Clarinetists last year and not a single crack with any of the players he tested it with.
Also, use Almond Oil (not sweet almond oil, just almond oil) for the bore. It is only good for about 6 months so throw out old oil.
Also was the suggestion to remove the Register Key and clean out the tube with a new thin mascera brush to keep it clean and free of debris. Also clean the tone holes regularly.
Make sure that your thumb tube is straight. Only a repairman should mess with the thumb tube, but if yours isn't straight, it should be corrected as that can make a big difference in how the Clarinet plays.
Other suggestions included (with an example on one of the students clarinets) changing the tone hole entrance to smooth it out which also allows the note changes to be much more cleaner without the garbage in between the notes.
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Author: joannew
Date: 2005-10-11 18:14
Humidifying reeds? I thought the idea was to store reeds dry (30% RH) using a dessicant. This will keep any mould away.
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Author: nickma
Date: 2005-10-11 19:58
Thumb tube, or key? The register tube that sticks out into the bore, right?
Nick
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-10-11 20:27
Reed storage for wet reeds you are using in rotation.
And there are 2 tubes which stick in to the Clarinet:
Thumb tube for the G and the register tube (sometimes called the "octave key" tube).
Only the register key can be removed by an amateur, not the thumb tube and you really shouldn't mess with the register tube either except to clean it unless you know what you are doing.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2005-10-11 21:05
Morrie said pretty much the same thing at Michigan State University on Saturday.
The other clinician at MSU was Eddie Daniels. Morrie took Eddie's spare, new, Leblanc and did the first steps in his process of modifications. He reamed the lower end of the bore, opened up some tone holes, and generally made enough sawdust to frighten a lot of the attendees. But there were definite, positive, audible results for each thing he did.
One of the people there had an 80-year-old Buffet that Morrie had worked over, and she let me play it. Its intonation was very good and the response was very even. I would love to try out that instrument in an orchestra.
The entire clarinet faculty at MSU, as well as gobs of their students, have embraced Backun's products. I take this with a grain of salt, though, having watched similar waves happen over the decades with mouthpiece and barrel makers. But I have to agree with his approach, which is more comprehensive than anyone else's has been, other than maybe Hans Moennig. Morrie's mantra is that a good player should not have to put up with bad notes when they are correctible, and I can't disagree with that.
The sound I heard from the people with his modifications was very good, very even, but not very loud. It is hard to make any judgements about the volume issue, because there was never any difficulty hearing them - the sound carried well even at lower volume levels. I would like to hear Backun's instruments playing in an orchestra or playing chamber music, which is to say, as other than a soloist.
I tried one of his 62.5mm barrels on my R-13A. The accordion I work with is at about A=443.5, and it got the pitch as far up as the (name not mentioned) 62mm barrel I have been using, except that the intonation was better. Specifically, the out-of-tune notes were much, much closer. Didn't buy it though - I think I am going to save that clarinet and play weddings with my spare.
Regards
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-10-11 21:08
"I tried one of his 62.5mm barrels on my R-13A."
holy smokes! I thought that that short length was only for the Selmer (signatures) Clarinets which have a different bore than the Buffets.
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2005-10-11 22:54
Interesting
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
Post Edited (2005-10-20 14:18)
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Author: CPW
Date: 2005-10-12 01:55
Maybe he put a time/mass-dilatation worm hole in the barrel bore.
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Author: The Doctor ★2017
Date: 2005-10-12 14:21
(Disclaimer - I sell a plant derived oil for woodwinds)
Morrie has certainly brought a much needed scientific as well as artfull approach to clarinet use and care, and custom modifications for better results.
Just a couple of observations however - adding acetic acid (vinegar) to the water used as humidification of the clarinet and reeds should not change the pH of the water vapor in the chamber. It will inhibit mold growth in the water itself which may inhibit the dispersion of mold spores in the container but the water vapor raising the RH is just normal water vapor with no increased acidity.
Morrie likes almond oil but the caution that it will turn rancid or undergo autoxidation after some period of time also holds true for the oil applied to the clarinet. I suspect that Morrie (just my own thoughts) does not like other mixtures of plant derived oils because they tend to turn some exotic woods much darker which takes away from the "wow" factor associated with the pretty colors of the natural wood - almond oil does not do this. The source and processing of the almond oil (sweet almond oil has no odor of almond, bitter almond oil has the characteristic almond odor) is important since highly processed oils loose some of the trace elements and natural antioxidants which help in wood preservation.
IMHO the proper oil to apply to woodwinds made of grenadilla wood is a mixture of plant derived oils similar to that used at the factory to impregnate wood manufactured into instruments and a plant derived oil mixture that has sufficient antioxidant potential to keep the oils from turning rancid over a long period of time.
L. Omar Henderson
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