 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2002-10-05 04:42
With all the recent interest in clarinet barrels, I thought this was an informative article.
JJM
MOENNIG CLARINET BARRELS
by David Hite
In spite of the fact that Moennig clarinet barrels have been in service for nearly fifty years, in many circles they may remain generally unknown or misunderstood. I share the following information in answer to many questions I've been asked about: historical background, playing characteristics, specifications and measurements.
History
Hans Moennig's shop in Philadelphia was the center for state of the art woodwind repair in the U.S from the late 1930's through the early 1980's. Mr. Moennig worked with virtually every major principal clarinetist in the U.S. Much of his work was quite innovative. Not only did he set the industry standard for repadding and key adjustments, he also took great interest in adjusting the acoustics of the instrument: he reshaped tone holes for better intonation and more even scale; he adjusted the bore if it was incorrect; and he fabricated clarinet barrels when needed from his supply of suitable wood. During the late '40s, Ralph McLane, then principal clarinetist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, was a frequent visitor to the shop. Known for his wonderful rich tone, Ralph always wanted his instrument to be better, and together he and Moennig experimented with a variety of bore measurements for barrels. McLane would spend hours in Moennig's shop testing, comparing, and listening critically. (I have heard that McLane's favorite testing passage was the Brahms Lullaby or a simple tune like Rock-a-bye Baby.) The outcome of this "trial and adjustment" experimentation was barrel specifications which Moennig reproduced. One by one, clarinetists who came into his shop adopted these barrels and used them exclusively. After quite a few years as the demand continued to grow, the Buffet company made a Moennig barrel available as an accessory item. Although these barrels were close to Moennig specifications, they were not ideal because of variations in production or changes due to wood instability. Critical players looking for barrels with true Moennig bores had to depend on knowledgeable repairmen with correctly tapered reamers to check and adjust their barrels on a custom basis. Presently, this is still the case.
Playing
characteristics To the trained ear, a correctly bored Moennig barrel produces a distinctly better, fuller, richer sound than the standard size barrel when played with most mouthpieces generally in use now and in earlier days. For well trained and experienced clarinetists, the preference has been nearly universal. Many times when a clarinet gets too free or lackluster, it is possible to greatly improve it by replacing just the barrel. Indeed, the industrious artist, will usually try every barrel in sight to see if it might give some slight bit more satisfaction than the one he is playing.
Why it works
The reason the Moennig taper bore works so well is that it creates a "choke" in the bore: the lower end of the barrel bore is actually smaller than the bore at the upper end of the upper joint of the clarinet. When the reed vibrates, a standing wave column is created which reflects up and down within the bore of the clarinet. When it reaches the point of a barrel choke, this standing wave column is reflected with much greater intensity back upon itself. A choke should also be present at the upper end of the bell. Traditionally, the neck of the bell is slightly smaller than the flare of the bore at the bottom of the lower joint. When the choke is correct -- not too much, or even worse, not at all -- the sound is enormously enhanced. Certainly, the bell as well as the barrel can easily make or break the special quality of a favorite clarinet.
Specifications
The measurements of the Moennig barrel bore should be: .589" at the top, tapering down to .580" at the bottom for the Bb clarinet. The A clarinet was found to improve greatly in tone, response and tuning balance when it was bored .004" smaller than the Bb. Ideally, therefore, it is necessary to use a different barrel for each clarinet. (Yes, this may be an inconvenience for those players who are in the habit of using the same barrel for both the Bb and the A in order to facilitate a quick change between clarinets. However, the improvement, especially in the A clarinet, is dramatic enough to justify the extra effort!) If you are unsure as to whether your barrels meet this specification (and if it means enough to you to really know) you can purchase a 3/4 inch telescope gauge and a slide rule micrometer (inside - outside) at a hardware store. Use these to tell you exactly what your dimensions are. (The standard Buffet barrel differs quite a bit from the Moennig by measuring much larger at the bottom. It usually matches the size of the bore at the top of the upper joint.)
Break in & maintenance
A standard problem inherent in barrels is that, due to the proximity of the barrel to the mouthpiece, it heats up much more than the lower parts of the instrument. In addition, greater amounts of moisture collect in the bore. These two factors, moisture and heat, will influence the bore considerably when the barrel is new. Usually, the grain of the barrel will swell up making the bore contract in size. When it becomes too small, the clarinet gets stuffy, and harder to play. Certainly, the tone becomes tighter also. It is necessary to check the bore frequently during the first year to determine its stability. If the grain swells up, the barrel can be re-reamed to proper specifications. (The trick here is to find a repairman or friend who has a properly adjusted reamer to make these corrections.) After being played for a year or so, the barrel wil usually become stable and hold its dimensions securely.
Composition
To offset the bore instability problems, manufacturers have made barrels of hard rubber, plastic or aluminum. Some have gone to the trouble of putting a rubber or plastic liner inside a wooden barrel. These solutions have proven useful in certain seasons. But for many discerning players, the sound produced by a solid wood barrel remains preferable. In selecting barrels with the best sound, players have found that the softer the wood, the better: hard, shiny finished wood will not produce nearly as good a sound as softer, grainier wood with more open pores. (And, of course, the softer, better sounding wood is more likely to crack during the cold winter months!)
Length
Traditionally, with most well designed mouthpieces, a 67mm barrel for the Bb clarinet and a 66mm barrel for the A clarinet are appropriate for A-440 tuning. In the opinion of most artist players, a longer barrel gives more depth and richness to the sound. Therefore the longest barrel which also comfortably meets their tuning requirements is preferred. New instruments which have not yet been played in are generally slightly lower in pitch because of their resistance. As they are played and become freer, the pitch will rise slightly. Consequently, a 66mm length barrel is customary in the beginning of the instrument's cycle. The A clarinet usually will need a 65mm barrel in the beginning. (If playing only the A clarinet, a 67mm barrel may be best.)
Comment
In closing, I would like to make this point: Having lived with these standards for most of my playing career, having evaluated hundreds of barrels including many reamed by Mr. Moennig, and having at my disposal a "profession approved" barrel bore reamer to make corrections, I have become rather strongly committed to these Moennig standards. As mouthpiece and instrument designs are continuing to be modified to achieve different tonal qualities, new inherent problems surface, especially in tuning. This is particularly apparent in mouthpieces which are supposedly attractive because of their darker sound voicing. Unfortunately, there may be a temptation to turn away from the virtues of the Moennig type barrel and the principles which make it work merely to find something that will correct tuning deficiencies. Perhaps we should be on guard against the gradual erosions of sound standards!
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-10-05 07:32
Thank you, Mr. Moses for a most enlightening discussion of the Moennig barrels. About 10 years ago, I bought a "new" R13 made in 1971 that had never been sold. For the first few years, it was quite low in pitch, but for the last 6 years, it has been possible to play it with a 67mm Moennig barrel which gives good results. The second register upper left hand notes are also better in tune with the Moennig barrel. Good wishes.
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Author: Karel
Date: 2002-10-05 08:38
Sorry for this rather ignorant question, but how does the Moennig barrel differ in dimensions and particularly in function, from the Chadash barrel? Why do some prefer one and some the other?
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Author: nzdonald
Date: 2002-10-05 22:27
both Moennig and Chadash barrels are "tapered" (smaller at one end than the other to make a "reversed cone").... this will differ in degree (my Moennig barrel starts larger and ends smaller than the dimensions Mr Hite describes, for example) but also in "shape"
the design could be a straight cone, it could be two shorter cones with a central section that was cylindrical, it could be any combination of cylindrical section/conical section, or it could actually have a "curved taper" etc etc etc
for the uninitiated these things are actually quite hard to measure- i understand that the Chadash barrel has a cylindrical portion in the bore, but really have no details... it's quite likely that you'd find it very hard to get specific details on the web for any number of reasons.
donald
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Author: d dow
Date: 2002-10-05 22:50
Freinds:
Excellent post above by Jaohn Moses!!
Most of the cats who make this stuff usually don't like to give out heavy deatails on what they are up to.
However, that being said some people can go out and measure their work and still not replicate it.
I would also think that the hand made barrell is by all means the best way to go if your looking at improving intonation.
As a professional it is a must, with students advatageous
and with amateurs sure fire way to improve.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-10-06 14:17
TKS, John, I have made copies for my Buffet friends. Is it most suitable for the 60-80 Buffs, [after Carree]? Out of curiousity, I tried a Mg barrel on my LeBlanc L7, couldn't detect any diff. On it, I have gone to my 66mm barrel with a slightly shorter mp in place of my 64mm slightly pulled. Don
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-10-06 14:33
Thanks for the great article. I've saved it for leisurely enjoyment.
I've learned more on this BB in the last year than the past 20 years..about clarinets,that is. I never used to believe that mps and bbls made that much difference but now I know. I have two older R-13s that play flat with their 66.3mm bbls but show significant improvement using a 64 from an E-11. Now maybe I have to look at changing mps too!!
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Author: William
Date: 2002-10-06 16:43
Thanks also, John. I just happened to have a Moennig barrel (66.5mm on loan from a friend) and put it on my good--but not great--1960's Buffet A and what a change. I also switched bells with my Buffet Bb (shorter length than the A) and further improved some minor intonational issues. But more remarkably, the over-all tone quality of my A clarinet seemed influenced by the bell switch and the Moennig barrel. Now I have this big problem--do I go with the great sound of my Buffet A (but still hard to control in the upper register) or with the impeccable intonation and eveness of my LeBlanc Concerto (which will never have the "Buffet ring" in its sound.)
Most orchestral clarinetists will say that intonation is most important. However, I have also been told by othe NYC "pros" that, while they like the way the Concertos/Opuses play, they are forced to play the Buffet in order to "fit in" with the other musicians in the city that they must play with. What is your experiance relevant to this situation???
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2002-10-06 17:38
"the over-all tone quality of my A
clarinet seemed influenced by the bell switch and the Moennig barrel. I
now have this big problem--do I go with the great sound of my Buffet A
(but still hard to control in the upper register) or with the impeccable
intonation and evenness of my LeBlanc Concerto (which will never have the
"Buffet ring" in its sound.)"
"However, I have also been told by other NYC "pros" that,
while they like the way the Concertos/Opuses play, they are forced to
play the Buffet in order to "fit in" with the other musicians in the
city that they must play with. What is your experience relevant to this
situation???"
Bill sent me an email, here's my reply:
Hi Bill:
Thanks for the heads up on you new posting.
First of all, a bell switch is perhaps the biggest factor in changing the overall sound of a clarinet. That's a whole lengthy BB discussion in itself. The barrel is a big factor also, and a good Moennig bore barrel will help an A clarinet if it tends to be a bit tight on your Bb clarinet, so you're in the right ballpark with your experiment.
As for the Buffet/any other clarinet issue here in NYC, that's rubbish!
We listen to the player, and don't examine the brand of clarinet in deciding how well one plays on the job. This is a very tough town, and I've been quite successful for almost 40 years here. Many fine players have passed through NYC, with varying degrees of success. Never has their success, or failure, been based solely on the brand of clarinet they use. It's an easy cop-out to claim you didn't make it here because you played the "wrong" horn.
Enough said, keep up the experiments, you're on the right track.
Best,
JJM
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Author: William
Date: 2002-10-06 18:44
JM--
The bell switch was done years ago--actually, by mistake. But the tone quality was markedly enhanced with the addition of the Moennig. My Springer barrel (6-7-67) produces a more focused sound, but with less favorable effect on bringing down the high register. With the Moennig, my Buffet A's tuning is more controlable--the sound is good, but just requires more "effort." Can't wait for next weeks orchestra rehearsal to really put it "to the test."
And, if I can only get my friend to sell me the barrel.....(where is Don Correlione when I need him??)
Thanks, William
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2002-10-07 02:59
Was Mr Hite's artical copied from the Hite Site. I think that it is better form to point to Mr Hite's site rather than borrowing his worlds. After all, he would like you to look at his mouthpieces and other items.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2002-10-07 03:30
Please forgive:
I never intended any credit to myself for David's enlightening words on the Moennig barrels.
David and I are old friends, and I use his mouthpieces. In fact, his HITE "JJM" was made for me.
We had discussed Moennig many times when we were together, and some of David's wonderful article contains facts from many of us who knew Moennig.
I encourage all of you, thanks to Jim, to visit the HITE site and read many other interesting articles there. Perhaps even purchase something useful.
David, as always, gets full credit.
JJM
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Author: donald nicholls
Date: 2002-10-07 04:47
kia ora
i read that article some time ago, and pretty much agree with it except for one small detail- i would rather he used the word "compression" than "choke" to describe the effect of the reverse conical bore. "choke" has slightly negative connotations that encourage those who find the Moennig style bore "stuffy" (yes, there are such people). i know this seems like a small thing, but there are people out there looking for any excuse to "diss" something they have no knowledge of, or is "new" to them.... for these people it really doesn't matter that something might improve tone/intonation, it only matters that it feels different from what they are used to, and/or that YOU have it and they don't. "Choke" puts ideas into their heads, frankly.
Sadly some of us are sadly living in parts of the world where we feel a need to "justify" using equipment that has been standard in other parts of the world for years. Reccently, for example, someone in the music business sniffed at my Jimmy Yan barrel and asked me "so, does it make you go faster?". (BTW a very good barrel, but i've since changed back to my old Moennig)(i don't wish to suggest that JY barrels are standard, but that the idea of using/trying different barrels is).
have fun
donald
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