 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2003-01-14 05:18
I have had my new Festival for about two months, now. My first impression of it is great; it feels alive in my hands, and rings nicely. (Don't ask me to define these things scientifically! LOL) I have some concerns with intonation: the clarion is sharp and I need to pull out 2mm at the middle. Yet the D, E, and F in the upper Chalumeau are flat, as much as 10 cents. Throat is normal, ie somewhat sharp. So, I'm working at intonation. I haven't yet taken it back to the shop to get any tweaking. I trust them to help me with the horn, but I hope some of you can comment, too.
Here is my real question. Is the Festival inherently more flexible that the R-13? I mean, are the notes more bendable? (This is not a question about whether one is better than the other!)
In studying my tuning issues it seems that the notes can be pulled sharp and flat more easily than I am used to. I selected the horn at Boosey and Hawkes from three R-13's and three Festivals. I think I remember Francois Klok telling me at the time that one of the differences between the models is that the Festival has more under cutting and is thus more flexible. I believe I've read most of the list and bulletin board archives, but this has not been discussed.
Do any of you have comments on this?
Thanks,
Wayne Thompson
PS To summarize what has been discussed here and in the literature, the Festival has the more dense, unstained 'Prestige Wood', it's register vent is about 2 or 3 mm higher and thus it's tuning stategy must be somewhat different, it's bore may be slightly different, though the literature says it 'belongs to the R-13 family', it's silver plated and has the left hand G#/Eb, and of course it is priced similarly to the silver R-13 in music shops. I mention all of this simply because I like knowing these kinds of specifics myself, and there are continual questions from folks just starting their shopping about the differences in models.)
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Author: Keil
Date: 2003-01-14 13:07
well, i dont' know just how "flexible" the Festival is in comparison to the R-13, however, i do know that a friend of mine who also plays on the Festival is having the same tuning issues as you but i think to a greater degree. He, myself, and our private teacher have sat down trying to play it and some notes just wouldn't play in tone under the most diress of embouchural changes. I don't know if that gives you any insight but just know you're not alone. Though, who's to say that the R-13 is better in tune that Festival? Ciao
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2003-01-14 15:38
If the D, E and F in the upper chalumeau are flat, and the corresponding upper clarion A, B and C are also flat, a shorter barrel will bring them up into tune. If the A, B and C are not flat, it will take some expert tuning work, enlarging the undercutting at the "north" or "south" end of the holes to raise the chalumeau without raising the clarion. Some of this can be done by tinkering with the bore of the barrel, too.
If all you you need is a shorter barrel, it's not too difficult to put epoxy in the throat Ab and A holes to bring those notes down to pitch. This will also lower the throat Bb.
Good luck. Let us know how it comes out.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2003-01-14 15:49
Thanks, both of you. I will be glad to hear others' comments, too. Keil, let's see if other people comment, but I'm sure I'll get back to you to compare our experiences more. Ken, thanks. In fact, this weekend I got out the 65 mm barrel that came with it (I have used the 66 mm barrel exclusively so far), and maybe noticed that it played better. I'll report more later.
Wayne Thompson
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Author: James Garcia
Date: 2003-01-14 16:23
The Festival.... It's all really bells whistles when it comes down to it.
From what I heard, the festival was pretty much made to fit european mouthpieces.. like the vandoren traditional series. I am not sure what you playing but from what I hvae heard most american mouthpieces don't work to well with festivals. not much of a help but good luck.
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Author: brenda siewert
Date: 2003-01-14 18:29
Wayne, I agree that the 65mm barrel will usually work better with most Festivals. I've owned two of them and found the 65mm to be a better fit. I used a Greg Smith mouthpiece and told him that I was playing on a Festival before he sent them out for me to try. The tone of a Festival is a bit "brighter" than the R-13, but flexibility is not really much different. They are usually excellent instruments and nice to play. If you continue to have problems, give the Brannens a call and see what Linda suggests. They did a great job with mine.
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2003-01-15 05:05
I use a 67mm barrel on my Festival Bb, and a 66mm on my Festival A. My teacher and I both play the same mouthpiece (Viotto) and he is convinced the mouthpieces make us both play sharp, because he is also playing on a 67mm barrel on his Bb. I've never had any of the problems that Wayne is having, and I don't completely agree that the Festivals play brighter than R13's.
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2003-01-15 09:05
I play Festival clarinets. In my orchestra we tune to A=442. I use a 66mm barrel on my Bb, and a 65mm barrel on my A clarinet. I play a Vandoren mouthpiece.
If your using a "low pitch" mouthpiece, and a 67mm barrel, then the chances are you could be flat (even at A=440). The left hand notes will be most affected by this. Try using a shorter barrel. Greg Smith's mouthpieces are tuned for A=440. Vandoren and Viotto (Boehm) are tuned for A=442.
By the way, at what pitch do orchestras tune to in Australia?
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2003-01-15 10:56
If my Viotto mouthpiece is tuned at A442, that would explain why my teacher and I have to use the 67mm barrels. I don't have any problem with flatness unless its a very cold day but it comes up to pitch after a minute of playing. Occasionally I have a problem with D D# E F F# in the middle register being a tad sharp, but it is easy to compromise for this.
We tune *supposedly* to A=440 in Australia.
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Author: Gregory Smith
Date: 2003-01-15 13:15
My mthpcs are indeed tuned to sound at 440 with a standard length barrel (66Bb/65A). To play at 442 one would need to play a 1mm shorter barrel (65Bb/64A). I carry both lengths in my case for orchestral work in the CSO (442) and chamber music, many times with piano tuned at 440.
The other option that is quite successful is to shorten the mthpc at the bore and shoulder by 1mm. My clients have told me that this has worked well without changing the essential playing qualities and characteristics of the mthpc. In fact many have said (possibly due to some properties of acoustical efficiency), that they sound more desireable than at the original length.
Gregory Smith
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Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2003-01-16 02:28
Thank you all,
I will use the 450 barrel for now, since it decreases the difference between the clarion and the upper chalumeau, and I will look at a new mouthpiece. I indeed use a Vandoren B45, and I've known all along that it was a 'nominal' mouthpiece to use while I worked to get back up to speed. (I'm a middle aged clarinet returnee.) For now, I won't ask my dealer to fix anything. They happen to be speaking to Francoise tomorrow at a show, and they'll quiz him more about the issues. And for that matter, I haven't talked about any of this with my teacher yet. My lessons are sporadic. So I won't do anything until I get with him again.
As for my question, in another thread Francoise was again quoted as saying the Festival is more flexible than the R-13. I'm not going to make a big deal of that now.
I not only want to play better, and in tune, but I enjoy discussing the equipment, so I'm pleased with the conversations in this and is some of the later threads that have started.
Wayne Thompson
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