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 The Barrel Question
Author: ctt489 
Date:   2003-04-03 20:34

I'm thinking about getting new barrels for both R13's (Bb & A).
These are the choices: (I'm also looking on the classified board)
Bay 66mm & Bay 65mm, Chadash 66m & 65mm, DEG-Accubore-Eddie Daniels(Moennig bore, power sound, 65mm & 66mm).

But my question is what will a 67mm do that a 66 or 65 wont?
Right now I'm using the standard barrels that came with my horns.
It is my understanding that 66mm is for Bb and 65mm is for A.
Will it change the tone and sound/projection or just tunning of the instruments?

Thanks for your advice.



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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: Ralph G 
Date:   2003-04-03 20:50

Longer barrel, flatter pitch.

Shorter barrel, sharper pitch.

66mm is standard for Bb and 65mm is standard for A, but as long as they fit on each horn, you can mix and match as your pitch requires.

Different bore tapers can supposedly work wonders for tuning, throat tone clarity, tone quality and projection. I've only used stock barrels myself but am interested in a Chadash barrel to see what it does.r

________________

Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.

- Pope John Paul II

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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: PJ 
Date:   2003-04-03 21:04

I currently use a Bay 66mm for my Bb (R-13). Not many people that I know like them, but I've gotten great results with it. I've found it offers a little more edge to my sound while keeping it dark and commanding with great projection. Articulation is much easier with the Bay barrel as well. I use a Moennig 65mm on my A and get the same results.

Having said that I will say this; it isn't necessarily the make of the barrel but what it acheives for you. As you can see from my set up a Bay gets me where I want to by as well as a Moennig, but on two different horns. Try them all and see which one you like best.

Good luck and don't drive yourself crazy with the choices!

PJ

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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: wjk 
Date:   2003-04-03 21:29

I had a good experience with a Pyne M+ barrel, also a Grabner cocobolo barrel is very nice (hes adjusting one currently fro me to fit my clarinet)

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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: Corey 
Date:   2003-04-03 21:44

I second the Grabner cocobolo barrel. I have one and I love it! It is my main barrel. You wont go wrong if you choose any of of his barrels.

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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: Hank Lehrer 
Date:   2003-04-03 21:48

Hi,

I use Scott barrels and one specific one solved a pesty upper clarion pitch (way too sharp) problem on my Leblanc Dynamic 2. Bob Scott said this would help and it did.

The question, which I have askde on this BB before though, is what changes, tapers, etc change what with a barrel. The barrel-makers are very quiet about their art, maybe for fear of duplication which is a reasonable thing to expect.

However, inquiring minds (mine for one) would like to know what kinds of tweeks do what. Without giving away company secrets "what does what and why" is still my question. Please don't refer me to Clarinet Acoustics. I just need a layman's definition and using my Dad's old line "because I said so" will not suffice.

HRL

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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: Ralph G 
Date:   2003-04-03 22:02

Hank,

Applying the Bernoulli principle, what would a barrel with a narrowing taper toward the bottom do to the airflow through the instrument?

My guess is it would speed up a bit, which could increase the fullness of the sound.

Still, I'm not quite sur e how that affects tuning, but it's said that it does.

Heck, put an airfoil in the bore and the whole horn might levitate, if you get the CG right.v

________________

Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.

- Pope John Paul II

Post Edited (2003-04-03 23:04)

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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: Hank Lehrer 
Date:   2003-04-04 01:21

Hi Ralph,

The venturi effect would also probably begin to change the pressure as well. What confounds me though is some barrels have a double taper or some other internal dimensional modification.

We need a rocket scientist. Where is David Spiegelthal when you need him?

HRL

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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: DAVE 
Date:   2003-04-04 03:48

For a great reading about accoustics including Bernoulli forces, read "Fundamentals of Musical Accoustics" by Daniel Benade.
I have suffered great woes in the past because of switching bells. Long ago, I put my A bell on my B flat to "help" the tuning. Well, I completely forgot that I had done that, and since my Leblanc Concertos were identical, I just never noticed. After much agony with the pitch on both instruments going on for maybe a year, I noticed the bells were different lengths. Well, whadyaknow!! I switched the bells and most of the problems were gone. Who knew bells made such a difference? BTW, the bells that Muncy makes are really neat to play on.
Most recently, after giving up on Leblanc and rejoining the Buffet Mafia, I have been dealing with barrel issues. I really liked the barrels that came with the horns when I got them. But, being on a constant search for something better, I have played a few Chadashes and Moenigs each for months at a time. The tone in general on the Chadash barrels is good but a little thinner than the Moenigs. Every barrel has its own inherent tuning pros and cons. The intersting thing for me is my A. The throat A on my A clarinet was a little flat when I bought it. Francois Kloc raised the pitch on it for me and all was better UNTIL I started using the "better" barrels. I have had the hardest time with that same note that Francois fixed since I changed barrels. So in essence, I exchanged good tuning for a "darker" tone. Well I went back to the original barrel and the tuning is just fine and in many ways the tone on the original barrels is just "sweeter" and more flexable.

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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: Heidi 
Date:   2003-04-04 15:33

Hello all,

The barrel opening on the barrel I got with my A clarinet is so huge I have to use a piece of construction paper for my mouthpiece to fit in it. I normally have a Scott barrel on my Bb, so this may be why my cork shrunk just a bit. Anyway, because of that, I tried just using my Scott on the A to get rid of that silly paper problem. Turns out, it doesn't work as well on my A for some reason. There comes squawks that just don't happen with the original barrel. This happened when I had just gotten my horn in Nov., so maybe I could try it now and see what would happen.

I also accidentally switched bells once and didn't notice for I don't know how long...;)

Why is it that Bb barrels are generally 66 mm long, while the A barrels are 65mm? It seems to me that the longer clarinet should get a longer barrel. I have to pull my barrel out a good mm just to get good tuning on my A anyway. Hmmmmm...

Have a good one!
Heidi

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 Re: The Barrel Question
Author: sfalexi 
Date:   2003-04-04 15:45

Heidi asked . . .
Quote:

Why is it that Bb barrels are generally 66 mm long, while the A barrels are 65mm? It seems to me that the longer clarinet should get a longer barrel. I have to pull my barrel out a good mm just to get good tuning on my A anyway. Hmmmmm...
I believe the bore sizes are different as are the way the barrels are made. I was checking out Walter Grabner's site, a sneezy sponsor to look at different barrels. I'm thinking about sending my clarinet to him over the summer to have him custom fit/tune a cocobolo barrel to it. He stated that he DOES ream the A and Bb barrels differently. So maybe that's why the length doesn't seem to match up.

However also look at a german clarinet. I compared one side to side with mine, and it was much shorter than mine. However my clarinet played much sharper than that one. It didn't make sense to the eye, but somehow it just worked out to be that way. I'm guessing bore size/barrel taper.

Alexi

US Army Japan Band

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