 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DTH
Date: 2004-09-17 04:02
If you had a custom made bell that was bigger and longer would it act like a bullhorn and make your playing louder? The reason is that for playing at football games you can't hear the clarinets.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-09-17 04:17
Clarinets playing during a football game? Why even bother??
However, if you must -
The Power Barrel™ (Pat. Pend.) sold by the Doc http://www.doctorsprod.com/accessories2.html DOES increase the sound of the clarinet by up to 15dB.
I've tried it, I own one (for outdoor big band gigs) and it works.
Disclaimer: I was one of the original testers of the prototype Forté™ clarinet and the Power Barrel™ (Pat. Pend.) ...GBK
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2004-09-17 14:05
Longer will mess up your intonation. DEG makes a power "bell" to go along with a power barrel. I've owned one and sold it because it made my instrument too heavy. But, they do work. You'll never drown out the brass and the cheering section.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-09-17 14:20
Just clicked onto the Doc"s page and noticed that his power barrel is not available for trial. Personally, I wouldn't buy any clarinet assessory based only on the recomendation of others and without first testing it for myself. From the description, it does seem to be a well researched design and that it should work--but I really need to "see for myself" on my own clarinet.
As the Doc claims the barrel's design works by amplifing the "even" harmonics--the ones most recognized by the human ear (???)--and my concern is how that affects the resulting tone of the clarinet. Brighter, louder and only suitable for Holloween--or simply bigger and retaining most of the desired tambre of my basic sound. Again, I would like to hear for myself but would also appreciate the inpute of other.
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2004-09-17 15:01
A bigger bell should have no effect on the sound except for, as Brenda points out, possibly making the lowest notes and middle-of-the staff B go out of tune. This is because most of the sound produced by a clarinet is through the tone holes on the side of the instrument.
I assume that you are actually talking about megaphones and not bullhorns because bullhorns amplify sound electronically, which of course you can do to a clarinet as well if you don't mind packing around an amplifier and speaker. Megaphones (the conical devices cheerleaders shout into) work by directing all of the sound energy in a particular direction, making the cheers louder in that direction but muffling them in other directions. So, even if all of the clarinet's sound did come out of the bell, you would need to keep the bell pointed in the direction of the portion of the audience you wanted to hear you.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-09-17 16:48
If using a megaphone, I'd actually place the entire body and bell of the clarinet inside the megaphone (not bullhorn, correct) leaving just the mouthpiece and barrel sticking out.
I was just kidding, but this might actually work.............
Now, there's the little detail of getting one's hands INSIDE the magaphone to press the clarinet keys........(armholes in the sides of the megaphone?)
I smell a research grant coming.............
Anybody want to fund me?
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2004-09-17 17:37
Dave, not until I find out what you've been smoking, lately!
Bob A
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Author: DTH
Date: 2004-09-17 18:36
Okay everyone, thanks for the advice but I actually did purchase a power barrel for this sole purpose and found that it plays in tune on my R13 as well as "outdoor" horn, an E & S E11. I just wanted to have some fun playing at a college football game ( a once a year alumni reunion of sorts ).
If anyone has any "creative" ideas to amplify a clarinet's output, I'm all ears!
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2004-09-17 21:47
microphone and amplifier--of course, you'll probably have to get a portable generator to operate it at a football game--unless someone knows of a battery operated amp.
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Author: Todd W.
Date: 2004-09-17 22:15
An electric clarinet, all right!
Just a couple of reminders in line with another recent thread:
Be sure to use a mouthpiece with enough resistance to keep you from getting zapped by the amps.
When you're cleaning the clarinet as you put it away, don't put your finger in the sockets.
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Author: DTH
Date: 2004-09-17 22:36
I think I'll try the megaphone approach - by the way, I'm also a woodturner with a lot of bell material to work with - I'll let you know how it turns out!
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2004-09-18 01:48
(Disclaimer - I invented and sell the Power Barrel)
Just a clarification - A clarinet with a Power Barrel still sounds like a clarinet -just brighter (since the odd harmonics are diminished with respect to the even harmonics), and louder. One reason for the brass sounding louder is the inherent physics of the even harmonic of the cone shaped tube. The apparent volume increase is 12-15 dB with the Power Barrel due to this same principal. It is intended for situations where projection and volume are desired and not the "dark", mellow, complex odd harmonic overtones. I do not offer a trial because the Power Barrel is what it is and performs that function.
The Doctor
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Author: William
Date: 2004-09-18 15:58
"I do not offer a trial because the Power Barrel is what it is and performs that function". The Doctor
Ok, then...I'll pass on this one. Thank you.
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