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Mouthpiece Shortening Experiment

Author: stevesklar
Date: 2006-03-27 21:33

First off, this has been an unscientific experiment of sorts. I've recorded nothing on paper and it is only in memory. So you can all put away your slide rulers.

Secondly, a short background. Started playing sax in 1974, clarinet in 1978. So I have a few years into playing. I haven't ever had a real problem with intonation. I own a Normandy 4 (wood) clarinet which I bought in 1978 and a Noblet 45 1965 model. Both no real intonation problems though college. Used to be a sax performance major in college but switched out of music. In essense you could say I am a doubler and thru college I was a devote symphony type clarinet player. Never had an intonation issue.

Just recently, due to my less time on the clarinet, I decided to go to softer reed - from 3-1/2 & 4s to 2-1/2s. I haven't not played duets, etc w/clarinet for several years but primarily have been playing on my own.

Now to the interesting problem.

I was overhauling a Customers Leblanc LL clarinet. After finishing the overhaul for the most part I started checking it against the tuner. The customer said the clarinet was 20cents flat across the board for the most part. Which it was before and after the overhaul too w/my trusty Woodwind NY K9 mpc and M Laurie 2-1/2 reed.

Now the customer mentioned some research that someone shortened a mpc 1mm to bring up the pitch, rather than getting a shorter barrel.

makes sense ?!?!

Having enough clarinet mpcs around I choose a Selmer C85-115 for this task. I also have a C85-110 for side by side comparisons for after the test. So I shortened the shank (part w/the cork) and I raised the mpc body stop - part that hits the top of the barrel, both by 1mm. So, in essence, the mpc is 1mm shorter in internal volume.

in essence making a smaller volume mpc and hoping to bring the instrument up to pitch w/o using a different barrel.

Much to my amazement at this weird experiment several notes were in tune:
C below the staff, G & C in the staff, and G above the staff, I think also high C. Everything else was, well, whacko - sharp and flat though mostly still flat.

Now the caveat. This is testing with a 2-1/2 reed. I also tried pinching galore to bring it up to pitch to no avail throughout the non-modified and the modified mpcs. I also tried about 4 other mpcs.

Then, I pulled out a 3-1/2 reed. slapped it on one of the non-mod mpcs and, much to my amazement, the clarinet was very much in tune across the board. And Yes, this is all after a 10 minute warmup (mostly blowing hot air thru it as i kept the keys closed and some playing).

Went back to the 2-1/2 - flat. tried a couple quick variations of mpcs with the reed combo and the 2-1/2 was always flat. the 3-1/2 intune. Also noticed the same problem with my clarinets.

No real conclusion other than to keep playing 3-1/2s or harder from now on. Of course my embouchure changed with reed strengths and so did my air support (to support more resistance).

Any scientific guesstimates at this ?

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