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Re: Arioso versus Allora

Author: sherman
Date: 2006-07-31 11:16

Tom Ridenour asked me to share the following:

" I wonder if you'd be kind enough to share these few things to the readers of that list.
First, in regard to hard rubber versus Grenadilla.
As chance would have it I've been fortunate enough to have been able to put largely the same acoustical type designs in four professional grenadilla clarinets and four hard rubber clarinets. Thus, with virtually the same acoustical design in both grenadilla and hard rubber one is judging apples to apples in regard to the acoustics, and this provides a more objective condition by which the materials can be judge head to head.
In every case, when the hard rubber clarinet with the same acoustical design was tested against the grenadilla clarinet the hard rubber came out better, repeatedly. What's more, production of the hard rubber models came out much more consistent from clarinet to clarinet, they tuned better and more consistently, they responded with better resonance and tone, were more stable in dynamic changes and eliminated all the logistical variables endemic to wood clarinets. And it tested out without exception repeatedly in blind playing/listening tests.
I call that definitively superior. If it waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck and has feathers like a duck, IT'S GOTTA BE A DUCK!
My repeated experience with hard rubber vs Grenadilla has convinced me to the point that if any major maker came to me and asked me to design a wood clarinet for them I would tell them not to waste either their or my time; the future of the acoustical perfection of the clarinet is in hard rubber. If it is not ultimately in hard rubber one thing is double dog definite; its' perfection is NOT in Grenadilla wood. That is inferior stuff.
As far as I can see, knowing what I know about clarinets and clarinet production, this is empirical evidence of the highest sort. It's not going to get much better than that.
Prior to this there was no real possibility of judging the materials with such a high degree of objectivity because no hard rubber clarinets really share the same or similar style acoustics to any of the more popular wood clarinets.
Now they do, I KNOW they do, because I was the guy that did it."
Tom Ridenour

Post Edited (2006-07-31 12:40)

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Arioso versus Allora new

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2006-07-29 17:36