 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Dee
Date: 2000-05-31 11:25
Hiroshi wrote:
-------------------------------
...I am interested whether sometimes pointed out R-13 intonation problems have been solved.
-------------------------------
As Mark indicated, every change leads to some other compromise. Due to the nature of sound and its harmonics, it's not really possible to build an instrument that is perfectly in-tune. For example start with the chalumeau and calculate the frequencies of 3rd, 5th, and 7th harmonics. This basically gives the Pythagorean tuning scheme rather than the well-tempered tuning scheme (which is the basis of our modern music). Now if you compare the values, you will find that in the Pythagorean scheme compared to the well-tempered scheme that the 3rd harmonic (i.e. the clarion) is sharp, the 5th harmonic (altissimo to chromatic scale fingering for F#) is flat, the 7th harmonic (altissimo from long F up to A) is very flat and the 9th harmonic (altissmo Bb to C) is slightly sharp.
If the designers of the clarinet had not figured out clever ways to compromise to get close to the well-tempered scheme, the clarinet would basically follow the Pythagorean scheme. Even then the clarinet would not follow it perfectly as this would require a slightly different location of the register key for every note above the chalumeau. This is not too critical on the standard clarinet so we can get by with a single register key but it is the reason that the better quality altos and basses have a dual register key.
Every company selects a different balance of compromises in their design trying to get closer to an instrument whose intonation is manageable and playing characteristics are acceptable to the potential customers. Each company selects a different compromise. That is one of the reasons that different players like different instruments.
Many such compromises can be cited. Throat tones are a good example as they vary markedly among instruments. This is due to the compromise of using the register key as the Bb key. If you size and locate the hole to give the best throat Bb, the tuning between the registers is poor. If you size and locate it to give the best tuning between registers, the Bb is unacceptable in tone quality. Each manufacturer determines a compromise between these extremes. Players then learn to compensate for the particular characteristics of their own instrument.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-05-31 16:51
An excellent "dissertation" Dee, may I suggest something like the above title for future retrieval identification [the B&H didnt help me!!] Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dee
Date: 2000-05-31 19:27
Sorry Don, I was replying to something under that title and did something wrong when I posted.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
