 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: quilter_gal
Date: 2007-06-29 14:58
My 8th grade daughter is taking a clarinet camp this week (and absolutley loving every minute of it!) and told me this morning that the teacher said she should get a new larger barrel because she is always sharp. I asked if her private teacher had ever mentioned anything and she said, "no, but he doesn't tune me to other clarinets." She says she is always having to pull out to the cork to be in tune, and that the same was the case in band at school. And now that I think about it, she mentioned something similar "in passing" about a year ago.... She also mentioned that her barrel doesn't have a number on it to tell us what size it is.
So -
1) how do I determine what size her barrel is?
2) how do I determine what size she should get?
3) what kind of barrel should I look for?
4) how much should I expect to pay for a barrel?
Thanks. I appreciate the info I get here since I am the "non-musician" in the family, but still responsible for the musical needs of both kids (violin and clarinet, respectively). Talk about the blind leading the blind...
Janet
Janet
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2007-06-29 15:14
Can you call the teacher? That would be the easiest thing to do.
66mm is pretty standard, but if she's sharp you might want to get a 67mm. That's why it would help so much to actually talk to her teacher--even the private teacher would help you with this.
Post Edited (2007-06-29 17:57)
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Author: Lynn
Date: 2007-06-29 15:19
Janet,
Your daughter's tuning problem is a fairly common one. Some Buffet clarinets simply play sharper with the stock barrels. (probably 65 mm length) I can certainly recommend one of Phil Muncy's (Muncy Winds) barrels. He works his "magic" by making bore changes to stock Buffet barrels, and the results are quite good. Throat tones open up dramatically, scale evens out, and 12ths are much closer in tune.
Phil and Pam Muncy have a generous "trial" policy, allowing you to audition a group of barrels, decide on the best one, and return the rest. They're priced at $150. Call Phil or Pam at their store and discuss your daughter's problems. They will likely send you a selection of 66 or 67 mm barrels to try.
I hope this is of benefit to your daughter.
Best wishes,
Lynn McLarty
Austin, TX
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2007-06-29 19:16
If she is playing the original barrel that came with the clarinet, it is 66 mm long. You can get it measured to be sure. Older instruments didn't always stamp the length on the barrel. She can try the Buffet barrels by Moennig, Chadash, or Muncy, or a regular stock Buffet barrel. She should try both 66 and 67mm lengths, since the bore taper as well as the length affect the pitch. It's best to go to a store that has a bunch in stock and try lots. Check the tuning with a tuner. Also listen for good tone quality. It's best to have a teacher present, too. Good luck.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2007-06-29 20:18
> original barrel that came with the clarinet, it is 66 mm long.
nope, not always.
what year r13?
i have an origional 1974 R13 barrel, its 65mm.
measure it with a micrometer, then go from there. start with testing barrels 1 and 2 mm longer than the existing one for starters.
also - what kind of mouthpiece?
you can sometimes simply switch mouthpieces to reduce pitch.
one example would be switching from a Vandoren 5Rv to a 13 series Vandoren.
search wwbw.com to get an idea of pricing.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: msloss
Date: 2007-06-30 03:59
(edited -- yep, says R13 in the title -- getting old, tired and blind...)
Yes, it is true that some clarinets are inherently sharp relative to an American-standard A440 pitch reference. The Buffet E11 is one of those creatures.
But,
The automatic cure is not necessarily to go for a longer barrel. Playing sharp is as much a matter of technique as equipment. Many kids through bad technique play sharp. It could be biting, it could be a choked oral cavity. Going for the longer barrel could perpetuate and reinforce bad playing habits.
Before spending the money on barrels or mouthpieces it would be a good thing for your daughter to bring a tuner to her lesson, and work with her teacher on *playing* in tune. If the teacher is at all competent, he will be able to teach her how to adjust, and evaluate whether the corrections to get close are too extreme and create other problems. If that is the case, get a sense of how far out the pitch is and buy equipment accordingly. One of the blessed side effects of teaching a child how to play in tune is that the sound opens up considerably -- the tight, congested technique and sound gives way to a relaxed, deeper and more resonant timbre.
Post Edited (2007-06-30 13:17)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-06-30 05:59
Mark, I also thought she never said what clarinet it was, then realized it was in the title 
I'd ask the teacher (her regular private teacher) to check if there is some problem with her clarinet or mouthpiece, or if it's something in her playing. Some people without any problem with technique just play sharper/flatter than other people. It's best to work with the teacher to find out what the problem is instead of spending money for a new barrel without even knowing it will help.
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Author: msloss
Date: 2007-06-30 13:21
Yah. Fixed that. Creeping senility.
If it is indeed an R13 I would double down on my recommendation. Check the horn, but definitely check the playing before buying toys. I myself am always happy to sell barrels and mouthpieces, but I prefer to sell them to people for the right reasons. I have talked more than a few people out of it by showing them how to adjust breathing and embouchure.
Good luck with it.
Mark.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2007-06-30 14:51
Mark is right. It is always a good idea to go through the steps of checking the mouthpiece individually as well as the instrument to see what the tuning tendencies are. If it is not an equipment problem, time with the tuner is extremely important.
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Author: quilter_gal
Date: 2007-06-30 15:06
This has been a learning experience. I've always thought of a clarinet as a whole, not interchangeable components.
I've made an appointment to have my daughter "interview" various mouthpieces, and have the camp director (with long, impressive professional playing/teaching resume) participate. We'll look at her embouchure, her choice of reeds and the mouthpiece, then see if something still needs to be done with the barrel.
When I talked to the gentleman and made the appointment, he found it curious that my daughter would be sharp given that she has low muscle tone - he would have expected her to be flat. He also said sharp is better than flat because you can pull out to tune, but the clarinet only goes together so far. But when I told him that she reports pulling out to the cork and also pulling out "on the top a bit", he agreed that was too much, and the clarinet would no longer be in tune with itself and it should be looked at.
I believe she does have a Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece, by the way.
I greatly appreciate all the responses I've received. I always learn something - usually more than I expect - when I post here. You folks are great! Thanks for sharing with the musically challenged like me!
Janet
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