 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2008-12-26 20:17
I`m looking for a short clarinet barrel. Does anyone know if they make them shorter than 62mm? All the stores I`ve looked at have barrels only 62 to 65mm.
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Author: William
Date: 2008-12-26 20:22
Any repairperson can modify the length of any barrel by cutting a bit off the top. I've had it done many times witn no ill effects, other than raising the general pitch of my instrument. Buy a 62 and let your technican get out the band saw.
Post Edited (2008-12-26 20:24)
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2008-12-26 20:27
Yes William but don`t we need someone with a lathe to take a bit off the inner section of the barrel? Either that or cut some off the cork male bit of the mouthpiece as well?
Post Edited (2008-12-26 20:31)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-12-26 20:29
Any custom barrel maker (ex: Alan Segal, etc...) should be able to make anything you need...GBK
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2008-12-26 20:40
Thanks GBK. I actually found some places sellling shorter barrels. Forbes have 61 mm ones but these are $175 which is $225 by the time I ger it. I`m looking for a plastic cheapie that I can play around with.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2008-12-26 20:46
Even 64 mm. throws the intonation way off. 61 mm. would be unbearably out.
Ken Shaw
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-12-26 20:48
Ken Shaw wrote:
> Even 64 mm throws the intonation way off.
Ever had to play at A=442 or even higher? Besides, the length of the barrel varies with the brand of the clarinet you're playing.
--
Ben
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Author: Neal Raskin
Date: 2008-12-26 23:11
check with yamaha. their Custom model is made with an extremely short barrel and longer upper joint. i'm not sure how to go about getting one of these barrels though... anyone else?
www.youtube.com/nmraskin
www.musicedforall.com
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2008-12-27 03:03
There used to be an adjustable barrel that was 59 at its shortest. I believe it began with a B...something like Bradley?? I wanted to try one (due to the accordionist's instrument which is at 444) but it would not fit on the UJ of my 1969 R13. I went with a Click barrel instead, but I canNOT remember how long it is at its shortest...probably 61-62, IIRC.
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2008-12-27 03:47
Ken that is not what I`m finding. I`ve been plagued with flat C, As and Bs just above the top stave line. The Bs have been a semitone down. Embouchure, makes very little difference. The 62mm barrel has helped sharpen the notes by about a third of what they were. If I could machine the barrel down about another 2mm I`ld be there I think.
The 66 down to the 62mm has not had much effect on all lower notes.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2008-12-27 10:18
An accordion player I work with is at A=443.5. Beats me why anybody would make an instrument like this, but he has played on it for the last 35 years. A while ago we played an out-of-town gig using a borrowed accordion, and it was *wonderful* to use the standard barrel.
Just cutting down an existing barrel to get your pitch up will cause lots of issues. I have a cut-down barrel on my A instrument and can testify to this. A play-test of Backun barrel last year greatly showed a number of improved relative pitch issues, but not a complete cure. Your wince at the price is typical - one of these barrels would consume all of the income I made with this accordionist in 2008.
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Author: William
Date: 2008-12-27 16:13
My reference to the band saw was completely "tongue in cheek" assuming you would understand that a repairtechnician would know to adjust the socket of the barrel as well as its length. It is not an easy task but it is doable and if done at the mpc end of the barrel, should not throw off the acoustics of the clarinet so much that you can not adjust the intonation with your embouchure.
Your statement=="Embouchure, makes very little difference"--suggests to me that you expect the clarinet to play in tune by itself. That will never happen as no clarinet can be built to play perfectly without the help of your ear and embouchure. Perhaps the major problem is your weak inexperianced weak embouchure and not so much the length of your barrel.
With most popular contemporary clarinets, you should not need a shorter barrel than 65mm to play relatively in tune at a general pitch level of A=440.
You need to use a firm, but yet flexable, embouchure to play the clarinet "in tune". I would recommend some private lessons to check your oral set up and then some practice using a tuning device to get to know your clarinets "problem" notes. All clarinets have them--and the pros know best how to control them.
However, if you have to play with an exceptionally sharp accordian, then you may need that ultra short barrel--and you have my sympathy. LOL
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-12-27 20:07
"check with yamaha. their Custom model is made with an extremely short barrel and longer upper joint. i'm not sure how to go about getting one of these barrels though... anyone else?"
WWBW sells the Yamaha barrels as regular stock.
http://wwbw.com/Search.list?N=61&Ntt=Yamaha+tuning+barrel
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: Kalakos
Date: 2008-12-27 21:07
Bass Poullath is an advertiser here. He makes barrels in various sizes, and I have several of them. Here's his url from this forum:
http://www.poullath.com/
John
Kalakos
Kalakos Music
http://www.TAdelphia.com
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2008-12-27 22:29
Jeff, I looked up the Yamaha shorter barrels. might be a possibility. I`ll have to see if I can find some at Yamaha here in Aus. otherwise it is another $40 to send.
Have you noticed the sizes they have? 53.8mm, 54.8mm and 57.7mm. That is very, very short and I would think too short for my std. upper joint.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-12-28 18:15
You're right, Rusty. The CSG model uses a very short barrel, with a correspondingly longer upper (LH) joint. Sorry, I didn't look to see that you were in Australia. My mistake.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2008-12-31 17:00
well this prompted me to measure all the barrels I have. The longest is 67mm (B&H Imperial standard barrel). The shortest is a shade over 60mm. It has no markings other than the word "SHORT". I believe it came from a B&H clarinet - it was given to me by someone who worked for B&H. The barrel is wood and is at least 40 years old (probably more like 50 years). maybe you can find something like that in Oz, I get the impression there's a bunch of older english horns there....
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2008-12-31 19:43
Some thoughts come to mind (where else would they go?)
What brand/model of horn is this for--or are you just looking at the Yamaha barrels because they are shorter?
Are you currently using the barrel that is made for the instrument?
Many techs can shorten a barrel for you (lathe-both outside and in the socket- or a tenon socket cutter)
To what pitch are you tuning? On what notes?
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
Post Edited (2008-12-31 19:45)
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2008-12-31 20:37
Hullo Allan, I`ve posted this a few times and I`m afraid post readers must be getting tired of me. But to answer you:
I use a Resitone 3 clarinet and a Hite Prem. MPc. I`ve been playing about 11/2 yrs. and all goes fine till I get to upper clarion notes like G, A, B. just above top staff. These are really flat, even with my short barrel, (62mm), tbe B comes out a bit over G# insead of A. With std barrel I`m spot on G#
I`ve had leasons and with the best emouchure (but probably could not maintain) I make a diff. but only about a 1/3 off the G#.
I have 2 other clarinets and they give the same results. All of the MPs don`t make much diff. but I like the Hite. The 62 barrel I have does`nt over sharpen the rest of the range.
No I don`t particularly want a Yamaha barrel, I was just hunting for a shorter one than the 62 to see if it would make a further improvement.
Happy NY.
Post Edited (2009-01-01 04:59)
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2008-12-31 20:48
Before trying barrels, try someone else's horn, and also have them try yours. ( with a tuner....one with fresh batteries).
See what happens.
I am suspicious that we might be dealing with a tone hole or pad height adjustment problem moreso than a barrel issue.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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