 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kontra
Date: 2010-08-16 03:37
Such as grenadilla, cocobolo, rosewood, etc.
What do you believe are the benefits of these? Do you think they're worth the price? How often do you use them? What kind of model clarinet do you attach them to? What type of music do you play with it? (Classical, Concert Band, Jazz)
Post Edited (2010-08-16 03:38)
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2010-08-16 06:30
My latest instrument came with special barrels and a bell. It's a Leblanc/Backun symphonie. It comes with grenadilla and cocobollo barrels and a coco bell. It sounds great, regardless of the music I play, and in spite of the fact it's ME playing on them! ![[rotate]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley25.gif)
Seriously, the clarinet tunes perfectly with the 66 mm grenadilla barrel, and I am going to send back the other one in hopes to get a similar result in cocobollo. That one is off, just a hair, in its treatment of twelfths.
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: SteveG_CT
Date: 2010-08-16 08:25
I'm not a big believer in the effect of exotic materials on tone quality. From a scientific standpoint the actual dimensions of a barrel or bell should be the major determining factor of it's acoustical characteristics with the material properties playing a very minor role.
Since the bore of the clarinet is subject to both a temperature and pressure difference relative to the outside atmosphere the dimensions of the instrument will change due to thermal expansion as well as elastic deformation due to the pressure. The amount by which the dimensions change is determined by the material properties so it can be said that the construction material does have an effect on the sound of the instrument. However, these changes are extremely minute and I am skeptical that you would be able to tell the difference between two barrels made from different materials but having the exact same starting dimensions.
My take on custom barrels and bells is that you are paying for a higher level of craftsmanship and dimensional accuracy as well as improved aesthetics from what you would typically see in a production piece.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-08-16 12:47
I play in the Baltimore symphony orchestra so I play classical and I use the Backun bells and barrels on all my clarinets. I find that the barrels helps tune my instruments well but most of all I like the way they help focus my tone and make the instruments more homogeneous through out the range. I find the bells help going over the break more even from the throat tones through the break notes and much to my surprise enriched the tone of my clarion B and C. I must say though that I tried out well over a dozen of each for each clarinet to find the "right" fit. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: sonicbang
Date: 2010-08-16 13:00
I have tried a few exotic wood barrels. As I feel not the material is the main question (it's simply good or bad), but the shape of it. For example a somewhat pear-shaped barrel worked better for me than a traditional Buffet barrel (I have a Buffet Prestige). It seems barrels without metal rings cunducts resonance better. Another thing is that I asked a few clarinettists if there are audible difference between the barrels or not. The categorical answer was 'not' in spite of when I played with a new barrel was like play on an other instrument. So IMO these barrels has only a influence on how do you feel yourself while playing. I don't know if this small detail worth the extra money or not.
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Author: William
Date: 2010-08-16 14:24
Ed said, "I find the bells help going over the break more even from the throat tones through the break notes"
Really........ I find it interesting a player of your ability would need technical help going smoothly over the "break" from customized barrels & bells--and I seriously doubt that you mean't it to sound as such (lol). However, is the "help" that you notice more in terms of eveness of scale or lessening of harmonic (register inducted) distortion? Also, more for your bass than your sopranos--or both?? I assume you are using the Backun equipement on your Buffet clarinets and not his customized Leblanc clarinets.
Post Edited (2010-08-16 14:48)
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2010-08-16 15:54
I'm more experienced with the effect of barrels than with bells --and remain quite skeptical about the effects of the bell when most of the tone holes are opened.
In my experience (with about 100 different barrels), the internal shape of the hole in the thing makes a huge difference in the way the clarinet tunes, sounds and responds to tonguing and fingering.
It seems reasonable to expect that the barrel is important in getting the noise of the reed "flapping" against the mouthpiece changed into axial pulsations down the bore --and that the transition from the reed window to the upper joint is a major design problem on a clarinet. Given a clarinet and a mouthpiece, the connecting barrel is a critical part.
I agree with SteveG: that the material of which the barrel is made is of secondary importance. The stresses imposed by the small internal pressure fluctuations in a clarinet won't deflect the material very much. Further, I think that the barrel is so sensitive to tiny changes in dimensions that it would be very difficult to build a set of barrels with identical bores but with very different materials to even test the effect of materials.
I think it would be difficult to select barrel materials for comparison that would have significantly different properties. Some candidates might be lead, steel, beryllium, carbon fiber (with the fibers arranged in different orientations), ... Probably critical is the material's specific stiffness: Young's Modulus divided by specific gravity; and tropical hardwoods are probably quite close to one another in specific stiffness.
Bob Phillips
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Author: golfnclarinet
Date: 2010-08-16 17:28
When I play R13 with coco bell, I was told that it sounds like my clarinet has some filter that makes sound clear, sweeter.
With Moba Backun coco barrel, I don't need to use mic when I play solo at my church. It makes my sound louder and better.
So, I use coco barrel and bell mostly.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2010-08-16 17:43
There is considerable overlap of characteristics. Your best bet is to query the maker.
disclaimer....I make/sell barrels.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: ddavani
Date: 2010-08-16 19:02
They are absolutely worth the money, and all of these woods have different qualities of sounds, for example, cocobolo has a huge and round sound to it and grenadilla has a full and focused sound. It all has to do with the preference of the player.
The shape of the equipment is important as well. Backun musical in my opinion has done the best job in making simply shaped barrels and bells that many people are playing and enjoying. Backun has also been doing a great job catering to the liking of all types and levels of players.
There are people in all styles of music for clarinet playing Backun Barrels:
Classical:
Ricardo Morales
Larry Combs
Julian Bliss
Jazz:
Eddie Daniels
Ron Odrich
Paquito D'Rivera (playing a Rossi rosewood clarinet with a Backun bell)
Concert Band:
Simone Saccoccio
John Parrette
Those are just a few of the satisfied artists. I as well am one of them. They are worth the money completely, and I would always suggest as I do with any equipment, try before you buy.
-Dave Davani
http://allclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-08-16 20:04
William, you picked up on that statement that I find the Backun bells help me play smoother over the break. Of course I can play smoothly over the break on my standard bells as well, the Backun bells just make it a little easier, warmer and smoother. It's much the same with any equipment, ligatures, bells, barrels or whatever. If something just makes it a tiny bit easier to get the result one is looking for then it's a go as far as I'm concerned. I can sound just fine with an old standard ligature or my standard bells and barrels, I just like the result I get better with the equipment I use and that includes a Backun bell and barrel. I use them on my Selmer Signature Bb as well as my Buffet Bb and A clarinets. I don't use a wooden bell on my bass clarinet though I had that gold plated, as well as the neck. I just like the results. ESP
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Author: Maestro_6
Date: 2010-08-16 23:07
I just recently acquired a Backun Cocobolo Bell. It was extremely cheap so I decided on it, so there was no hand selection, unfortunately. But when it came, I was floored by how a bell can change so much. Of course, I am a player that can play smoothly over the breaks, but the bell makes the transition more comfortable and confident, with a warmness around it as well.
Now I sprung for a Backun Traditional Coco Barrel, which I am anxiously waiting for. The barrels and bells I've tried WERE that good! I believe a set of these can really improve an instrument as a whole in tuning, tone, even/smooth resistance, and response. So yes, IMHO, it is worth the money.
Now, I wait...
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2010-08-17 00:23
This is one of the "Your Mileage May Vary" topics.
I think different barrels/bells play differently. They change the dimensions which change how the instrument feels. I too (as of the last couple years) subscribe to the thought that different materials sound differently. Whether you find them pleasing or not, or whether OTHER people find it pleasing or not is the issue.
Alexi
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