 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Katfish
Date: 2001-04-08 16:02
What is the purpose of an articulated g# key? What is the rational behind it?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-08 16:36
It makes an easy and good sounding trill from F# to G#. On a normal Boehm there isn't any really good way to do this.
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Author: Al
Date: 2001-04-08 18:22
....but you can't play a covered high F if you have an instrument with an articulated g#. Which would you consider more useful, an F#-G# trill or a covered high F? That is the question.
Al
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Author: Rob
Date: 2001-04-08 20:17
Also, the positioning of the hole on the art. G# is supposedly more "correct" (acoustically?) and so the G# is more likely to be in tune.
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Author: Keil
Date: 2001-04-08 20:42
i prefer my long F fingering!! i don't trill that often between those notes and if i had to I could fake it.... but i can't tell you how often the long F fingering has come in handy.... Spohr's #2 was practically written for it!!!
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2001-04-09 14:31
I agree with all that has been said, but do have a slightly different slant on the articulated key and its merits. I started playing clarinet with a plain Boehm system and am now playing an R13 plain Boehm. However, in between, during my college years as a clarinet major, I used the 17-6 articulated G# model on both Bb and A clarinets. This is what my experience was: I too really need the long high F when playing the plain Boehm. However, on the articulated G# model, the C#/G#/ high F tone hole is placed lower on the clarinet and is a larger tone tone...it simply is a better acoustic placement. While playing the articulated model, I never missed the long high F fingering. As already pointed out, the articulated G# permits a perfect F# to G# trill and anyone who ever plays the clarinet part to the Poulenc Sextet (woodwind quintet and piano) will know what a great key it is when having to play very quickly: G#,Gnatural,G#,F#,G#,Fnatural,G#,E and so on. The extra sliver key for using the G# is also great provided the brand you have supplies it. An added point: The articulated G# key is a standard part of the mechanism of the oboe and the saxophone. I've never quite understood why it is an"extra" on the clarinet.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-04-09 18:55
Articulated or not is pretty much a matter of what you get used to. In Italy, at least until the last few years, almost everyone played on a "semi-full" Boehm system -- articulated C#/G#, left-hand duplicate G#/Eb, 7th ring for the left-hand ring finger. Gino Cioffi, an absolutely phenominal player, used that type of instrument as principal in the Boston Symphony for many years.
I have always found that the "long" high F doesn't sound as good as the regular fingering. Thus, even though it's more secure, I tend to avoid it for exposed notes, particularly the entrance of the Weber Concerto # 2. However, the best way to play the high F and the super Bb in the ascending arpeggios near the end of the Weber # 2 first movement is to use the long fingering for F and to open the throat Ab key and close the F/C key with the right little finger for the Bb.
The articulated mechanism is on the lower joint and can thus have the hole larger and lower down than it is on the standard instrument. In fact, it may be a little below the acoustically ideal spot. As anyone who has played an articulated mechanism instrument knows, the chalumeau/clarion/altissimo C#/G#/F series is much better with a larger, lower hole. The down side is that there has to be a hole through the lower tenon of the top joint, where the wood is less than half as thick (because of the cork) as it is elsewhere. This makes the wook prone to crack, means that the tone hole consists of two wood layers with an intermediate cork layer and makes the hole impossible to undercut. Rossi has the only really good solution, with a 1-piece body. The C#/G#/F series on his instruments is so good it's scary.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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