 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Eoin
Date: 2000-02-17 08:12
In pictures of many Albert system clarinets, the little finger keys have a strange black edge, as if a black cylinder was welded to the key. I have been told these are called "roller" keys. What are they for?
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Author: Rene
Date: 2000-02-17 09:12
Obviously, to roll from one to the other little finger key The rollers are indeed turnable cylinders, one on each key.
Fingers tend to stick to the big metal plates, which form the finger keys in these Clarinets. So the rollers try to ease lagato passages from one to the other key (E.g d# to c in right hand littel finger). The alternative way is to use another fingering (d# with left little finger e.g.).
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-02-17 12:03
Eoin wrote:
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I have been told these are called "roller" keys. What are they for?
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Sometimes black, sometimes red, sometimes silver. They're there to ease sliding from one key to another. Just like a sax.
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Author: Mario
Date: 2000-02-17 13:24
Here is an example of a simple yet effective gadget that could help all of us on the Boehm system. Unless we buy the extra Ab/Eb level (an add-on that must be done very well to be effective - both mechanically and ergonomically), we often have to slide since our key work is not symetrical.
Rollers on the top right levers ease the slide. With a little bit of practice, things get very smooth. I had a chance to try a boehm clarinet with rollers in Oostend last Summer (I do not recall the brand). Just great. So, why can't we get this. I would be the extra $$$$ if necessary.
In the same order of idea, Steve Fox has a super simple extension to the C#/G# key (a simple little lever added to the downward side of the pivot) that allow the right hand to open this key. Simple, nothing that can go wrong, and wonderfully effective as an additional fingering option.
I for one has always put "sound" at the top of my priorities when adding metal work to my instrument. This is why I do not have the Ab/Eb level. Additional metal never help the sound and I prefer to slide. But the simple adds-on described herein would be the kind of things I would buy.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-02-17 17:29
Yes, the saxes, bassoons and OLD clarinets up to about 1920 [others ?] make good use of rollers. More "resistance to change" on OUR part? A sidelight, I found earlier a reference to the beginning of roller use, cant re-find it, but believe it was about 1880, prob. in Rendall and/or Brymer. Have oldies both with and without! Try it, it works well. Don
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-02-17 18:52
Yes, good commentary, Mario, particularly re: the Ab/Eb. I have an old Pruefer [single body} 3/4 Full Boehm {no low Eb], I'm restoring to playable [?] condition which has as SEPARATE [side] C#/G# tone hole and a sliver key for it, obviating mechanism as on my Penzel-Mueller F B. Sure would be great to have the old [and new] improvements to the usual 17/6 available, cl-playing life might be simpler! Don
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Author: cyclopathic
Date: 2014-05-23 02:09
Duke wrote:
> What is a roller on the clarinet?
http://www.doctorsax.biz/musical%20instruments/clarinets/albert/holton/pict04.JPG
they more for feeling the key to key transition.. very useful when going from one sax to another. I suppose there is no need for it on Boehms as the pinky key position fixed. YMMV
Post Edited (2014-05-23 02:14)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-05-23 04:07
Some Boehm system clarinets had roller F/C and Ab/Eb keys - Louis Chas Draper Models and Couesnon Monopole Conservatoires sometimes had them fitted.
Reform Boehms often have roller F/C and Ab/Eb keys too, even with a LH Ab/Eb lever fitted.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: jonok
Date: 2014-05-23 04:21
Does no-one ever slide on standard Boehms? I had assumed that was why the pinky keys were rounded as they were.
I have piece that has a quickish A - C - D# - and I find the transition from A to left hand C really awkward - so I thought just use the right hand C and then slide the pinky up to D#. It seemed to work well - until my teacher saw it.
Jon
-------------------
aspiring fanatic
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-05-23 11:29
You SHOULD take advantage of whatever alternate key you have first. It's a good idea to become more facile with the left "C#" key as well. I use the left "C#" even in key centers of two and three sharps just to have it ready when that is the ONLY one that can be used.
That said, sliding IS a legitimate technique. I also slide quite a bit both up and down on the left going from the "B" to the "C#" key. Having played Oehlers for 12 years I never actually found the rollers to make that move any easier, it just feels different.
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: Chris J
Date: 2014-05-23 14:58
Here is a Couesnon Monopole with a roller.
Just looking at it, I wonder how it was made.
I had assumed it would be cast that way.
But the touchpiece is a little shorter, and the recess for the roller looks to have an uneveness to it - which both suggest it might be a standard key that has been modified rather than a specific key made for a roller.
Chris
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2014-05-23 18:50
Attachment: Roller.jpg (100k)
Attachment: Vergleich.jpg (211k)
My old Carl Kruspe clarinets, German system from about 1870...1880, already have rollers for left and right little fingers like all modern German/ Oehler clarinets. Many of the „Reform Boehm“ instruments, e.g. from Dietz or Wurlitzer, have at least two rollers for the right little finger. I was surprised to find that famous Oskar Oehler had also built some Boehm clarinets, and the sample I saw, supposedly from the 1930ties, has two right hand rollers too, as well as a Boehm A clarinet made by F.G. Uebel at about the same time.
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Author: Dibbs
Date: 2014-05-23 20:07
Here's an instrument with 8 rollers.
http://theclarinetcorner.tumblr.com/post/17691621040/the-heritage-of-english-clarinet-virtuosi-henry
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Author: cyclopathic
Date: 2014-05-24 23:36
@Chris J
> But the touchpiece is a little shorter, and the recess for the roller looks to
> have an uneveness to it - which both suggest it might be a standard key
> that has been modified rather than a specific key made for a roller.
yes it does look like they modified standard key: cut off tip and space for roller, then drilled and screw in rod for roller.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-05-24 23:48
I think it's original as the Ab/Eb touch is usually shorter than the F/C touch - plus the fact the keys are largely handmade will account for the unevenness. Had it been modified there would have been a piece soldered on the end for the roller screw to go through as a standard touchpiece will be too thin at the front end even if it was filed back by around 1mm or so.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2014-06-01 17:18
An interesting wooden „Conn Elkhart Klarinette“, Boehm system with four rollers and a military(?) stamp, is offered from Katowice, Poland, at the German …. .de auction site
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Author: as9934
Date: 2014-06-01 22:42
Is there a significant advantage of albert system over boehm clarinets? I know I personally hate the lower bottom stack keys.
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Author: modernicus
Date: 2014-06-09 03:25
Not sure what you mean? Albert and Boehm were "competing" key systems developed at nearly the same time- Boehm eventually became the standard in most places. Infer what you want...
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-06-09 06:26
Maybe we are talking about the contemporary "German System or "Oehler System" clarinets.
I played them for many years. Really it is just different. Each system has its advantages and disadvantages. The "stack" gives you more options. The German system begs for more brute finger movements and may be a little easier in the "sharp" keys.
..........Paul Aviles
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