 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2015-09-07 01:42
Using search there is a lot of mention about fork Eb/Bb but none seem to answer my question.
I have for 50 years used clarinets with fork Eb/Bb and find this really so useful, especially the in tune lower Eb, that I wondered why it is not more common on professional instruments.
Are there any serious "musical" or acoustic cons to this mechanism?
Obviously more cost and complexity in production but let's just talk about the professional instruments where this should not be a major issue.
To keep this thread short and focussed as possible I am not discussing full Boehm with all the other ramifications, just the single Eb/Bb mechanism (that at one time was offered on it's own by most major makers).
Prefer no theoretical speculation, just the views of experienced players both those who use it and especially those who have trialled it in the past and found some solid reason not to adopt it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-09-07 02:05
Attachment: c_clarinet_case 001.JPG (714k)
Attachment: forked bflat mech 1.jpg (191k)
Attachment: ForkedBbMechExploded.jpg (34k)
I think this is one of the best gadgets to have been fitted on clarinets (equipped with 7 rings) as both the Eb and Bb are in tune with the forked fingering of xox|ooo unlike long Bb (xoo|xoo) which is fine for Bb, but too sharp for lower register Eb unless it's used very briefly.
It's a shame none of the major makers offer it as an option anymore as it makes a lot of passages much easier using the xox|ooo fingering for Eb/Bb instead of the side key or long fingerings - and especially the xx'o|ooo fingering which I have never found any real use for which is a throwback to simple system clarinets that didn't have a side Eb/Bb key.
I built and fitted the forked Eb/Bb mechanism to my C clarinet and plastic Yamaha YCL-24 as I use this fingering a lot.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2015-09-07 02:09)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mirko996
Date: 2015-09-07 02:10
G6 more accurate
O)XO OOO
Than
OXO XXO
Secondo position, less accurate and you could do harmonic (B6), in my case i use open mouthpiece and strong reeds, if i use not strong reeds, for me could ne easy, depend the case and the clarinet.
Could be accurate but in velocity isn't easy, trill isn't easy. In Full Boehm clarinet problably change something because the lever is up of a pad but i never tried full boehm.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-09-07 02:30
Attachment: weber-concerto-no1.png (452k)
Attachment: polovtsian-dances.jpg (98k)
Definitely makes the attached passages much easier using the forked Eb/Bb.
(I'm not entirely convinced with the articulation in the Weber - it's not what I'd do anyway)
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2015-09-07 18:53)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: eddiec ★2017
Date: 2015-09-14 07:15
I think it would help with a couple tricky spots in the Mozart concerto where both the side b-flat and the 1/1 b-flat are hard to get to from the surrounding notes.
I hope that the fork b-flat/e-flat tunes ok - it would have to be pretty good to be worth having. 1/1 is often far enough out of tune that I avoid it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2015-09-15 21:13
I've experienced the lower Eb with the 1/1 is usually flat but the higher Bb well in tune. But one problem is the coordination of the bridge key, it has to be perfect or it won't speak easily. With that said, I really ever used the lower 1/1 other than a tremolo or fast 16th back and fourth. I find more use for the Bb 1/1 because the Bb triad going up makes that useful in a fast passage. F-Bb-D.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jeroen
Date: 2015-09-17 16:48
I find the fork Bb also quite useful for an easy controlled soft Bb.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-09-17 17:56
If you regularly play an instrument with fork Eb/Bb, or any other modification (I have been tempted by articulated C#/G#)- does that mess you up for playing on a standard clarinet? I'm imagining a last minute instrument substitution just before a critical performance. Also, does the mod require altered fingerings in high altissimo?
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2015-09-17 23:35
>> Definitely makes the attached passages much easier using the forked Eb/Bb. <<
I would use the regular fingering in those examples even with a fork Bb ring key. People's fingers vary. For example some people can move the pinky middle joint without moving the ring finger middle joint and some can't. Moving the middle finger while keeping the ring finger down is more or less comfortable depending on whose hand it is.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-09-18 01:31
I find it much easier to lift LH finger 2 while LH finger 3 is held down than lifting LH3 while LH2 is held down. This is why I use the side Eb/Bb key to do an upper register G-A trill instead of trilling with LH3 as my left ring finger can't move that fast and fatigues very easily.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
