 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2016-05-17 02:42
What length barrel is standard on an A clarinet? THANK YOU!
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Author: ClaV
Date: 2016-05-17 03:07
There should not be any standard barrel length for an A clarinet, since it is entirely dependent on a clarinet design.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2016-05-17 04:20
There is no "standard" Every maker has their own idea and this can vary between different models by the same maker, even with Buffet.
Many makes / models use same length and sometimes even identical barrels for Bb and A.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-05-17 14:35
Could be anything from 64mm to 67mm on any current production model Boehm system clarinet - for both A and Bb.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2016-05-19 09:37
The A clarinets actually come with 2 barrels. So the above posts are correct. I'm personally playing on a 65mm with the orchestra. They tune to about .441 to .442, any higher I'd have to go with a 64mm barrel and I hope that won't happen as it could effect a lot of the notes - sound, some notes may be stuffy, and tuning of course.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2016-05-19 20:28
BOB...I take your answer to mean that I could possibly use my Bb barrel on an A clarinet, IF the diameter of the bodies of the instruments are the same. Am I correct in my thinking? ALSO...I've started breaking in my new reeds you just sent me. I thought I read somewhere that I should break them in by soaking them in water for awhile rather than breaking them in by adding moisture a bit at a time, day after day for a few days. What do you recommend?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-05-19 20:40
If the barrel socket fits the tenon of both your Bb and A clarinets and you don't have any tuning or intonation problems using the same barrel, then by all means use the same barrel on both as that's much safer than swapping just the mouthpiece over (should the ligature slip taking the reed with it) as you've got more to grip onto when swapping, as well as the barrel already being warm from playing which will mean you'll be part way up to playing temperature on the other clarinet you've switched to that's been sat there waiting.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2016-05-22 07:42
Hi Roxann, I actually use a 65mm barrel of both R13 horns, the A and the Bb. A Buffet barrel. As far as the Steuer reeds they've been aged for 4 years. most other companies, if not all of them only age the reeds for 1 1/2 years at the most. So I soak them for a few minutes only and then play them. As they change, re-dip them and they will spring back to like, play them and re-dip them as needed, until they settle down. After 4 days or so the reeds should settle down and play really well. Most of the top pros are reporting that they are getting 6 to 8 reeds per box to play without any adjustments, some are getting 3 or more months out of 1 reed. I haven't been that lucky. I'm getting about 4 to 6 weeks of hard practice and symphony playing. Mitchell Lurie got 6 months out of a reed, so maybe it's the chemistry of the persons body. He didn't eat red meat. Mainly fish, because he had a heart attack at the age of 41. When I tested his reeds and played on them after 6 months they were actually still decent. Warped a bit, but they played.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2016-05-22 07:48
Also the sad part of this is Buffet changed the 1960's bore so with the standard bore you'd have to pull it out a shade. The new Buffet R13's play flatter and several players find that they need a 64mm barrel to play in tune with the bands and or the orchestras. This also bugs me with the Vandoren M series mouthpieces, which tunes to .440. Weird. It's really a poor mistake from both companies.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2016-05-23 19:55)
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