 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-05-21 18:50
After being frustrated with trying to get more volume out of my rosewood clarinet, I decided to order a Deg Acubore bell--just to see what happened. I also ordered the Eddie Daniels Deg Moennig barrel. Of course, when both are used the instrument weighs a considerable amount more than its original weight because of the alloy material of the bell and barrel. But, wow! What a volume!! And, since the rosewood clarinet is much lighter than grenadilla to begin with, that really helps.
I went to the wooden Moenning barrel I usually use and tried it with the Deg bell. That sounded more mellow, yet still lots of volume.
I haven't decided if I like the final tone--but it is quite a big difference. It's much more powerful and really projects. On the tuner it is exactly the same as with the wood barrel and bell. The alloy will just maintain better with temperature changes.
Seems like it would be a good replacement bell for a worn out wood clarinet. Has anyone else tried one?
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-05-22 18:50
Brenda -
Have you tried the swab-in-the-bell exercise shown in the Leblanc Bell magazine a few issues back? I've been using it lately with good results.
You stuff a cotton swab up the bell, finger middle B, take plenty of mouthpiece and blow (hard). The lowest note you get is 4th space Eb, then the Bb above, then Eb, G and Bb. You move from one note to the other by varying your tongue, palate and jaw position. Double lip helps, or at least a lot of upper lip pressure downward on the top of the mouthpiece.
When you get these going well, you take out the swab, blow the same way and get volume like a hurricane. The process is that you can't make the stopped overtones without lots of support, taking more mouthpiece and loosening your embouchure to let the reed vibrate.
You can't play like that all the time, of course, but it really does open things up and reveal new possibilities, particularly for volume.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Gdog G Gdog Gd
Date: 2001-05-23 02:07
Ken,
I'll have to try that. I never had a problem with my Grenadilla wood clarinets. Of course, I knew the rosewood was a softer toned instrument when I bought it.
Perhaps the above mentioned exercise will open my ears as well!
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