 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-09-04 20:39
As specific notes issue from specific toneholes, they therefore should be named after the note or notes that issue directly from them.
That clears up any misunderstanding should you need tuning or voicing work done as the precise location is made clear instead of being vague.
The ONLY notes that don't speak from any toneholes on the body are the lowest notes of the lower and upper register that speak directly from the bell, unless of course there's a bell vent hole to bring low E up to pitch or a bell vent on alto, basset horn and bass clarinets for the lowest notes on them.
Attached is a photo of a clarinet with all the toneholes labelled accordingly with the lower and upper register notes that issue directly from them.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: John G.
Date: 2017-09-04 21:36
Chris, you might want to check/change the Bb/F and B/F#. ;-)
John
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2017-09-04 21:46
John G. wrote:
> Chris, you might want to check/change the Bb/F and B/F#. ;-)
>
> John
No it's right, remember it's the tonehole that each note issues from, not the tonehole used to finger the note
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-09-05 00:58
Chris P wrote:
> That clears up any misunderstanding should you need tuning or
> voicing work done as the precise location is made clear instead
> of being vague.
>
Chris, the picture is certainly useful, but I wonder if you or other people who do repair, voicing and tuning want your clients to tell you which tone holes to modify instead of just telling you which specific notes need work (and letting you decide where to do the work). I've never actually considered telling my repairman what to do. I just describe the specific problem, and he tells me where he thinks the best fix could be applied.
Did some specific incident make you think to produce this chart?
Karl
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-09-05 03:13
I'm glad you're all in full understanding about this as I did this same topic on a sax page and I was told by around 90% of contributors I was wrong by naming the toneholes after the notes that issue from them, not adhering to fingering charts or industry standards, when people couldn't grasp the basic laws of woodwind physics.
I showed a photo of a sax body with no keys on it and labelled all the toneholes according to which note speaks from each one. Then the complaints came in thick and fast. Even showing Theobald Boehm's diagram where he did the same was ridiculed as no-one wanted to believe that either when he was the one that turned upside down and redesigned the flute from the ground up. It seemed to be a basic concept that people I thought ought to know better and who call themselves professionals clearly didn't.
I did some tuning work on my Buffet Eb once it was rebuilt as the throat notes were sharp. So by knowing which notes are the problematic ones means you can pinpoint the tonehole that specific note issues from to deal with the main problem at its root.
Another thing is toneholes often get misnamed when people say the LH3 tonehole is the C/G tonehole when it's in actual fact the D/A tonehole. So if someone has trouble with the note C being flat (xxx|ooo) not being clued up on the tonehole that C/G issues from can mistakenly mean adjusting the wrong tonehole.
If open G is sharp, then it's the small tonehole under the throat A touchpiece that is the one to alter and not the thumb tube (which is one of the two F# toneholes on the top joint).
But as for tuning and voicing work, it's something I'd like to learn more about as with clarinets you have more than one note sharing any one tonehole depending on the register you're in, so some alterations to correct a flat lower register note can ruin an upper or altissimo register note.
Basic tuning work involving enlarging or filling in toneholes is a mere start - but to get one note in tune, preserving the tone quality and not compromising the others, there's also undercutting work (bore side) and tapering work (top side) as well as altering the undercutting and taper to bring everything into line. So it really is a black art.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2017-09-05 13:44
Many thanks for this, Chris.I plan some fine tuning of one of my instruments and this will be very helpful. I've chosen a low-cost instrument with a few tuning issues and regard it as sacrificial. (An old Noblet).
Tony F.
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Author: Johan H Nilsson
Date: 2017-09-07 01:58
The "F/C" and "E/B" tone hole names are ambiguous. Using F3 and F4 would eliminate the problem, require fewer characters and extend the effective life time of clarinetists and repair techs...
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-09-07 02:28
Johan H Nilsson wrote:
"The "F/C" and "E/B" tone hole names are ambiguous."
Unless it's a full Boehm, an alto, bass or larger clarinet with a range to low Eb or lower, there's only one E/B tonehole on the instrument as low E and upper register B issues directly from the bell. Plus if anyone was having tuning trouble with specific notes, they'd usually say which notes are the problematic ones and it's the job of whoever's doing the tuning or voicing work to be crystal clear about that.
What is ambiguous is when people say 'the C key' and give no further clue as that can mean anything you want it to mean and not always what it really means.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-09-07 16:14
I am aware of that considering I labelled it myself - F/C appears twice as there are two F/C toneholes, but there is still only the one E/B tonehole.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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