Quote:

Clarimellonet said:

"Certain 18th and 19th century clarinet makers purposely made mouthpieces with exit bores wider than the bore of the barrel and rest of the instrument. The wide mouthpiece bore would provide a "broad" and "darker" sound, but the 'step' at the top of the barrel where the mouthpiece meets the barrel bore would create an area of higher pressure and intensify the sound which in addition to the register tube makes overblowing quite a bit easier."