 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2023-05-30 21:32
Am I correct to say that many Yamaha compatible barrels are demonstrably shorter than those compatible (at least in terms of length) with most other manufacturer's longer barrel requirements?
If so, could someone explain to me how Yamaha clarinets tune comparably to other longer barrel manufacturer's instruments?
Is, for example, the left and right hand pieces of the instrument longer to compensate, or perhaps is their something inherent to the Yamaha bore's dimensions that warrant such shorter barrels?
TIA
Post Edited (2023-05-30 21:34)
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Author: Hunter_100
Date: 2023-05-30 22:45
If the bore is the same diameter, then the distance from the mouthpiece to the tone hole for any given note will be the same. So if the barrel is shorter, the length of the top joint above the tone holes would need to be comparably longer.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-05-30 22:53
I believe you are referring to the Yamaha CSGs. The concept was to emulate the bore of German clarinets......a little. The top joint is longer and the barrels are 54-57mm long (roughly). The CSG also has a bore at the bottom that flares closer to the bell than a typical Boehm. I think this was a mistake because the tuning is lower for the low E and low F. Until they came up with the low vent key, the A clarinet was very hard to play up to pitch down there.
All the other Yamahas (as far as I know) have standard length barrels (I've seen the SEVs in person and can attest to them).
..............Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2023-05-31 05:28)
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2023-05-31 22:11
Yamaha barrels are typically (non CSG models) 65mm rather than the more common 66mm.
Anders
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-06-01 01:29
I'm not sure a millimeter is considered demonstrably shorter. In fact in the 70s it was considered rather normal to use a 67mm barrel in serious orchestral settings with Buffet R13s. But I attribute this evolution to the marketing of, and adaptation of the majority to, the 'darker,' lower pitched mouthpieces.
Not a complaint mind you, just an attempt not to lose site of what has been happening to clarinet playing in the last 50 years.
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2023-06-01 02:07
1 mm is significant. How significant depends entirely on circumstances, of course. There have a few times in my life when being able to push in one more mm would have made the difference between a gig being fun and not.
Anders
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-06-01 04:15
I initially did not feel a response was necessary since I do appreciate different perspectives but I did want to clarify what I did for peace of mind.
I had probably an irrational fear of pitch going to far upward during gigs (I was not fortunate enough to be in the Chicago Symphony for example). So to be "ready" for most eventualities I made sure that my in-tune, up the middle ready to play posture on the clarinet included a 2mm gap as a minimum between the bottom of the barrel and the top of the clarinet (as you look at it assembled that is). This was in Winter, so when Summer rolled around the gap became bigger (usually no problem) or I occasionally moved to a longer barrel to preserve the 2mm comfort zone.
I NEVER let a pitch ride up beyond where I could play comfortably.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2023-06-01 05:43
So I'm remembering early college age jobs - a time when I didn't own as many barrels as I would have liked due to finances and sometimes played with pick-up ensembles where pitch would migrate quite a bit north at times - due to the level of player and/or temperature conditions. This was the lower rungs of the Los Angeles gigging scene in the late 80's and early 90's. Tuning was still a priority but if the concertmaster/contracter decided that pitch drift didn't matter, then that was how the gig was going to go. I don't miss those days.
Anders
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