 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-12-28 12:56
I don't mind the middle B-flat being a little bit foggy, but there is a limit. I use the side key, adding a finger or two on the holes of the upper body of the clarinet to bring down its pitch, whenever I can. Of course, you have to have time to get to this trill key. It works well for long, held notes. Surely, a clarinet maker could come up with a solution to make this note less fuzzy.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2025-12-28 19:43
Ruben:
As has come up on the bboard before, the clarinet--as I suspect you realize--is a design of many compromises.
From the positioning of the tone holes to balance the intonation of the chalumeau and clarion registers, to the positioning of the C#/G# lever by some manufacturers right on the tenon that separates the sections (at least in the 99.99% of clarinets not built in one piece) there are few better examples of compromise than in how clarinets are designed with respect to maximizing overall intonation.
No less, in an effort to make the register key serve double duty as the key that also voices the throat Bb, we face compromises. I too finger this note, when held, as you do, but can also suggest that periodic cleaning of the register pipe can help a bit with the classic fingering and even the clarion notes.
If I am not mistaken, also as discussed here, in the evolution of the instrument some manufacturers have designed actuation of the register key to open different tone holes, rather than the register key itself, if the throat A was also engaged, so as to reserve the register key's hole solely for handling the 12ths and allow a dedicated tone hole to handle the B-flat instead.
The funny thing about this though is what might happen if one were to finger the full fingered B a semitone higher, and open the throat A vent: a common technique for producing a clearer held full fingered B. I imagine, with enough work, a mechanism could be designed to open the register key rather than a dedicated B-flat one if the throat A key *and* say, either of the right pinky keys for the "B" just above it in pitch were pressed, but this gets hairy, opens the instrument up for additional places requiring maintenance and may not be worth it the player in better sound quality or cost to purchase.
I also presume you've used similar resonance fingers on the standard B-flat fingering as you (and I) do to bring down the pitch of the one made by opening the side key instead of the register key.
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2025-12-28 21:23
My Ridenour has great sounding throat tones that are very pleasing to the ear. It doesn't 'thin' out at all.
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Ridenour Homage mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum Silver ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren Traditional #5 reeds
ATG System and Cordier Reed Trimmer
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-12-28 22:18
1010s have a decent throat Bb with the regular fingering - provided you put some air into the thing and don't just breathe from your shoulders.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2025-12-29 02:07
David and Chris:
How do the B-flats on the instruments your cited compare to other notes? Are they just good as B-flats go, or do you feel that these notes hold there own on your instruments as compared to any other notes on that instrument?
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2025-12-29 02:29
Use A key plus 2nd from the top RH trill key for the Bb. Great tone--clear. Yes, can be hard to get to that fingering. I use it as much as possible, at times to a fault.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book-- Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: NOLA Ken
Date: 2025-12-29 05:43
Both my Leblanc Pete Fountain (non-enhanced Boehm) and my early Ridenour Lyrique Libertas have great, clear pinch Bbs. So it's clearly possible. But yeh, this seems to be a common issue. I use the A key + second right hand trill key a lot on my other clarinets.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2025-12-29 13:36
Chris P: "provided you put some air into the thing". True!! That b-flat needs to be really blown and sung to be on level with the other notes.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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The Clarinet Pages
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