 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: James
Date: 2002-01-22 04:40
I'm in the process of buying a Buffet R-13 Eb Clarinet. They are sopposed to be awesome, so awesome that people have quit using their prestige's to play these. Now, im going crazy. Because I love the sound of the clarinets! They are awesome, But their high C is so sharp that it is unbearable and the throat G is really flat. Has anyone else noticed this as well? I heard about about some process chadash does to fix this, but isn't there a way to find one Eb won't be crazy with those two notes?
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Author: Joris van den Berg
Date: 2002-01-22 09:01
The high C could be solved by placing a longer register tube (or one with a smaller hole). Sacrificing some ease of playing and maybe making A and B underneath it and the mid B, C a litlle flatter.
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Author: dan powell
Date: 2002-01-22 13:52
part of the fun of playing a eb is learning to tame it. there is no such thing as an eb with perfect intonation
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Author: HAT
Date: 2002-01-22 14:14
Um, there is no such thing as a clarinet of any kind with perfect intonation.
There are only clarinets that are possible to play in tune and ones that are impossible.
I played a very fine R-13 eflat clarinet for many years that had good intonation with the right mouthpiece and the right fingerings. It is a lot of work. The e flat clarinet, NO MATTER WHO MAKES IT, requires a lot of thought and analysis to play well.
Unfortunately, that instrument and mouthpiece were stolen, and I had to start all over again. I got an RC, had a few holes worked on by Guy Chadash and got a new mouthpiece and worked on it. I just played Heldenleben and the Rosenkavalier Suite a few weeks ago with an excellent orchestra and had some success. Also recorded with the new Bonade Clarinet Quartet two works by Ferenc Farkas that have very difficult eflat clarinet parts. I was pleased with the results. These recordings should be available from Northbranch Records by summertime, if you are curious.
Guy will sometimes actually relocate the register tube higher on the R-13 instrument to help with sharp upper clarion tones.
Better is not to pinch them sharp in the first place, of course. Some people think they have to break glass by playing the eflat clarinet as loudly as possible, biting to keep some control over the instrument. This is also bad for intonation, not to mention the folks sitting around you.
Flat throat tones are a sign of overblowing or, perhaps, an instrument in need of some delicate undercutting or a different mouthpiece or barrel. In any case, they are more easily fixed by a repariman that sharp throat tones.
Good luck.
David Hattner, NYC
www.northbranchrecords.com
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Author: Ed
Date: 2002-01-22 14:49
You might try some of different makes of Eb. Also try the RC Buffet, which many players I know prefer. It is frustrating to spend all of that money for a new horn to find that you then have to spend lots more to get it to play reasonable well.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-01-22 18:21
James -
You say you're "in the process of buying" a Buffet R-13 Eb. If you haven't bougfht it already, I agree with David Hattner and Ed that the RC has better intonation, and you should at least try one. Moving the register vent is major surgery, and the RC already has it in pretty much the right place.
A custom mouthpiece and barrel are even more important for the Eb than they are for the Bb. You should budget for both.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Blake
Date: 2002-01-22 18:49
I'm on an RC here too.. cleared up stuffy throat and sharp pitches with a Clark Fobes mouthpiece and am trying his new Barrel out for trial and prelim results are its really helped.. stock RC barrel had to be pulled out past the cork for tuning.. I got a 43 mm barrel. The stock measured in at almost 41mm... and since you cant easily find tuning rings for an Eb....
Blake
Arlington, VA
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Author: Brent
Date: 2002-01-22 19:21
Actually, i have used a hose washer (as in garden hose) trimmed slightly to fit in the lower tenon socket of the barrel. It makes a reasonable tuning ring...
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-01-22 20:50
You might be interested to read the Groves Dictionary of Music's article on the clarinet ... they discuss the fact that the clarinet's length and range are unique and basically say that intonation is a challenge due to the oddities of it's size etc.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-01-23 13:16
I've used rubber "O-rings" for spacers too.
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