 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Henry
Date: 2002-11-12 18:43
I have a 1964 Leblanc LL with a 66 mm barrel (I believe it is the original) and a Vandoren 45 mouthpiece. I am using a 2.5 Rico Royal reed. The horn is on average 10 cent flat over the whole range. Is there a simple rule that tells me what reduction in barrel length I need to raise the pitch by this amount? And where would I get such a barrel? (The bore is 14.80 mm). Or is my flatness simply due to a relatively undeveloped clarinet embouchure? (I picked up the clarinet again recently after a long hiatus, although I have been playing sax again for a year.)
Incidentally, this site is often referred to (I believe affectionately) as "Sneezy.org", even though I see no reference to this term on the homepage. Being rather new on this board, I wonder what's the origin of this designation.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Henry
Date: 2002-11-12 18:54
Sorry, I meant of course that I'm using a Vandoren B45 mouthpiece.
Henry
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Robert
Date: 2002-11-12 19:15
Henry- it could be that your flatness is due to your "relatively undeveloped clarinet embouchure". I presume you're using a tuning machine set at A-440 to check the tuning?
I have one suggestion about how you could check this. If you have a friend who plays clarinet, ask if you can try his clarinet with your mouthpiece, and see if his horn is also that flat. You could also ask your friend to play on your horn, and see if it is as flat. If not, then it's your embouchure that's causing the problem (unless you have a freak low-pitched B45 mouthpiece!). If you don't have a friend who plays clarinet, pop in to your local music store, and ask if you can try some of their clarinets. Take your tuner along to test you pitch/embouchure on these instruments.
As far as I know 66mm or 67mm is the average barrel length for playing at A-440. If your horn really is flat, then you could try shorter barrels, although this might not solve the problem completely- the shorter notes will be affected more than the longer notes- so your whole instrument could be out of tune then. Let us know the results of your tests.
Regards,
Robert
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2002-11-12 20:58
The 'Double L' has a pretty large bore... 64mm is probably enough to get you closer to correct pitch.
Try the Click! tuning barrel for an inexpensive test (about $25).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: super20dan
Date: 2002-11-12 21:43
i also own a 60,s LL and its flat w/original 67 mm barrell.i switched to a deg 64mm barrel and all is well
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-11-12 23:57
I generally play bass cl, with a relatively "soft" [sax-like??] embouchure, BUT last nite playing Bb cl , sight reading a concert, I found my pitch rising, making unisons quite uncomfortable, and ended up with barrel pulled some 1-2 mm. It was warm on stage, but I blame it on re-developing a more firm Bb emb! Thots? Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark P. Jasuta
Date: 2002-11-13 02:55
My daughter plays a vintage R-13 (1955) with a vandoren M15 mouthpiece and #4 Vandoren Traditional reeds. With the original 66mm barrel the clarinet played a little flat across the band. I replaced the stock barrel with a 65mm Chadash barrel and she is right on target. I was suprised that 1mm was all it took to bring it in. You could bring your clarinet and your tuner to a good music store and try a few barrels. Hope this helps.
Mark
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Henry
Date: 2002-11-13 15:26
Thanks all of you for your input. Robert, I am embarassed to have to admit that my tuner was sat at A=441 Hz by mistake. I must have inadvertently touched the calibration button when I turned it on! Setting the tuner at 440 helped a bit but I had to go to a 438 setting to be "in tune" with my "normal" embouchure. Concentrating on tightening up on my embouchure, I could get in tune at 440 but at the cost of tone (and comfort). This gives me hope that I'll get there with continuing practice. If not, I'll try a somewhat shorter barrel. By the way, what deviation in terms of "cents" is acceptable to non-purists?
Thanks GBK for letting me in on the "Sneezy" mystery!
Henry
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JoeE
Date: 2013-12-02 23:05
I have a student who plays a Buffet c1950, with a B40 mouthpiece and 3.5 blue box Vandoren reeds. She is incredibly sharp! She has been playing about 7-8 years, so embouchure is not the problem...and a very good player in her senior year in high school. We have tried numerous barrels at 66mm, 67mm and even a Moennig 68...and numerous brands....tapered and straight bores...still sharp!
So, is it the old Buffet gone very sharp, the B40 playing very sharp, or what?
Any ideas would be appreciated. My feeling is that it's the clarinet itself.
Joe
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2013-12-02 23:24
Blue box 3.5 seems a bit stiff for a B40 (which VD claims is designed to be played with softer reeds anyway) so that could be causing some of problem in pushing up the pitch.
B40 is very popular with many players so don't think that is your problem.
Has she tried on a different mouthpiece just to help eliminate that cause.
Also get her to try her Mouthpiece/reed set up on another clarinet and check pitch there.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: MSK
Date: 2013-12-03 00:38
You wouldn't be the first one to make that mistake. One evening at orchestra rehearsal no one could get in tune with the oboe's A. Turned out that her grandchildren had been playing with her tuner and reset it to A-444!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: cyclopathic
Date: 2013-12-03 08:56
it could be a reed you tend to go flat with soft reed
Vandoren recommends 2.5-3.5 Blue Box for B45, and Rico Royal 2.5 is like VD 1.5.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: discerningclarinetist
Date: 2013-12-04 05:01
I really would recommend experimenting with stronger reeds. Google "Vandoren Clarinet Mouthpiece Chart" and you should find a chart that shows the recommended reeds for each mouthpiece.
Tyler Zey
www.discerningclarinetist.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
