 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2002-12-18 01:58
"Middle Age" is starting to take it's toll. Depending on the day (weather/phase-of-the-moon etc) my right arthritic hand has difficulty in correctly closing the lower ring-key on my "C" (more squeezed than my Bb). It takes major effort to do so and the strain prevents playing for longer than 30 minutes or so. [I promised this to my grandson when I died--but he may get it a lot earlier] I have minor problems with my Bb and none with my bass (yeah I know--stick with the bass and forget the rest). Is it possible(mechanically and expense permitting) to get the lower joint fitted with plateau keys or must the whole instrument be refitted?
Bob A
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2002-12-18 03:08
When I had Sue Shaake at WW and BW overhaul a clarinet for me she mentioned that she was doing just that for someone with arthritis. Making plateau conversions and special set ups is just one of the things she does.
I am sure that if you find a top notch repair person either a lower joint or whole clarinet can be done. I have heard it said that anything can be done given enough money and time. :^)
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-12-18 03:14
I can't see why it can't be done. The pads would have to lift quite high for adequate venting.
If the tone holes were kept intact (same length) but chamfer-trimmed at the top like the ones without rings, then the new BOTTOM of the key cups would be higher than the current top of the rings, so the TOPS of the key cups would be significantly higher - quite a different feel. And quite a reconstruction of the keys concerned.
As an alternative, a person with vast experience in acoustic design of clarinets could possibly reduce the length of the tone holes, decrease the diameter, and retain the current 'feel' (distance from thumb) of the keys.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-12-18 04:36
I have a 'partial' plateau horn, Bob. The bottom three 'ring' holes are covered by rather flat pad cups. I haven't gotten around to fooling with it yet (and I've had it a long time too). When I read your post I gave it a closer look. The holes are like other padded ones and the 'cups' will no doubt require a very thin pad or cork - I haven't decided which. There's nothing in there now. I find no reason a regular chimney couldn't be reemed down and the hinge altered to allow the lower ring to operate independently. You might need to add a post and spring but it doesn't appear to be too big a job for one key. Converting a whole clarinet would be that many times more work, I think to the point it would be less expensive to buy a factory made plateau instrument. Any ring key holes that would be padded as well need to operate independently.
I'm no expert but in my imagination I don't find any need to alter the position of the hole itself - open is open, closed is closed, regardless of the chimney height. Some sax and flute holes (if they're not rolled) can be filed to get them level when necessary with no adverse results.
If I were doing this for myself (the day may come), rather than do the whole thing from scratch, I'd scout around for a junker plateau I could steal the finger pad setup from and adapt that to my instrument. If I couldn't find the keys I need or find it isn't do-able after all, I'd just fix the plateau horn I have (or buy one and be done with it :]
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-12-18 13:44
I pretty much agree with the above advice. I have seen several alto cls that are partial open/partial closed keyed. Here the physical reaches are the reason. I'd really suggest your getting a new or "gently-used" plateau [Vito],?others?, and have a skillful tech put it into "good tune", as a mixed open/plateau might have serious bridge problems in addition to ring/pad-cup heights. Don
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-12-18 14:46
Bob -
It can definitely be done. Leblanc makes full-plateau instruments in the Vito and Leblanc LL models. I haven't seen one in a while, but as I recall, the pads for the right-hand fingers are rotate on an interior rod, like the trill keys on a flute, and there are "clutches" as on the bridge key to let each finger pad close the hole at the to of the lower joint, again like a flute.
It's not an easy mechanism to set up or adjust, it needs perfect coordination between the top hole and each of the finger keys, but if it can be done on flute, it can be done on clarinet.
As Gordon says, the plateau keys have to open pretty high to get adequate venting. Still, you can get used to this, particularly if the choice is between adjusting and not being able to play at all.
I know three people in New York, whose work I have seen and like, who do custom keywork, but it's expensive -- probably at least the price of buying a new Vito, where Leblanc has already designed the keys and has the tooling set up for it.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-12-18 20:06
Ron seems to disgagree with my implication that chimney height affects pitch. Any comments from anybody clued up in this area - Ken?
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Author: Mark Charette, Webmaster
Date: 2002-12-19 13:38
Gordon (NZ) wrote:
>
> Ron seems to disgagree with my implication that chimney
> height affects pitch. Any comments from anybody clued up in
> this area - Ken?
Chimney height affects the effective bore diameter and volume; therefore it certainly affects pitch. A cursory examination of any book on musical acoustics will point this out.
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