 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Burt
Date: 2021-03-18 19:22
Ken Legace, thanks for mentioning the app Spectroid. As a retired scientist and amateur musician, I'm interested in a technical description of sound, but didn't want to send the money for lab-quality equipment. I installed Spectroid on my Android phone (also on my PC, requiring the installation of Blue Stacks, but haven't tried that yet). Setting the frequency scale as linear from 0 to 4000Hz proved to be the most useful way to view the response.
My findings so far are based on 1 clarinet, 1 mouthpiece, and a few reeds. In the chalameau range, there is some second harmonic present, but on most notes (it varies a lot from note to note), it's more than 25dB down from the fundamental. The other even harmonics were nearly as strong as the adjacent odd harmonics. Using a "beginner's" embochure increased the strength of the second harmonic. Biting or using a harder reed had little effect on the spectrum.
In the clarion range, the presence of the second harmonic (sixth harmonic of the chalameau note), increased while ascending the scale, to the point that it was nearly as strong as the fundamental. In the altissimo range, the second harmonic was as strong as the fundamental.
Some alternate fingerings (most notably Bb4 and Bb5) showed a different presence of the second harmonic and had a somewhat different sound. I'm guessing that this is peculiar to my clarinet.
First conclusion: The hollow sound of the upper chalameau is due to the near-absence of the second harmonic. The upper clarion and altissimo are not nearly so distinctive of a clarinet sound, because of the presence of the second harmonic.
There's a lot more that can be learned using Spectroid or any similar app. I intend to explore further and hope that others will explore spectral analysis.
Burt Marks
Lyrique Libertas
Vandoren M30
Legere Signature, European Signature, Canyes Xilema (cane)
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2021-03-18 21:06
You didn't mention air. 'fast air', which may be the most important element.
Blow hard but not loud, and even harder in softer sounds. Listen to/measure Harold Wright's sound. His 12ths are sometimes stronger than the root, and it is well known Mr. Wright and a few others can hear the 12th as a measure of how 'clarinetish' their sound is.
And embouchure. Try double lip just for experimenting with sound, and let us know about the results.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-03-20 16:45
Hi Burt,
I'd be interested to join you in this. I'm also a scientist (I gave up paid work when my son was born and I'm 45 now). I started the clarininet three years ago.
I'm very keen to develop a really nice tone, and I find that recording myself and looking at the charts on screen and the videos gives me much more honest feedback than my own ears do.
I also have bluestacks so I'll try to install this app when I get a minute.
Jen
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2021-03-21 06:17
Another all for science minded - a tuner with many different tuning tools to explore. It includes a spectral analysis screen also.
TonalEnergy Tuner
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sonosaurus.tonalenergytuner&hl=en&gl=US
Yes it is $3.99 and No - I am not involved with the company.
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2021-03-21 06:58
Ken Lagace. Thank you for your comment, but why can't you post your recommended site with a name we can just clit on ?
tiaroa@shaw.ca
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2021-03-21 16:58
alanporter, if there is a way to do a name which is a substitute for a link on this site, I don't know how. Can you help?
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2021-03-21 20:00
paste in the link; place a "less than" symbol in front; place a "greater than" symbol in the back
..................Paul Aviles
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2021-03-21 21:47
Thanks Karl and Paul. Ken and I have both gained from your instruction.
Alan
tiaroa@shaw.ca
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The Clarinet Pages
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