Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2004-08-10 21:33
Once again, we are oversimplifying.
Let's talk about Moennig-style or Chadash-style barrels. I am sure both of these gentlemen in their careers have made barrels with differeing measdurements. I would be very surprised if they did not, in order to satisfy their customers.
The general information above is correct, as far as it goes.
The Moennig or Chadash style barrel is a has a reverse taper bore. What is not generally recognized is that many, if not most barrels in use these days may have a taper.
I have a very fine Buffet barrel, which is at least 30 years old. No other designation on it except Buffet , made in France, B65 (Bb clarinet, 65 mm).
It has a very nice reverse taper. I use it as a model for many of the Bb barrels I use.
Please also remember that there is a BIG difference in Bb and A barrels and seldom can they be interchanged without negative results, the internal measurements, not just length, do differ.
Almost all the clarinet mouthpieces in use today terminate in a 15 mm bore. We simply LIKE the sound they produce. Most of our clarinets start with a 14.65 - 14.76 bore.
Also we like the "POP" in the sound produced by having the barrel terminate in a smaller bore than the opening of the top joint. This is called a "choke" and I understand it changes the standing wave in the clarinet, adding an additional dimension to the sound and response.
Thus, the reverse taper bore barrel was born. It is associated with the late Hans Moennig, but was used before his time as well.
Barrel makers "play" with the shape of the taper to adjust the 12ths in the upper joint.
In a barrel I made recently I modified the taper to an "hourglass" type shape. This is done by reversing the reamer and tapering UP from the bottom. I did this because the throat tones were sharper than I wanted, yet the barrel was the right length.
So...there is no "one" taper. You do what you can to tune the individual clarinet at hand.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
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