 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: John Stackpole
Date: 2005-03-04 21:19
Serious question this time...
Is the Portnoy BP 1 mouthpiece (an old one I gather) considered to be "close" "medium" or "wide". I couldn't spot it (by that exact name and number which is stamped on the mpc) on Dan's collection of links to charts.
TIA
JDS
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Author: John Stackpole
Date: 2005-03-04 22:50
Dan: Thank you.
What's two thousanths of an inch between friends? ~5 or 6 microns, actually. Human hair diameter is 10 times that.
(Somehow I suspect this is well within any error of measurement.)
Don't go to too much trouble - my purpose for asking is to have a "benchmark" so that when (or if) I venture into the jungle of mpc selection and testing I can at least start out with a tip opening that is other than "closed" and see how that goes.
Although from what I read here isolating that one variable isn't going to do much good.
JDS
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Author: John Stackpole
Date: 2005-03-04 23:03
But I just noticed....
On the WWBW chart there are also Portnoy #s 2 and 3 running in the direction of more "open". And another problem: the absissa of the table is labeled "Facing" not "Tip opening". Same? Different?
But on the IMS chart there is a BP3 in the more "closed" direction of "Tip opening". (And a BP3 in the more "open" direction on the "Facing" chart)
Confusion compounded.
JDS
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-03-04 23:59
In general, the higher the number facing, the more open it is.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: John Stackpole
Date: 2005-03-05 00:10
Good, OK, but what is the "facing" measuring? From where (on the mpc) to where?
I presume the tip opening is just the small distance between the reed and the end - the flat part - of the mpc.
JDS
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2005-03-05 00:25
Jack, WWBW and IMS are both using the term "facing" differently.
In the WWBW chart, "facing" here actually means "tip opening" and then gives the tip opening in thousandths of an inch.
In the IMS chart, on the top graph, "facing" here means the length of the curve from where the arc begins to leave the flat table and goes all the way down to the tip of the mpc. Their bottom graph says "tip opening" and gives results in mm which you may want to convert to thousandths of an inch by multiplying the mm measurement X 0.03937. For example: 1.15mm X 0.03937 = 0.045".
Both tip opening and the curve facing length affect how a mpc plays.
Here's an article by Tom Ridenour that might help to explain things:
http://www.ridenourclarinetproducts.com/articles/facings.htm
Hope this helps.
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Author: John Stackpole
Date: 2005-03-05 00:46
Thanks - curiously, when I use the "water test" and a piece of glass to locate where the rails first start to curve down away from the flat table I get a "facing" distance of only about 15 mm, much less than the 36 mm of the IMS chart, for the Portnoy BP 1, of course (my only mpc).
Maybe the water test isn't precise enough to "really" spot where the curvature begins.
36 mm from the tip of the mpc actually takes me all the way past the squared off end of the hole (the "wind-cut", right?, per Brymer) and maybe 2 or 3 mm onto the table itself. Is that really where the curvature begins?
Thanks again
JDS
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2005-03-05 00:58
Jack, I'm glad you brought this up. It appears that the IMS mm reading is really in 1/2 steps, i.e., the reading 36 actually means 18mm facing length.
Now, as to how they obtain the "36" reading, my glass measuring gauge is in 1/2 mm steps and I believe a 0.0015" metal gauge is used to make this measurement. However, their "36" reading might be where the actual curve begins and the 0.0015" gauge reading can be several mm away from the actual breaking point.
I believe your water test might actually go beyond the actual curvature point because of capillary action.
Just my thoughts...
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2005-03-05 03:57
Here's an idea!
Why not try writing or calling Bernie to ask him about his fine mouthpieces?
Bernard Portnoy
10 Skylark Drive
Apt #6
Larkspur CA 94939
415-927-0482
Source:
Local 802 AFM Union Directory
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
Post Edited (2005-03-05 03:58)
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