 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-11-21 02:16
Maybe a vague topic heading, but I was just curious if anyone else found certain notes on clarinets to always be some sort of problem.
I've found from quick playtests of clarinets and those that I own that the notes that nearly ALWAYS tend to be problematic are a very resistant chalemeau D, a clarion Eb that always seems to "pop out" more than it's surrounding notes, and of course the notorious chalemeau "C#". I test for these by play a chromatic and trying to keep the same amount of airflow and seeing which notes tend to be more/less resistant than surrounding notes. I know this isn't the ONLY criteria, but it's just something I noticed when playing around whenever I get the chance with clarinets other than my own.
Whether it should or shouldn't, whenever I playtested a horn, I always felt for these notes and would be IMMEDIATELY turned off from playing a clarinet where these problems were very pronounced.
I was just curious whether these ARE notes that tend to be more problematic on most clarinets, whether they can be fixed, and if anyone else looks for these things when trying out clarinets.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2005-11-21 03:02
I have a piano tuner (also bass string designer/maker) friend with seemingly amazingly astute ability to listen to the relative volumes and pitches of overtones, which determines tone, and which are so vital for good piano tuning (which at best is an exercise in best compromise OUT-of-tuneness.
He once said that he heard a different tone for every note in a clarinet's scale.
Post Edited (2005-11-21 03:04)
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2005-11-21 09:32
I remember hearing somewhere a long while back that there are significant issues surrounding the notes near the join between the bottom and top joints. You've got to have a tenon of a certain length, and it makes the holes round there just a little bit further apart than you'd like. One of the many quirks of Selmer Paris is a short centre tenon, apparently for this reason. Above and beyond this, there apparently exist (though I've never seen them!) instruments with a hole bored through the tenon, right through the cork, and even single-piece clarinets. Anyone?
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Author: Maarten
Date: 2005-11-21 10:04
Bassie wrote:
> ... Above and beyond this, there apparently exist
> (though I've never seen them!) instruments with a hole bored
> through the tenon, right through the cork, and even
> single-piece clarinets. Anyone?
My full boehm Centered Tone Bb has the c#/g# hole going through the tenon, in line with the tone holes (I think all full boehms have this design?). The chalumeau c# is much less stuffy than on my Centered Tone A clarinet. It is by far the biggest difference I notice between the two instruments. Otoh, the A clarinet has the Selmer omega system (http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/SK.jpg) which produces a better Bb. I don't think the difference is that big though.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2005-11-21 11:08
Thanks, Maarten - I've been wondering about the truth of that rumour for ages!
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-11-21 15:08
since the pad on the full Boehm C#/G# is on top of the horn, it doesn't get wet like those on a 17/6 instrument. Of course, the throat A/G and the side trill keys still do.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-11-21 20:00
... even more so with offset side/trill keys.
Leblanc LL full Boehm has it's (inline) side/trill key toneholes set high in relation to the lateral centre line of the bore, and it's a shame they've gone over to the offset style on their top models.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2005-11-21 20:16
Bassie wrote "Thanks, Maarten - I've been wondering about the truth of that rumour for ages!"
It's not a rumour at all. It is fact....
The tone hole for C#/G# SHOULD be where the tenon joint is.
To avoid the tenon, it is normally displaced up the enstrumnet. This would make the notes way sharp. So the tone hole is made smaller to correct that sharpness. But that that makes the notes stuffier.
One of the dozens of compromises made in the acoustic design of a clarinet. It's a wonder it works as well as it does!
Post Edited (2005-11-21 20:18)
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-11-22 00:59
Gorden, thanks for that bit of insight.
My articulated G# through the tenon is tied to the bridge mechanism (the G# closes when a right hand finger is closed. It must be carefully adjusted in conjunction with the 1-1 fingerings to play well.
Bob Phillips
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