 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: KristinVanHorn
Date: 2008-06-25 13:38
I find that when I put my clarinet together sometimes it doesn't sound as good as it did the day before. But I have found that if I play with the reed adjustment or ligiture tension I can find the sweet spot. Sometimes I even take the reed off completely and put it back on or twist the mouth piece a little. I don't know maybe it's just in my head. Does anyone else do this?
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-06-25 13:56
Yes and I suspect many of us do these things as well. I do find some improvements beyond a psychological [sp?] response, I think. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-06-25 14:04
Not only adjust the reed properly, but twist the barrel and bell to find which position is best.
Leon Russianoff was pretty big on that concept. Reason is that they aren't perfect circles so one position may be better than another.
Or, just put them on always with the labels facing out so that you have the same dimensions each time.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-06-25 14:15
Ah, but if you always put the barrel on the same way the condensation will run down one side all the time and might eventually take the barrel out of shape...
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-06-25 14:33
Yeah, okay, that was a bit tongue-in-cheek. But I have been advised of this... :-)
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2008-06-25 14:43
If you measure the bore diameters in several directions*, you will note that there is an ovoid shape. Years ago, manufacturers would place the logo on barrels and bells to indicate the "sweet spot." Now it is up to you to determine it.
This is especially true for the more exotic woods (cocobolo, Kingwood, etc).
*an internal spring caliper comparator calibrated in thousandths of an inch works best, but it can be done with a telescoping T-shaped rod and a simple caliper.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: hans
Date: 2008-06-25 15:33
KristinVanHorn,
I reassemble it occasionally too, with the same results as you and Don Berger.
In addition, I check the reed position from both sides of the mouthpiece and often find that it's not as level with the top of the mouthpiece as it appeared from the table side.
Hans
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2008-06-25 17:48
Imagine that the barrel and bell have 12 segments around the circumference, like a clock face. Take a small Post-It note and mark an arbitrary noon, evaluate the tone and response, and then turn it to 1:00, and so on. One spot will be noticeably the best. Mark that with the Post-It and then scratch a tiny line (1/8") in the wood below the top ring, even with the register key. For the bell, make it even with the rod holding the low E pad. I've done this with all my clarinets. Even if it doesn't have much effect, it's free.
A much bigger effect comes from placing the reed on the mouthpiece. The reed should be a tiny bit narrower than the outside if the rails -- the width of a fine pencil line. Hold the reed on the mouthpiece with your thumb and make minute adjustments from side to side. You'll find that there's a narrow swet spot where it responds much better than other places. Make sure that the reed seals at the corners of the tip, since even the smallest leak ruins the tone. If necessary, reshape the reed tip or move it up a tiny amount.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-06-25 19:24
You have a fine group of responses here, Kristin, in partic. by Hans and Ken, pointing out the large improvement possibly made by good reed positioning. I have gotten quite "fussy" about reed-centering and the coverage [of the rails/tip], and believe it does help. Playing "old" cls, I generally "line-up" the logos [as on my CT] before trying to rotate-test for improving [bell] ?resonance? on the low E/F perhaps clarion B/C as well. Having a number of barrels, I'm more concerned with tenon/socket fits [am a mediocre re-corker] than with their tonal and range/response character, BUT, a good [skilled repairer] friend gave me 2 "Sounds of Woodwinds HRR" plastic barrels, 64.5 and 66 mm, which are my best, not having tried any of our fine "barrel-rollers" works, which could be even better, I'm sure. Does anyone know of these?, cyl. or tapered? My friend is of the Buffet persuasion, so perhaps they are a Moennig copy ?? ?Too verbose? Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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