 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Caleb Mason
Date: 2010-03-06 22:32
I have heard that some older alto clarinets were built sharp, by today's (440 hz) standards. I heard this while trying to figure out why the beautiful old Selmer alto I got on ebay played so sharp. I thought maybe it was me, and this was just one of the problems you encounter when you're used to soprano. But finally, after six months, I think it's the horn. When I set my tuner to 448 hz, it is rock solid on the green, in both registers, and in tune with itself. At 440 hz, to get it even somewhat in tune, I have to pull the neck out so far that the B natural throat fingering is a full half step flat, the tuning is inconsistent through the range, and the upper half of the upper register is still sharp.
So while I am absolutely ready to believe that I'm doing a million things wrong, my experiment showed me that this instrument plays beautifully, consistently in tune, if only we jack ourselves up a few herz. Sadly, however, I play small-group jazz, and the rest of the world likes things at 440.
Anyone else heard about this issue with altos, or dealt with it themselves? I will persevere one way or the other, because I love the idea of using alto for jazz.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-03-06 23:25
Wooden instruments are prone to shrinking, in varying dimensions, to varying degrees. So I wouldn't be surprised if an elderly instrument (of which we don't know how well it was looked after) might be a bit sharp. The longer the instrument (or the air column within), the more apparent this can be.
448, however, is a bit too much, unless it was built as a high pitch instrument, but then it'd be a bit flat.
From what I hear, mouthpieces can attribute a lot to an instrument's tuning, so...is it consistent with every beak you could try?
--
Ben
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Author: jasperbay
Date: 2010-03-06 23:50
You might also check an earlier thread, about 4 days earlier, concerning a Leblanc Alto that quite possibly had an incorrect neck, that was about an inch too short. Maybe Altoes should have an adjustable neck, but that would hike the price even more.
Clark G. Sherwood
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2010-03-07 04:59
If the tuning is that horrible, it's probably not just you. If there's a possible replacement neck that's longer that might help, but I have no idea where to get that.
If I were you, I would talk to one of the mouthpiece makers that makes alto mouthpieces, or send the current one, and ask them to do whatever they can to make the pitch lower and have the mouthpiece still be functional.
At the end of the day, while there are some that love the alto, there are generally more who either flat out hate the instrument or at least discourage its use. You're experiencing some of the reasons why this is not a more popular instrument.
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2010-03-07 05:01
Clarinet choir and being used in place of a basset horn are the only places that these instruments are commonly used.
I've played alto for one concert in my clarinet life, and it was rough. Decent instrument\mouthpiece\reed and it was a fight to make it work within an ensemble.
The squeek that can come out of an alto clarinet is something EXTRA special! =)
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Author: BobD
Date: 2010-03-07 10:58
Ah, the Alto clarinet. They are a lot like anchovies; both begin with "a" and you either love 'em or hate 'em. In his semi-autographical book Jack Brymer writes about the problems caused in past years over changing concert pitch.
Bob Draznik
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Author: spage
Date: 2010-03-07 10:58
I would agree with both tictactux's comments. I believe that older Selmer Paris altos (I'm assuming we're talking Paris here), and basset horns, were often built to 442. How old is yours?
Rather than just adjusting by pulling out the neck I think it would be worth you adjusting at every nearly every joint (m'piece<->neck, neck<->top joint, top joint<->bottom joint). Pulling out lots at just one joint can make the internal tuning of any instrument on the screwy side! My 1975 Selmer Paris alto certainly needs a bit of overall pulling out and has also had other adjustments to toneholes and to venting heights.
I also agree that, as with all instruments, a combination of mouthpiece and reed that suits both you and the instrument is important. Certainly worth talking to someone who knows about mouthpieces for the lower members of the family.
Good luck with it - and please don't give up on altos (though it doesn't sound like you're planning to). They're grand instruments when played by someone who is prepared to give them a little love! They can, and do, blend well in an ensemble. Equally well, when needed, their distinctive voice can add a wonderful colour. I think that a Bb->bass->alto progression is likely to be smoother than just Bb->alto.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2010-03-07 18:14
Have you made any tuning rings to put in the neck, a la the tuning rings sold for Bb clarinets?
Perhaps another mouthpiece would play differently.
My 1960s Selmer Series 9 basset horn plays at 440, but only after fully warmed up. In winter, it can be 20 cents flat until all that beautiful wood gets up to temperature.
How about asking Selmer about this? Perhaps they make a longer neck. Good luck!
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