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 make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: clarinete09 
Date:   2011-12-12 11:53

What would happen if some maker would come up with a clarinet desig with no barrel, but a longer upper joint so you would just put the mp there?
I know this may be really stupid due to intonation issues, ect.. But has someone tried to do such a thing in the past?

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: tictactux 2017
Date:   2011-12-12 12:21

Where would the benefits of a barrel-less design be?

If there are no obvious benefits, no one would either manufacture nor buy it.

--
Ben

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: clarinete09 
Date:   2011-12-12 12:24

tictactux wrote:

> Where would the benefits of a barrel-less design be?
>

That is exactly what i would like to find out!

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Caroline Smale 
Date:   2011-12-12 12:48

I am sure I have seen old pictures of a clarinet without separate barrel, possibly from a museum.
If I recall correctly it had a very long mouthpiece tenon for tuning.
I could imagine that pulling out and creating a perturbation much closer to the mouthpiece could have more undesirable effects than pulling out at the barrel. Also having separate barrel allows for different lengths to mitigate need for excessive pulling out not to mention ability to vary barrel geometry more easily.

And where would our custom barrel makers get their business!!!



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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Ken Shaw 2017
Date:   2011-12-12 12:58

They have been made, mostly in the early 20th century. See, for example, http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbnid=OwGWd3asurFgaM:&imgrefurl=http://forum.saxontheweb.net/showthread.php%3F123120-Eb-Sopranino-Clarinet-Question&docid=PdBpf5hYh4NKdM&imgurl=http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff14/Jim_Warshauer/IMG_4902.jpg&w=1024&h=768&ei=_gXmToGDIcnd0QGJsPi-BQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=763&vpy=207&dur=1807&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=136&ty=147&sig=112559344528918615186&page=1&tbnh=182&tbnw=258&start=0&ndsp=27&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&biw=1668&bih=902.

They have the advantage that there is one less joint and the bore has no break.

However, there are several disadvantages:
1. A longer billet of wood is required, which is hard to find without flaws.
2. There's one less place to pull out for tuning.
3. A bad crack means the entire joint must be replaced.
4. Different length barrels are used for tuning.
5. The modern polycylindrical bore would be difficult or impossible to make.
6. The barrel bore often has the shape of an inverted cone or even a wasp-waist double taper. This is difficult or impossible without being able to work from the bottom of the barrel.

Ken Shaw



Post Edited (2011-12-12 12:59)

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: bill28099 
Date:   2011-12-12 13:37

My teacher had an old (~1913) Buffet with no barrel. It had been worked on and tuned by a couple of skilled local technicians and was one of the nicest playing horns I ever met. After he retired his R13s were put away and he used it as his primary instrument.

A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: clarinete09 
Date:   2011-12-12 13:41

Thank Ken, it makes alot of sense! And thanks for the link!bill28099 wrote:

> My teacher had an old (~1913) Buffet with no barrel. It had
> been worked on and tuned by a couple of skilled local
> technicians and was one of the nicest playing horns I ever met.
> After he retired his R13s were put away and he used it as his
> primary instrument.
>

bill28099

That sounds interesting, do you happen to have a picture of that 1913 buffet you can share with us?

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Jeroen 
Date:   2011-12-12 13:47

Buffet made these kind of instruments. I own such an A clarinet (1910-1920?) It is not a good instrument, the sound and intonation are not up to modern standards so I don't use it. It seems that instruments without barrel were the cheaper instruments back then. But the looks are good!

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: clarinete09 
Date:   2011-12-12 13:56

Thank you Jeroen! By the way thanks to your recomendation about Viotto mps, I have a trial packagr on.my way to try. . One of them the german model N1+2!

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Chris J 
Date:   2011-12-12 14:01

Here is a catalogue entry from 1890, made by Martin Thibouville



And this is mine, as featured in the catalogue



Chris

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: clarinete09 
Date:   2011-12-12 14:05

thank you very much Chris!
Yours look pretty good! You have taken good care of it!

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2011-12-12 14:22

The clarinettists of Les Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble played late 19th/early 20th Century clarinets of this type (Boehm system with the long top joint) from what I saw a few years back at the BBC Proms. I've seen several listed on French eBay.

More recently, the Orsi 'Verdi' model clarinets were made with an integral barrel with different length inserts, but they're no longer listed on their site.

http://www.orsi-wind-instruments.it/

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

Post Edited (2011-12-12 14:28)

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Chris J 
Date:   2011-12-12 14:24

Actually - it is in the state I bought it. It is on my waiting list for renovation but as it is a High Pitch instrument it does not get any priority!

Mine (No. 22) was all of 220 Francs in its time!



Chris

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Caroline Smale 
Date:   2011-12-12 18:35

Chris J,
what is the depth of the top (mouthpiece) socket?

Also interesting to note that ebonite models were more expensive than the equivalent in wood. I've noted this in old Hawkes catalogs also.



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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Ed 
Date:   2011-12-12 19:19

It would really make an impact on the accessory market and give clarinet players one less thing to obsess over.

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2011-12-12 20:08

Weight for weight, PVC is more expensive than grenadilla nowadays.

Seeing as ebonite is a right bitch to work with as well as being a man-made material, that ought to account for the higher price of clarinets made from it back then.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Chris J 
Date:   2011-12-12 21:19

From Norman, "what is the depth of the top (mouthpiece) socket?"

The top socket has a depth of 17.2mm, with a diameter of 23.2mm

Chris

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 Re: make a clarinet with no barrel?
Author: Caroline Smale 
Date:   2011-12-12 22:36

Thanks Chris,
depth is just same as most modern barrels but about 0.3mm narrower. I have come across several older instruments where it has been necessary to open up the socket a tad to accept a modern mouthpiece.



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