 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2021-11-09 23:43
Attachment: double register vent mechanism.jpg (59k)
Carrying on the discussion going on in the other thread, I wanted to create this post to describe my idea for a double register vent mechanism for Bb clarinet. Keeping simplicity in mind, I came up with a design that has only 3 moving parts (replacing the one register key). My design links to the right hand ring key so that the lower vent is open for B through F# and the upper vent is open for G through C#.
The advantages of such a system would be:
1) Improvement of wide 12ths
2) Less hesitation switch between the lower and upper register
3) Improved response in the upper register
4) Altissimo D can be played with just the register key as on bass clarinet
One disadvantage would be added complexity, however with lots of adjusting screws (like you see on bass clarinet) it could be managed.
I've though of patenting such an idea, but in the interest of driving innovation I invite anyone with the skills or connections to manufacturers to do with this design as they please.
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2021-11-10 00:05
Two new vents drilled above the throat A tone hole?
To differentiate this clarinet from others, some new name for it might prove useful.
We announce the development of the Front Vented Soprano Clarinet
or the True-Vent Clarinet (Tru-Vent)
New-Vent Clarinet (Nu-Vent)
Auto-Vent Clarinet
Hi-Vent (Bi-Vent, Duo-Vent) Clarinet
Responsive Register Clarinet
Balanced Register Clarinet
Two-Vented Clarinet
Partitioned Register Clarinet
Balanced Vent Clarinet
Separately Vented Clarinet
Well-Vented Clarinet
Well-Tempered Clarinet
Try enough descriptive terms and one will sound right.
Post Edited (2021-11-10 00:43)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-11-10 00:11
You can simplify things and reduce the amount of adjusting screws by fitting a rocker-style mechanism where the vents are, similar to that seen on saxes and bass clarinets.
I designed a fully automatic 8ve mechanism for Howarth which they're using on several of their fully automatic instruments as it only has the one adjusting screw instead of four or more seen on most fully automatic 8ve mechanisms making it far more reliable and easier to keep in adjustment.
http://test.woodwind.org/oboe/BBoard/read.html?f=10&i=6832&t=6831
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: donald
Date: 2021-11-11 00:40
The confusion between the "register exchange" and "throat Bb venting" mechanisms has a long history - even Jack Brymer got it wrong in his book, describing the SK mechanism as having separate vents for the two functions.
I can see some issues with your proposed system, but I'm sure you'll work it out. The system you propose is actually very similar to one I've seen on a German system clarinet. My wife has a book (in German) about Oskar Oehler and his apprentices, and there is also a photo in there of something along these lines - if I have time later today I'll see if I can find that.
For my part, I devised a way to utilise the right hand index finger Eb/Bb key to open the existing side Bb vent.
This has advantages...
- no need to drill new holes, and a very straightforward mechanism with minimal adjustment required.
Two disadvantages...
- need to learn a new fingering (though, the existing fingering would still work unchanged, and not be lost)
- the trill from high C to altissimo D using the trill key would be lost
I have a plan to adapt an old Mazzeo clarinet I've got (the Mazzeo mechanism is missing some bits so happy to use it for something else), but have to convince my wife that it's worth spending money on, and my tech guy is in the middle of putting his workshop into storage for 6 months....
Post Edited (2021-11-11 07:43)
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Author: ACCA
Date: 2021-11-12 12:43
seabreeze wrote:
> To differentiate this clarinet from others, some new name for it might prove useful.
> We announce the development of the Front Vented Soprano Clarinet
> or the True-Vent Clarinet (Tru-Vent)
> New-Vent Clarinet (Nu-Vent)
> Auto-Vent Clarinet
> Hi-Vent (Bi-Vent, Duo-Vent) Clarinet
> Try enough descriptive terms and one will sound right.
if you began marketing it before Christmas ("the perfect Xmas gift for the clarinet playing nutter in your life!") you could call it the "Add-vent"!
I'll get my coat...
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-11-12 18:47
jdbassplayer - would it make sense to get someone to build one so people could try it? In Universities these days they very often have spin-out offices that help academics to turn their ideas into busineses. Maybe you could approach one of them to ask if they think they could do something with it?
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Author: ebonite
Date: 2021-11-12 19:00
Do the size and position of the two vents correspond to a scaled-down bass clarinet? If so, would that lead to a wide 12th on low E / middle B?
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2021-11-12 20:30
Not necessarily, the vents can be wherever they work the best. The lower vent will be larger to make Bb more in tune and full, but it will only help clarion B as it is now closer to the acoustically correct position.
-Jdbassplayer
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