GB2030752A

GB2030752A - Improvements in or relating to clarinets

Info

Publication number: GB2030752A
Application number: GB7838725A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: ACTON G; PEYER G DE
Current assignee: ACTON G; PEYER G DE
Priority date: 1978-09-29
Filing date: 1978-09-29
Publication date: 1980-04-10
Also published as: GB2030752B

Abstract

In order to compensate for flat intonation in a clarinet caused by cold or faulty embouchure of a player the clarinet is provided with a reversible barrel 3 between the mouthpiece 1 and upper point 6. The tenons 2, 7 of the mouthpiece and the sockets 4, 5 in the barrel are of unequal lengths such that in one position of the barrel 3 the instrument is slightly longer than in the other, reversed position of the barrel 3. The barrel 3 is provided with annular ribs to reduce the tendency of the instrument to overheat. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to clarinets This invention concerns improvements in or relating to clarinets.

Clarinets conventionally comprise five parts namely the mouthpiece, the barrel, the upper joint, the lower joint and the bell, separately connected in that order. The connections between the barrel, mouthpiece and upper joints are tenon and socket joints.

It is well known that the intonation of the clarinet varies with its temperature, becoming sharper as the temperature increases. Overheating of the instrument e.g. under concert conditions, is corrected by experienced players by adjusting the tenon and socket connection between the barrel and upper joint slightly to lengthen the instrument and thus flatten the intonation.

Another factor affecting the intonation or tone of the instrument is the embouchure of the player. Inexperienced players of the clarinet, particularly young learners, tend to produce a flat intonation.

The object of the invention is to provide a clarinet particularly adapted for inexperienced players in that the tendency to produce a flat intonation may be readily corrected notwithstanding such players' faulty embouchures.

Thus according to the present invention there is provided a clarinet wherein the barrel is reversible and the tenon and socket connections between the barrel and the mouthpiece and upper section are such that in one position of the barrel the instrument is slightly longer than in the other reversed position of the barrel.

Thus by tuning the instrument with the barrel positioned to result in the greater length of the instrument, reversal of the barrel to shorten the instrument and thus sharpen the intonation will automatically offset the lack of skill of the less skilled player. Such reversal may also be employed to offset the effect of the instrument being cold. Furthermore the arrangement according to the invention in no way impairs the facility to adjust the instrument on overheating slightly to increase its length and thus flatten the intonation.

Preferably the barrel is provided with two sockets for the tenon and socket connections with the mouthpiece and upper joint which sockets are of unequal lengths: the lengths of said tenons are then also correspondingly unequal. A suitable choice of dimensions of the tenons and sockets permits the clarinet to be shorter in one position of the barrel than is possible in the reversed position of the barrel, thus enabling easy adjustment of the clarinet to two predetermined lengths. When the invention is applied to a B-Flat clarinet, such two lengths of the clarinet preferably differ by between 2 mm and 3 mm (about one-tenth of an inch).

The exterior surface of the barrel is preferably ribbed so as substantially to increase its surface area. This facilitates cooling of the barrel, thus keeping the heat of the instrument, and consequently its intonation, steadier.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows a general view of a clarinet.

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section of the upper end of a B-Flat clarinet, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in a first configuration.

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section of the upper end of the clarinet, according to Fig. 1, in a second configuration.

Fig. 1 shows the five sections of a conventional clarinet, namely the mouthpiece 1, the barrel 3, the upper joint 6, the lower joint 8, and the bell 9.

In Figs. 2 and 3 a clarinet according to the preferred embodiment is shown, in which the tenons 2 and 7 of the mouthpiece 1 and upper joint 6 respectively have equal external diameters, the internal diameters of the sockets 4 and 5 of the barrel also being equal.

The barrel may therefore be mounted in two alternative positions to connect the mouthpiece 1 and upper joint, one position being shown in Fig. 3 and the reversed position being shown in Fig. 2. In a conventional clarinet the tenon 2 has a smaller external diameter than tenon 7, and consequently the barrel may only be mounted in one such position.

In the preferred embodiment tenons 2 and 7, on the mouthpiece and upper joint respectively, are of unequal lengths which are the same as the lengths of the associated sockets 4 and 5 of the barrel. For the illustrated B-Flat clarinet the sockets and also the tenons differ in length by 2 mm-3 mm, the amount by which such clarinet must be shortened to correct the faulty embouchure of an unskilled player.

Fig. 3 shows the clarinet in its lengthened configuration, with the socket and tenon connections fully engaged. In such lengthened configuration the clarinet is designed to produce the correct intonation when it is played by a skilled player at the temperature that is expected to be attained after normal use. If the instrument is to be played by an unskilled player who has faulty embouchure, or if it is to be played by an expert whilst it is too cool, the length of the clarinet may be shortened to sharpen the intonation by reversing the barrel to its reversed position shown in Fig. 2.

It will be seen that a clarinet according to the invention may be assembled easily and quickly to produce the correct intonation for use by an expert and also for use by an inexperienced player.

Also shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is the preferred ribbed exterior surface of the barrel, approxi mately thirty ribs being provided which are between 0.5 mm and 2 mm high, are circular and encircle the barrel.

It will be seen that there is provided a simple way of easily and quickly setting the clarinet to two predetermined lengths together with a ribbed barrel construction which reduces the tendency of the instrument to overheat.

Claims

1. A clarinet wherein the barrel is reversible and the tenon and socket connections between the barrel and the mouthpiece are such that in one position of the barrel the instrument is slightly longer than in the other reversed position of the barrel.

2. A clarinet according to claim 1 in which the barrel is provided with two sockets for the tenon and socket connections with the mouthpiece and upper joint which sockets are of unequal lengths.

3. A clarinet according to claim 1 or 2 in the key of B-Flat in which the two lengths of the clarinet differ by between 2 mm and 3 mm.

4. A clarinet according to claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the exterior surface of the barrel is ribbed so as substantially to increase its surface area.

5. A clarinet according to claim 4 in which substantially thirty ribs are provided, which are between 0.5 mm and 2 mm high.

6. A clarinet according to claim 4 or 5 in which the ribs are circular and encircle the barrel.

7. A clarinet substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.