Vito Reso-tone U.S.A 3 Clarinet'
Doug
I found them most interesting and informative.
I can now tell you of my experiences with the new one I bought.
At rehearsal and concert last week I experienced difficulty in playing
in tune.
At home I could not get the instrument high enough in pitch to read 440
herz with the barrel fully home (all fingers on).
I took one millimetre off each end, and altered the butts (tenons) to
suit.
The instrument does not come up to pitch without a good few blows. For,-
say, - three copies of music time..
I then thoroughly tested each note from low E to the very top G.
With the instrument warm and wet inside and my chops in nice trim, -
wait for it,- every note read zero on my Seiko tuner. It was the same on
my Tanglewood |E 205 tuner. It was not a flash in the pan, I spent a
full afternoon and an evening messing about and the results were the
same.
On Wednesday I spent two hours at rehearsal and on Thursday a concert of
two hours, in the open air.
On Wednesday I was fiddling a lot with the tuning, but on Thursday to
came into its own and was a beaut to play, It was smack in tune all
over.
To get in tune with the brass I found I had the barrel out about 2
millimetres at the bottom end with the mouthpiece end closed up.
I was using the cheapo Woodwind Company Vito mouthpiece on which I had
altered very, very slightly the lay depth to make it match my Pillinger
mouthpiece I use on my B.&.H Symphony 1010. (Can't use the Pillinger on
the Vito because it is a slightly wider bore).
The Vito is slightly heavier than the 1010 but the joints are properly
closed , with no gaps, (except for the deliberate tuning gap at the
bottom end of the barrel.)
I tell you, I am chuffed to bits with this instrument and I don't care
if it is designed for kids, The darn thing plays smack in tune and gives
that lovely uplifting feeling when I am playing. The tone and volume is
very satisfactory.
Now I feel that I should not have taken anything off the length of the
barrel and should have persevered with it.
Anyway, I want urgently a new barrel for a Vito Reso-Tone U.S.A. 3
clarinet so does anyone know where I can get one?.
I have tried all my known merchants in England but I get the brush-off
because no-one seems to stock Vitos and some spoke disparagingly about
the instrument. A famous bits-and-pieces spares shop down South tried
but failed to get any contacts.
Anyone know where I can get a new barrel?.
Speaking of low pitch before warm-up , - does anyone have any
technical knowledge about the reason why it takes so long to come up to
pitch , - and what are the main parameters to consider.
My present thoughts are that your embouchure is not properly tempered
until your lip muscles are used for a short while.
Also the instrument is cold and this affects the width (or length) of
the bore, - and hence the pitch change to a higher pitch when it gets
warm.
I also have the feeling that the moisture which has collected on the
inside of the barrel has narrowed the barrel and this alters the pitch
of the notes. Perhaps a plastic instrument is more prone to one or any
of these conditions, compared to a wooden one.
Rightyho! Then!. - What do the boffins think and what do my fellow
bums have to say?.
Come one, come all!. Everybody welcome!
Please accept my kindest thanks in anticipation.
Best regards to all reeedie-wallahs!
Doug.
Tony Pay
d...@yarlside.demon.co.uk (Doug) wrote:
> Speaking of low pitch before warm-up , - does anyone have any
> technical knowledge about the reason why it takes so long to come up
> to pitch , - and what are the main parameters to consider. My
> present thoughts are that your embouchure is not properly tempered
> until your lip muscles are used for a short while. Also the instrument
> is cold and this affects the width (or length) of the bore, - and
> hence the pitch change to a higher pitch when it gets warm.
I don't think embouchure is very significant.
The bore of a clarinet changes very little with temperature. What
affects the pitch is the temperature of the air inside, and this is
significantly lowered by the cold walls to begin with. Obviously the
thermal conductivity of the walls is involved too, and I imagine that
plastic conducts away heat faster than wood, so it comes up to
pitch only gradually on continuous playing, and not completely until the
instrument is warmed throughout.
Wood, I suppose, on this picture, comes up to pitch quicker on
continuous playing. Does that fit?
Probably someone knows some numbers.
Another playing consideration is that turbulence sets in more readily
when the ambient temperature is low. Thus the instrument 'rings' less
well when it's cold. (See Benade, as usual.)
Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd To...@stsm.demon.co.uk
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE GMN artist: http://www.gmn.com
tel/fax 01865 553339
... Mr. Worf, set phasors on spin dry.