[Dixielandjazz] Click Tuning Barrel

[Russ Guarino]

Barrie,

I have been using the "Click" barrel for about four months now and have been very satisfied.

The barrel did not change the tone of the instrument in any way, a concern that worried me before getting the devise.  I still get the pure, clean, robust sound the 10G Selmer delivered initially.  Yesterday, I loaned the barrel to the clarinet player in the guest band at our monthly "Hot Jazz" meeting who was having some trouble getting into tune.  It worked for her too, using an older Selmer horn and a crystal mouthpiece.

I used the factory barrel for a long time and just tolerated the flat intonation as it wasn't too bad.  The mouthpiece I use is the Selmer HS** and perhaps is the reason I play flat with the factory barrel.

The "Click" barrel is noticeably shorter than the regular barrel and I have been playing  the bottom  position although I recently had the experience of having to lengthen the barrel in a dry warm day.  [ We don't get many of those in Monterey, California ].

The way to move the barrel, I learned after much fussing around, is to hold the barrel in the left hand, palm up and "thumb" the roller with the  right hand, palm down.

The other model I tried had a ring at the top that  twisted clock and counter clock wise, like a bottle cap, but I never could get it to work.

The Click barrel gives me great pleasure when I get precisely in tune.  I tune by ear to the keyboard, A = 440.  I notice my improv is always much improved when I am dead on with intonation.

By the way, there have been some really good discussions about clarinet tuning by Larry Walton, Steve barbone and others. Check the past mailings for some good tips.

Russ Guarino
Clarinet Maverick.

Barrie Walter Marshall wrote:

> This has probably been asked before, I see the Click Tuning Barrel mentioned now and again, I have trouble with tuning now and again, and I like gadgets, are there any comments from clarinet players out there as to its worth, if I do decide to try one I think I will get the locking one, the purchase of this relies on the positive or negative replies to this question, I have read reviews and they vary greatly, I want words from the horses mouth so to speak!
>
> Thanks
>
> Barrie
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