Clarinet Angle and Vandoren 88 MPCs

[delb0y]

To get the nicest tone out of my current set-up (Noblet Artist & Hite Premiere) I have to have the clarinet way up, rather like the pictures you see of the old New Orleans players, not quite horizontal, but getting there. This gives me a nice open sound and as I drop the clarinet I hear a noticeable change in tone, not for the better.

However, that angle is tiring on the arms, and needs a lot of space. I was wondering if a Vandoren 88 mpc, with the altered shape would enable me to get that same tone, but at a lesser angle? Or is that not the point of the 88 series?

Cheers
Derek

[windydankoff]

The VD Profile 88 mp has a slightly lower profile on the beak. It only means your mouth opens slightly less. It won't answer your essential problem. A CURVED (ANGLED) BARREL is the direct solution. Use your favorite MP and position it as you wish, but the clarinet faces more downward.

Jared DeLeone makes curved barrels using 3D printing of a lightweight plant resin-wood fiber material. Another way is to angle-cut, rotate the parts, and glue them. This is the centuries-old way to produce curves in wooden tubes.

I have produced angled barrels for G clarinets. It solves a positioning challenge due to the instruments length. I start with a standard hard rubber barrel at least 2mm longer than I want, to compensate for some loss when it is angle-cut, flattened precisely, and glued back together. I do some smoothing of the bore transition before it is glued. Afterward, a bit of filling where the angle leaves some space. I use CA glue to join, and JB Weld epoxy to fill on the inside, and on the outside if desired. The photos show an example. (3rd photo shows one with less angle.)