"Most symphonic instruments were standardized in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but the design of the clarinet is still changing. O. Lee Gibson begins this first complete study of its acoustical principles with a history of the clarinet, a survey of the instruments of famous clarinetists, and the characteristics of the national schools of clarinet manufacture." "He then describes the modal frequency ratios of a clarinet and the timbres of its tones, as well as its dynamic range, stability, flexibility, and responsiveness. He stresses that all the dimensions of a wind instrument - length, volume, size, weight, and material - are interrelated. He concludes with a discussion of existing but rarely available mechanical improvements and suggests other acoustical enhancements that have not been fully utilized."--BOOK JACKET.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-78) and index.

1. Acoustical History of the Clarinet 2. Famous Clarinetists and Their Instruments 3. National Schools of Clarinet Manufacture 4. The Ear as an Analyzer of Musical Tones 5. Principles for the Acoustical Design of the Clarinet 6. Body Materials: Density and Weight, Finish, and Formants 7. Pitch Standards: The Century, the Country, and the Atmosphere 8. The Bore: Cylindrical Diameter, Effective Bore Size, and Modal Ratios 9. Bore Perturbations: Modal Ratios of Differently Sized Cylinders 10. Variations on a Reversed Cone: The Left-Hand Joint 11. Tone Holes and Fraising 12. Flare in the Lower Bore and the Bell

13. Clarinet Speaker Vents and the Third-Line B[flat] 14. The Clarinet Barrel 15. Mouthpieces: Contrasting French and German Designs 16. Alternative Mechanisms and Systems 17. Reeds and Ligatures App. A. A Summary of Clarinet Acoustics App. B. Tonal Formants in Clarinets App. C. Mouthpieces: Beware of the Bore App. D. Fine-tuning the Clarinet App. E. Stability, Flexibility, and Response in Clarinets App. F. Contemporary Standards for Modal Ratios in Clarinets.