MECHANICAL FEATURES

bb’ mechanism: This option solves a fundamental physical problem of the clarinet: it ensures an easier response and better intonation in the overblown register thanks to a smaller speaker vent, while at the same time improving the sound of the short bb’ thanks to an additional resonance hole. Clarinets with a bb’ mechanism can ideally do without a bell mechanism, as the bb’ mechanism allows a completely different tuning of the notes in the high and low registers. Out Model 2000 clarinet is manufactured with a bb’ mechanism as standard.

Register key with connecting mechanism: This mechanism enables a well-tuned c sharp”’ (as played only with the left thumb). The f sharp resonance hole is closed automatically.

Simple register key: of course, it is also possible to equip your Model 2000 with a simple register key – i.e. without resonance key or connecting mechanism.

With our a’-bb’ trillmodel, the trill hole is closer to the top trill. The a’ to bb’ trill key can be used to trill not only a’ to bb’ but also ab’ to bb’, bb’ to b’ and c”’ to d”’.

Our Model 2000 is also optionally available with an f’-g’ trill. Here the trill tone hole is roughly at the same height as the tone hole for ab’. a’ to b’ and c”’ to c”’ sharp are trilled with the top trill. c”’ to d”” is played with the additional second key, as is f’ to g’ (particularly useful if the second c”’ key has been built). If the two upper trill keys are pressed simultaneously, bb’-c” can be trilled. a’ to bb’, ab’ to bb’ and bb’ to b’ require considerably more effort than clarinets with an a’-bb’ trill key.

Of course, it is also possible to limit the number of trills to three. In this case, the clarinet only has an a’ trill key, c’ trill key and short bb’ trill key.

Fork-f with A/e” mechanism: a smaller tone hole for the ring finger on the right is supplemented by a resonance hole underneath. This keeps the A low enough and the e” high enough.

Fork-f with cross mechanism: The B/f” sharp tone hole moves laterally under the right hand to the side of the body, giving the index finger more space to play comfortably. We particularly recommend our cross mechanism for players with large hands and wide fingers.

Both levers for the left little finger, f and e flat, are alternative fingerings for the keys otherwise played with the right hand and date from the time of the Baermann/Ottensteiner clarinet around 1860. For a long time, the e flat lever was used instead of a fork f resonance key in order to be able to intonate the fork f” high enough. Today, the f-lever is preferred in order to be able to avoid slipping the ring finger on the right and to avoid the sound of the fork fingering. Where we can get to know our customers’ hands, these lifters are positioned so that the little finger can make optimum use of them. Find out more on our page on custom-made products.

With us, you have the choice of having both levers fitted to your instrument, just one of them or none at all. On request, we can also build our Model 2000 so that one or both of the levers can be easily retrofitted.

Without this mechanism, playing the c” sharp is only possible with both little fingers. With a split c key, the c sharp” can also be played with the alternative fingering with the left little finger only. In addition, G/d” sounds much freer because two semitone holes are open and not just one whole tone hole.

Schwenk & Seggelke clarinets are available without any bell mechansim, with a low E-mechanism or with a low E-F mechanism. In some rare cases, we have also built clarinets with the low F-mechanism only. The low E-mechanism corrects the intonation of the low E through a resonance hole in the bell. The low E-F mechanism also corrects the low F through a small resonance hole with a corresponding key mechanism on the lower joint. These two mechanisms are the same for all Schwenk & Seggelke models in A and B flat.