You may recall that about a month ago I uprgraded my clarinet with the addition of a Backun barrel. It is wonderful; it makes me love playing clarinet. Of course, Backun is also known for his bells. Often times you will see pictures of clarinetists with the Backun bell and barrel. So, I had to know: would a better bell make a difference? I mean, I can see that the barrel is next in line behind the mouthpiece, and that its location would have an effect on the tone, resistance, and tuning. The bell, however is way down there at end. Really? It'll matter?
The answer is yes. It's effect is more pronounced on longer notes (notes in the right hand), but overall the clarinet is much freer feeling without being strident. I'm very impressed! If you have the opportunity (and funding), these are definitely worth checking out!
