Klarinet Archive - Posting 000678.txt from 1997/04

From: "Randall, Stephen/LON" <srandall@-----.com>
Subj: Re: saliva and pads?
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 01:26:45 -0400

Tom Asher asked:

>By the way, does anyone have any luck with placing your mouth over
>a hole area and blowing to temporarily clear a clog?

I find this lasts for one opening of the hole. I.e. it clogs, I blow the
water out, I play a note OK using the key, then I play another note
using the key and it is clogged again. The only real answer is to get
the pull through out and give it a good swab.

An interesting thought though. It only clogs the second time the key is
opened after declogging using the blow technique. How does a newly
declogged hole keep new goo from getting in until the key is opened and
then closed again?

Incidentally, I also get a gurgle from the thumb hole after about 5
minutes playing. This happens every time I play and only shows up on an
F#. However, one good puff down the hole and it goes away until the
next session.

Stephen Randall