Klarinet Archive - Posting 000342.txt from 2002/09

From: Nick Simicich <njs@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Reeds and Notes
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 15:52:29 -0400

I am a rank beginner at Clarinet, and clearly should take lessons if I
could afford them.

I bought an Artley, model 17S off of E-Bay. I found that I could not hit
the first note above the break no matter what I did. I am speaking of the
B4, the lowest note in the Clarion register.

This was not just when I tried to play it in order in a scale and could be
hitting the wrong key and getting a squeak, which I guess is common. No
matter how long I set up to play the note, and how carefully I positioned
my fingers, it would not sound. I soaked the reeds, played them dry, no
difference. I would either get a "block" or a short squeal and a block.
The C5 would play, occasionally, but it mostly blocked. If I started at
the D5, I could play down to the B4 and it would sound as long as I held
it, without any failures.

Sherman Friedland answered a question from someone who was having the same
trouble as I was, I think in his column which is on the web.

Based on a recommendation in a different column of his, I changed
mouthpieces to a used Selmer with an HS* facing, but it did not make any
difference. I had tried a Rico 2 1/2 and a Vandoren 2, based on a local
music store recomendation. Of course, the same mouthpiece on a different
Clarinet would sound this note just fine.

Someone suggested a Rico Plasticover reed. (For that Dark sound, I
guess.) I bought some in strength 2. That was it. The note sounds
without a problem. I now seem to have to move my lower lip slightly
farther down the reed to play the G5 or A5, but if I do I can play up to
the C6, without problems, and sometimes even some notes in lower altissimo
(which sometimes are even in tune). The parrots really like them. (Not
the reeds, too expensive, and they would probabaly like hunks of 2x4
better anyway, they like the notes because they are loud and high.)

I guess I believe that this note should have played without the Rico
plasticover reed. Does anyone have any thoughts as to why this might have
been the case? Part of the problem is that, frankly, I feel that the notes
that I can hit sound better with the uncoated reeds...as if, well here we
are subjective evaluation, but firmer, less waivery. The advantage to the
plasticover is that they just seem to play, while I would have to change
the cane reeds and let them dry after practicing a while.

Pressing all the keys hard as I try to hit the note (to insure that they
are sealed) does not help. Stopping and pushing on the closed keys to
insure that they are well seated does not seem to help. I get a little
help if I try the alternate fingering that is on woodwind.org, where the A
key is opened, but the note is still not reliable - it sounds about 60% of
the time and 40% it blocks. Sherman Friedland said that some Clarinets
were "stuffy" on this note. I have started playing this note with a trill
key, but that seems like a bad habit to get in to, and, frankly, I
sometimes have the same trouble with the C5 (which can also be played with
a couple of trills).

If this suggests a mechanical problem to someone with the Clarinet I'd
like to hear about it. If the Artley 17S is known to be stuffy on this
note and I should consider myself lucky for finding any reed that will
work, that would be nice to know as well. Thanks for reading this far.

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