Klarinet Archive - Posting 000343.txt from 2002/09

From: "fred.sheim" <fred.sheim@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Reeds and Notes
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 15:57:58 -0400

You mention so many very bad clarinet practices that you probably should
wait until you can afford a teacher. I shuddered when I read the things
you were doing.

Fred

At 03:52 PM 9/19/02, you wrote:
>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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