Klarinet Archive - Posting 000469.txt from 2002/12

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Intonation and allergies
Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2002 19:30:12 -0500

At 03:52 AM 12/19/2002 +0000, Natilius Theresius Visagius
wrote:
>I have two questions. First of all, my clarinet seems to have odd
>intonation problems. My thumb F is almost always flat by about 20-25 cents
>(though it is pushed in all the way at the barrel), My middle C is
>extremely sharp (so much so that I have to pull the bell out about to the
>cork), and every other note seems to have it's own interpretation of "in
>tune." I'm on Vandoren 3 1/2s with a Vandoren 5RV 13 mouthpiece on a
>Buffet E-12. I was thinking that maybe I need a little bit harder reed. It
>might raise the F a bit (right?), and I would just have to tolerate having
>a bell about to fall off the end. Any suggestions? Is my horn screwed up,
>maybe?

Sounds like several different problems. I doubt that changing reed
strength will have any impact whatsoever. You might want to see a
technician. Also, if possible, try a different mouthpiece and see if you
have the same problems.

>Secondly, I'm helping out one of my fellow clarinets with her chair
>audition tape that we have to make over the holiday break. I noticed today
>that she was on a plastic-coated reed (which neither I nor my band
>director care for). I told her she should probably play on regualar reeds,
>but she explained to me that her skin becomes highly agitated and breaks
>out, which causes her great pain (there's even a scar right where the
>mouthpiece rests on her lip). Does anyone know if there is a cure (or even
>what the problem is)? My band director suggested vasaline, but apparently
>she's tried it already with no improvement. Or maybe there is some kind of
>tape or cover of some sort that she could place on her lip?

I knew a fellow bass clarinetist in college who had the same problem -- an
allergic reaction to reeds. She also used a Plasticover reed. Nowadays, we
have Legeres and other synthetic reeds which should also be
acceptable. Anything else one could put on the lip or the reed would
likely cause even more negative effect on tone than a plastic-coated or
synthetic reed would.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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