Klarinet Archive - Posting 000347.txt from 2003/02

From: Karl Krelove <karlkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] another new r-13 question
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2003 08:44:56 -0500

The G#/C# is a notoriously bad fingering on a Boehm system clarinet - apart
from the possibility of a vibrating pad cover ("singing pad") already
mentioned, there is generally a design problem (or, rather, a solution to
problem) that can cause stuffiness and intonation difficulties with these
notes. The hole acoustically belongs somewhere within the joint itself - its
placement on a Boehm clarinet (I don't know about other systems) on the
upper section is too high, so to compensate, the hole is made smaller to
bring the pitch down to something close to the correct level. If you make
the hole an appropriate diameter for a good, clean sound, it will unsuitably
sharp. If you bring the pitch all the way down to where it *should* be, the
hole is too small and causes resistance and a stuffy tone. The fuzz, by the
way, will be more audible in the C# simply because it is farther away in
pitch than it is from the G#. Then there is the problem of which twelfth
you really want to be in tune, because the other difficulty, as we all are
constantly aware, is that the twelfths on a Boehm clarinet are not accurate,
involving a whole other set of compromises regarding bore, register tube and
mouthpiece/barrel dimensions.

The usual solution is to have a technician "undercut" the tone hole (flare
the inside opening) just enough to get both notes close enough to be able to
get them to play in tune by embouchure and blowing adjustments. At this
point, the fuzz generally also reaches a point where it is at least
ignorable if it hasn't disappeared entirely. This takes some trial-and-error
work with a tech, and it's often better to do a little, then play on it for
awhile before you decide to do more.

Of course, a buzzing pad is easier to fix and should be checked out first. A
cork pad can solve that problem if you don't mind the slight click it makes
when it closes.

Good luck with it,

Karl Krelove

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Amanda Cassidy [mailto:ahsclarinet_elizabeth@-----.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 8:00 AM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: Re: [kl] another new r-13 question
>
>
> I have a similar problem with my Selmer Omega. Also on mine,
> though, the C#
> is extremely high - so much that when I play C# with another
> clarinet, mine
> sounds a slightly flat D. For long tones, I've learned to compensate with
> my air. But it's very hard to do so in fast movements. Since the G#
> doesn't seem to be affected by this, is there anything that can
> be done just
> for the C#? When I received the clarinet new 3 years ago this month, the
> retailer said it was just airy sounding because of the location
> of the tone
> hole. At the time I couldn't hear differences in pitch.
> -Amanda
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dan Arsenault" <danarsenault@-----.net>
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 5:09 AM
> Subject: [kl] another new r-13 question
>
>
> > Many thanks for the responses, both on-list and private, to my question
> > regarding joint tightness in my new r-13. Another question: I
> seem to have
> > an audible buzz on low C#, but not, as far as I can hear, on the
> > corresponding G#. It sounds like pad buzz. Could this be with quite new
> > pads?
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>

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