Klarinet Archive - Posting 000185.txt from 2005/03

From: "Lelia Loban" <lelialoban@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] honky alto clarinet
Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 18:17:11 -0500


Peter Stoll wrote,
>I periodically try to help upgrade the workings
>of one of my university's alto clarinets. Tonight
>a student brought it in making a huge shrieky
>sound (like a loud alarm!). They're down to one
>reed, I'm going to pick up a box tomorrow, and
>the mpc. (a noname) seemed to have a flat table.
>In case I'm missing anything, has anyone run into
>this before?

Wouldn't be surprised if the reed turns out to be the whole problem, but
the culprit could also be a dirty register key tube, or a piece of swab
caught on the tube, especially if the honking tone comes with a side order
of squeaks. Also, the students who play this clarinet may have discovered
that a regular clarinet swab can get stuck in the skinny neck. If they're
dealing with that problem by not swabbing out the neck, The Blob may be
growing in there. I take the neck off my alto clarinet and swab it
separately with a silk oboe swab.

Lelia Loban
Are you watching Big Brother?

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