Klarinet Archive - Posting 000135.txt from 2008/06

From: "Geoff Secomb" <geoff@-----.au>
Subj: Re: [kl] Very resistant upper-register Ab-C on A clarinet
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 02:31:30 -0400

Hi Joe.

A problem like this immediately ends me looking at two things: firstly, is
there any movement of the A key before it picks up the G# key (if not, then
you might have a slight leak there, so back off the adjusting screw
slightly); secondly, check the pads under the Bb and C trill keys and make
sure they are healthy. If these things check out OK, then it's time to look
further.

Best regards,

Geoff Secomb.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Wakeling" <joseph.wakeling@-----.net>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 4:07 PM
Subject: [kl] Very resistant upper-register Ab-C on A clarinet

> Hello all,
>
> A little problem that I'm hoping you can help me with.
>
> I went through a fairly long period (several months) of not playing my A
> clarinet -- dumb, I know -- and am having some problems with it now.
>
> It's always been more resistant than my Bb clarinet but the resistance
> of certain notes -- the upper register G#/Ab and up -- is *very* high,
> to the point that slurring to them at quiet dynamics is very difficult
> indeed.
>
> I can compensate to some extent with embouchure and concentrating on
> support, but that doesn't seem to account for the strong difficulty.
> I'm still not convinced that it's not just me needing to get used to the
> instrument again, and I'm going to put in quite a bit of practice
> playing in this range without the register key so as to make sure I'm
> using the right tongue positions and so on, but I thought I'd ask for
> advice about whether there could be some problems with the instrument
> itself causing this.
>
> Thanks,
>
> -- Joe
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>

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