Klarinet Archive - Posting 000455.txt from 2001/05

From: Bilwright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] Clarinet History
Date: Sat, 19 May 2001 11:26:44 -0400

<><> ability to excite the next set of overtones

Perhaps I should be embarrassed to admit this, but occasionally I
pick up my instrument with the intent of playing a scale from chalumeau
upwards (that is, without fingering the register key), and only clarion
notes come out. When this happens to me, I attempt to adjust my
embouchure and tongue and to depress my register key a couple of times
(just to convince myself that it isn't stuck open, which it never is),
but nothing works. I remain stuck in the clarion register no matter
what I try.

The only cure (for me) is to move up the scale without touching the
register key until finally I get so high that the reed drops down on its
own accord to the register that I want. Once this happens, the problem
does not recur.

My point is: if this register jump happens unwillingly to me,
then presumably it happened ages ago to other musicians as well. This
assumes that a closed register key (on a instrument that is built to
take advantage of the key when it is opened) is truly the same as an
instrument with no register key at all --- which may not be true.

I feel that someday, when I learn how to force myself down to the
chalumeau register instantly, I will have learned something important.
The obvious suspicion is a leaky pad or a sticky key or a weak spring;
but so far, two different technicians have been unable to spot anything
that needs fixing. I'm fairly certain that it's me, not the
instrument.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org