 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: C. Hogue
Date: 2000-10-04 17:29
I am having a great deal of trouble with just three notes on my bass -- low F, F#, and G. I can get E, Eb, and G# and above with no trouble.
When playing F, F#, and G, they generally come out as clarion C, C#, and D or are heavy with overtones of these notes.
I've made sure the left-hand vent hole is covered. I've been practicing long tones on these notes. I've focused on keeping my throat and mouth very open. However, I still have this problem, especially when I have to play accented or staccato notes.
Any suggestions on what this problem is and how I can solve it? Is it the player or the horn? I toted my horn to the repair shop on Saturday -- but it was closed for Rosh Hashanah.
I've got a concert coming up and one piece my director really wants to play has the bass clarinet as the only instrument playing in a few spots. Guess what notes are involved...
The specs: the horn is an Evette with nice supple pads, mouthpiece Selmer C*, Rovner lig.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2000-10-04 20:42
It may be the instrument. An improperly sealing tone hole could cause the problem. This may be due to a leaky pad or a problem with the key mechanism itself such as a bent key or a missing piece of cork. As you are playing the problem notes, have someone else press the various pads down to determine the location of the leak. When the right tone hole is found, the correct note should sound. A couple of years ago, I was having a similar problem. After incorrectly assuming that the problem was in the lower part of the instrument, I finally discovered that one of the tone holes near the top of the instrument wasn't being completely sealed due to a mechanical problem.
If you are new to the instrument, I wouldn't rule out the player, though. Take more of the mouthpiece in your mouth than you would with a soprano and use a more relaxed embouchre. You could be biting it into the higher register.
--Don Poulsen
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jbutler
Date: 2000-10-05 01:56
Sounds like a leak problem to me. Have it checked out.
J. Butler.
P.S. Are you still playing the alto clarinet?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-10-05 15:48
I agree with Don and John, your horn needs some skilled help. My guesswork is to the register [speaker] mechanism, particularly if you have two vents and the more complex actuation. Of course an upper joint pad leak could act as the register "jump". My bass cl experience is "its gotta be very tight" . Will be interested in what you find out! Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: C. Hogue
Date: 2000-10-05 20:52
Thanks for the excellent advice! Will go to my fav local tech on Saturday and will report on results.
And J. Butler -- your query about alto brought a big smile to my face. I was the 5th best alto in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1977 -- 1st alternate to state band. (Not bad for someone who never had a lesson.) But I haven't played alto since then. I must ask why you asked...
I did recently buy a horn off eBay mismarked in the title and description as an alto but the goose neck in the photo gave it away as a bass.
Every few weeks a bass is mismarked as an alto on eBay. This can work to the financial advantage of potential bass buyers since altos fetch a substantially lower price.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
