 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Daniel Hong
Date: 2010-12-28 09:52
I recently got a new Buffet R-13 for a decent price off the web- It plays perfectly and it's very freeblowing and it's just a HUGE improvement on tone and I instantly fell in love with the clarinet.
However, I played this clarinet right once I got it for about 1or 2 hours and didn't really break it in today --
It was realy freeblowing until a while ago some keys are still but some feel semimore resistant or "stuck" it's harder to blow out where as the notes just came out the first time I got it..
is it because the clarinet is adapting? because it came from the mainland and i live in very humid hawaii? or what? I'm not very advanced but I used to play on an E11 which I don't think has a polycylindrical bore - not sure about these things but what do you guys think?
and should i do a break in process and play it in slowly?
Thanks, Daniel
Post Edited (2010-12-28 09:54)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-12-28 12:53
It is a matter of opinion on how to break in a clarinet but most people agree it should be broken in to some degree. You probably shouldn't have played it for two hours the first day but since you are in a warm climate it probably didn't do any harm. I would suggest that you slow it down to maybe a half hour a day for the first month, then an hour for a second month. All clarinets will change somewhat when new and that goes double in your climate. Chances are the wood is expanding and that would account for the problems and changes you are noticing. Once it's broken in you may have to take it to tech to get the keys regulated. As far as the bore changing, that's anyone's guess, it might change for the better and it may change for the worse, only time will tell. If you don't like it after say 6 months I'd suggest trying different barrels to see if that helps getting back to the feeling you want. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sonicbang
Date: 2010-12-28 16:37
A good way to make the clarinet a bit more resistant to humidity level changes is to oil the bore with liquid paraffine.
1. Let dry the horn for 3-4 days
2. Cover the pads with kitchen film
3. Oil the bore with a piece of pheasant feather
4. Let the wood 'drink' the oil (if the bore gets dry during th first 2 days, repeat part 3)
This process usually takes 3-4 days. You have to clean the bore and it's ready to play/break in.
It helps prevent craking too. Repeat this twice a year and after 3-4 years once a year.
Hope this helps. If you have questions I try to answer them.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: EEJ
Date: 2010-12-28 17:18
I would agree with ESO. Slow down the break-in process. Also, new instruments have been oiled and prepared at the factory so further oiling is really not necessary... unless (very) perhaps you are in an extremely dry climate, which you are not. Oil can gum the pads and cause the tone holes to change somewhat (easily fixed with a pipe cleaner or "Q" TIP, BUT WHY GO THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?) Oily tone holes also make for potentially severe "bubbling" i. e. water in the keys/pads. I understand that the E11s were initially made for Buffet by a German Bassoon company and superbly prepared/oiled, which is why you may not have the problems you now encounter.
Hope this helps!"Toscaplayer"
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-12-28 17:22
François Kloc, Buffet's American representative and a highly skilled repairman, has written that the bores of new Buffets should not be oiled, at least for many years. http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=295658&t=295641
If I understand you correctly, the problem is sluggish key movement. That can't be cured by oiling the bore. Your first step should be the simplest: put a small drop of key oil at each key intersection.
If that doesn't work, it's possible that the wood has swelled enough to bring posts closer together, causing the key action to bind even if it's well lubricated. Sometimes a light tap on a post is all that's needed. Sometimes a post has turned and needs to be reset and perhaps anchored. Sometimes the tip of a pivot screw needs to be ground smidgen shorter. Sometimes the end of a tube needs to be shortened.
This is work you should never attempt yourself. It takes considerable expertise to locate the problem and decide which of several solutions is best. If your Buffet is new, the warranty will cover the problem.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: pewd
Date: 2010-12-28 17:29
I disagree with oiling with liquid paraffin - please do not do that.
Have a clarinet teacher or professional player check out the instrument for you.
By 'new' - do you mean brand new, unused, or new to you?
Are the pads factory new, or is this a used insturment?
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Daniel Hong
Date: 2010-12-28 21:46
The clarinet is completely brand new-- and not the physical key movement itself but I meant when you blow through the instrument it kind of pauses before it plays for say less than a second which is noticeable.. This was definitely not a problem the first time I got and played the instrument but the problem developed over the one or two hours playing it.. Is this just adaptation of the clarinet to warmer more humid weather and saliva or just a mere problem of insufficient air support that I may have with playing an instrument like the r13? Advice and thoughts are greatly appreciated! Thanks for the tips or comments so far as well :-)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-12-28 22:52
Sorry, I misunderstood you. Hesitation almost always means a leaky pad, which is a quick and easy fix for any technician.
If the pads are tight, look for, kaynahorah, a crack.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-12-29 08:23
Could be a lot of things, swelling of course is my guess. The cool part is the humid pretty much lasts all year. You probably already did this, but change your reeds around a bit. As we all know a good reed one day may be trash the next day.
I think it is always a good idea to have a gifted repairman do his magic. I do my own work. I was lucky to take lessons from one of the best. Anyway, maybe get real cork pads on the upper register. The repairman will of course check for leaks throughout the horn. If a few notes are out of tune leave it alone, because the horn is still breaking in. After perhaps a year then you can start adjusting the out of tune notes, you can also mess around with different barrels to help the tuning. Before are start drilling I also try different mouthpieces. If nothing works then have the repairman adjust the key height and adjust the tone holes holes if need.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2010-12-29 23:34
You didn't say whether the problem appeared on day two or just the day you got it. Maybe after two hours of playing your breath support (and embochure) was weakening and thus it appeared to be harder blowing.
Is the problem with all the notes, just mid-staff B and C, or ...?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
