 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2012-12-31 17:56
I am a self-taught senior citizen player on a student grade Vito bass that I am largely satisfied with. I can play up the range from low Eb to altissimo F as long as I go up one note at a time. However, when I jump from say, clarion lower C straight to clarion upper C all I get is squeaks. I can only jump up to the middle G reliably. I have read many references on the board to have a need for a double register mechanism. In my case this is not likely to happen, but I was wondering if drilling out the single register tube to a slightly greater diameter would work. Can I sense the techs amongst you screaming out "Don't do it" !!!!
Thank you for any responses, and a Happy New Year to you all.
Alan
tiaroa@shaw.ca
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-12-31 17:59
Measure the diameter it currently is and keep a record of it, so if you do drill it out and that doesnt work, you can fill it in again with soft solder and drill it back out to the original diameter.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2012-12-31 19:34
Hi Alan,
Your register mechanism is probably maladusted. Most likely the pad on the bottom of the instrument (just above your thumb) which opens for the 'pinch' throat Bb is cracking open slightly when the register key is supposed to be opening just the register vent. Try fixing that before you mess with drilling out the register tube (which, on Leblanc basses including the Vito, is pretty much optimal for its function, given the inherent limitations of the single-register-vent design).
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-12-31 20:09
up to G (just above the staff) is the norm "limit" for single-vent basses. Above that you need a) a well-adjusted register mechanism as per David S., b) a good reed and mouthpiece and c) the embouchure that makes it all fall into place.
My shortcut: ever so silently just slur the note. The main culprit, IMO, is the air column that stops vibrating between notes.
Now you finally have a meaningful application for the suggestion to "play" the rests. :-)
(fixed typo)
--
Ben
Post Edited (2013-01-01 09:43)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-12-31 20:38
On double speaker mechanisms, the note that suffers most is the upper register F# with the standard fingering. This is why German/Oehler system basses often have a triple vent mechanism so the lowest vent is for throat Bb to upper Eb, the middle vent is for E to G# and the crook vent is for A upwards.
Either the three vents work automatically which is no doubt a pretty complex bit of mechanism or there are two speaker key touches where one of the touches has two vents that automatically switch and the other touch has a single semi-automatically operated (or articulated) vent that is closed when both thumb touches are pressed together.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-01-01 14:33
Trust me, you've got a leak. I repair lots of bass clarinets. It could be that the throat Bb pad (thumb lever) is opening or a leak in an upper pad or both. Yesterday it took me a while getting the upper clarion to play because of multiple leaks.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2013-01-02 23:44
I could think of several reasons for this happening, including what Steve said about a leak, that is probably the reason. There could be other reasons including you not voicing correctly, pinching, choking etc. I'd suggest you take it to either a pro player and have them play it to see if it's the horn or you or at least take it to a good tech that can play the bass and see what they say. Also, my experince with some student single register basses is that some just don't respond well on that high C, to stuffy and resistant.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2013-01-03 00:36
Thank you all for the very useful advice. A leak may be the culprit. I put a slip of cigarette paper under the pad below the register key and it seemed to pull out a little too easily, compared to other closed pads. I will take it to my teck, I don't trust myself.
Alan
tiaroa@shaw.ca
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