 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Xoen
Date: 2017-06-09 12:21
Hi, I'm a high school clarinet player on a Buffet E12F using an M30 mouthpiece. (I mention those things because I honestly don't know how much they're affecting my issue) Sometimes when I move quickly between notes, especially those using lots of fingers and the B/C/C#keys but regardless of the register, the notes come out fine besides some resistance to the second note but between them there's sometimes a screech, like a high pitched squeak unlike an overtone or anything like that. I try to influence it using mouth pressure or other things but it keeps happening anyway. I tried using some of my older reeds instead, but it also happened on my v12 new 4s, older v12 3.5s and v21 3.5+ reeds. This happened in the past sometimes but wasn't a problem for a few months now it's happening again, I don't know what's wrong or what I'm doing wrong is anyone familiar with this or know what I'm talking about? Thanks
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Author: jthole
Date: 2017-06-09 13:31
I'm just an amateur player, and not a teacher, so take my words with a grain of salt please.
But sounds like either fingers or air support to me. Practice them slowly and very precisely, having full attention to how you move your fingers, and how you maintain the air pressure between notes.
Of course it could also be your mouthpiece or reeds; some combinations are more prone to squeaking than others. Especially when you don't take enough mouthpiece in your mouth.
I'm sure that you will get better, and more detailed, recommendations below!
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-06-09 17:13
Xoen wrote:
> Sometimes when
> I move quickly between notes, especially those using lots of
> fingers and the B/C/C#keys but regardless of the register, the
> notes come out fine besides some resistance to the second note
> but between them there's sometimes a screech, like a high
> pitched squeak unlike an overtone or anything like that.
I'm not sure what you mean by "move quickly." Do you mean within a technical passage that includes those notes, or do you mean when playing only the two notes by themselves? Slurred or tongued? If only the two notes, I don't understand what moving slowly would be compared to moving quickly.
Maybe give a musical example (that we might know) of when this happens.
I think we're all familiar with squeaks and screeches. They happen usually when a slight opening (a leaky pad, a finger that isn't covering a hole completely) causes a node in the air column, producing a harmonic - just as opening the register key does. Sometimes a weak spot in a reed or a very narrow stiff area causes the reed to divide into harmonics with the same result. Sometimes the cause turns out to be small but important unconscious changes in embouchure pressure or shape.
All anyone here can do, without hearing you play, is guess. If you have a private clarinet teacher, he or she would be in the best position to find what's causing your screeches. But here are a couple of ideas:
If it's specifically those pinky keys at the bottom of the instrument, often a finger higher up on the hand is pulling slightly off its tone hole. There may be an issue with your hand position if this is the problem. You need to set your hands so that you can reach the pinky keys without moving your hands themselves.
Sometimes when you're afraid of squeaking, you tense your fingers and your embouchure to try to avoid the squeak. Those maneuvers, which are most of the time unconscious, can make the squeak more likely. Whatever embouchure works for the first note ought to work for the second. The air pressure should be continuous from one note to the other, so you aren't doing anything to cause the air column to jump to a higher harmonic.
It goes without saying that leaky pads almost anywhere could cause enough instability to cause unexpected squeaks. I hope you've had the instrument checked carefully by a competent repair tech.
Likewise, if the linkages on the pinky keys themselves are not adjusted well, pads they control may not be closing tightly - especially the "crow's foot" under RH E/B and F#/C# that pulls the C pad closed.
Since it seems to happen regardless of reed changes, it doesn't seem as though reeds are the cause. Is there's any damage to the rails, especially the tip rail, that could be the explanation. (Take a look with a magnifier.)
Those are a few things to think about. If I've misunderstood the kind of interval movement that results in the screeching, try to give more specific examples.
Karl
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Author: Xoen
Date: 2017-06-09 20:59
When I say move quickly I'm referring to technical passages at a fast tempo. Lots of times it's when I'll go from something like a clarion register A down to a clarion E D C or B fast but sometimes when going slowly it occurs too. Sorry if I'm not providing too much detail, but namely times I can remember it's happened are when playing krommers clarinet concerto in Eb op 36 there's a 32nd note run: low E G C E G C E G I sometimes hear it within the last C to E to G in the clarion. I'm not too sure how to describe it, it's fairly possible my technique is just bad and I need to practice it more but this didn't always happen. I'll have to get my instrument looked at just in case. I'll work on it thanks for the recommendations jthole and kdk
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-06-09 22:17
Is it a high squeak or is it a sound almost like a multiphonic that seems like the tone is just coming apart? Can you tell which interval is causing the problem - C to E, E to G or, maybe the G to C over the break? Does the same problem happen to the F major arpeggio just before and after those C arpeggios?
Karl
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Author: Xoen
Date: 2017-06-12 00:12
It only seems to happen in the last two intervals in the clarion register from C to E and from that E to G. I find the F major arpeggio right before never has that problem even at the same speed.
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