 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: OmniClarinet314
Date: 2017-07-24 02:09
In addition to the open G to B flat notes, my tone quality becomes edgy in my F natural and F sharp notes. Is there any way to get rid of this edgy tone quality? I tried loosening my jaw pressure and tightening my cheeks, but that didn't help removing the edgy tone.
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Author: zhangray4
Date: 2017-07-24 02:22
Maybe try playing the F# with the thumb key and the 2 lower trill keys?
-- Ray Zhang
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Author: OmniClarinet314
Date: 2017-07-24 02:37
I used my best reed, and the notes that were edgy before sounded so much better. The other F sharp fingering helped a bit. It looks like I have only one good reed. I currently use Vandoren's BlackMaster 2 1/2 reeds. Should I increase the strength to get rid of the edgy tone?
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Author: echi85
Date: 2017-07-24 02:40
A harder reed will most likely solve your problems. Are you using any resonance fingerings?
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Author: OmniClarinet314
Date: 2017-07-24 04:27
I'm using a resonance fingering for only throat Bb, which is the regular Bb fingering plus oxx oxx and the bottom right key in the lower half. I do not know other resonance fingerings.
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Author: echi85
Date: 2017-07-24 04:39
Use the same fingering for throat A. It's the standard resonance fingering for that note. Here are some others I use. The G# is standard, the G depends on your horn.
Bb
oox oox low F key, you can use the one you are using if this one is too sharp.
A
oxx oxx low F key
G#
oox xoo
G
ooo oxx
ooo xxo
ooo xox
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-07-24 04:55
Even without added fingers, the tone shouldn't be more "edgy" than the rest of the clarinet. Resonance fingerings give just that - resonance, body, volume.
It's hard to know what anyone means when they call a tone "edgy," but you may get a better result with the next harder strength reed. There's really only one way to find out.
Karl
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2017-07-24 08:03
My favorite throat Bb is played as a throat "A" with the second from top trill key.
Sure, there's not enough time for this in the same fast passages that people aren't likely to hear the less than perfect sounding throat Bb on, but its good for longer notes.
You may have to put some fingers down with the left hand and/or less snug the mouthpiece to compensate for some sharpness.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2017-07-24 10:30
Last week, I did some repadding work on a Mazzeo full Boehm clarinet, which has a complex mechanism mostly to provide alternate fingerings for the Bb throat tone. When I was done, the instrument had a fine pinch Bb that was the same sounding as the side Bb using the second down trill key. It demonstrated that all that fancy mechanism accomplished essentially nothing, a solution to a non problem. Some of us find the pinch Bb to be very good and never use the "resonance" fingerings. Voicing may be a factor.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-07-24 11:14
Wes wrote:
> Last week, I did some repadding work on a Mazzeo full Boehm
> clarinet, which has a complex mechanism mostly to provide
> alternate fingerings for the Bb throat tone. When I was done,
> the instrument had a fine pinch Bb that was the same sounding
> as the side Bb using the second down trill key. It
> demonstrated that all that fancy mechanism accomplished
> essentially nothing, a solution to a non problem.
Doesn't the Mazzeo mechanism work by opening the side Bb hole when the A key is open at the same time the RH rings are also down?
Karl
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2017-07-24 20:44
Oh, another thing, while this applies to the Bb throat tone only, I have at times had great success at temporary detaching the register key and cleaning out the now exposed register hole with a pipe cleaner.
You would be surprised what gunk can collect in it.
After reattaching the register key, the Bb (I know you have issues with other throat tones as well) won't sound beautiful compared to other notes, just a whole lot better.
Some people have also had luck replacing the "register pipe" with a new one, often enough one of a slightly different length. I'd strongly consider saving this type of work for the repair tech.
Post Edited (2017-07-24 20:45)
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Author: BflatNH
Date: 2017-07-25 21:25
If your 'edgy' means 'fuzzy' or something less clear than notes above or below, try aligning the reed slightly to place the tip to the right or left a very slight amount or 'balancing' the reed (see other threads). Also, try adjusting your ligature slightly looser and/or very slightly downward on the reed and mpc. Also, some [custom] barrels have 'sweet spots' and try the notes with the barrel rotated at 15 degree increments. Also, added 'resonance' fingerings (extra holes closed while playing the desired notes) vary from instrument to instrument, for example, I find clearer throat tones with left hand resonance fingerings.
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