 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BenS
Date: 2024-03-20 17:48
For some reason, I am finding it very difficult to play clarion B with my RIGHT hand. I don't understand it since I can play it consistently using the fingering for my right hand. Usually if I try several times, I can finally get it to come out, but it is not very fluid, for sure. Any reason why this should be the case? Thanks.
Post Edited (2024-03-21 22:59)
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Author: ghoulcaster
Date: 2024-03-20 19:19
Your title says playing B with the right hand, but your post indicates the left hand.
If it is the left hand, does holding down the right hand C key help?
Could be that the “crows foot” is out of adjustment.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2024-03-20 19:31
So the text describes the problem being with the left.
Either way, it is most likely a problem with the "crow's foot" alignment (that dangling part under the RH "C" key).
You can get a bead on the problem if you take the keys out of it (sorta). Just take the lower joint and depress the lowest cup gently upon the tone hole. The next one up on that side is the "C" cup. If it looks like it isn't completely down, that's you're problem (you might not "see" it up......take another finger and see if there is a little play before it comes down completely). To solve that easily, you can wedge your thumb under the crow's foot and gently (a little at a time) press on the "C" cup (actually more the part that supports it) to bend that down more.
The other misalignment is the opposite. Gently hold the "C" cup down against the tone hole and and then while continuing to hold that down, gently press the lowest cup down to its tone hole. If that lowest cup is not completely coming down easily upon the tone hole, you can wedge your thumb under the RH E/B key ONLY and press that lowest cup the same as described above.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk
Date: 2024-03-20 20:52
BenS wrote:
> For some reason, I am finding it very difficult to play clarion
> B with my left hand. I don't understand it since I can play it
> consistently using the fingering for my right hand.
It's a common problem, almost always caused by poor adjustment. The "crow's foot" ghoulcaster mentioned is responsible for bringing the F/C and the E/B pads down together with equal contact. Sometimes there's enough motion lost in the LH lever's linkage so the F/C doesn't close completely when you use it for E or B, even when the closure is good enough to get B to speak using the RH B key. You can improve things by pressing the LH B and RH C keys down together, but it only compensates for the problem and in a fast passage (where the response most needs to be immediate) may be awkward.
If you aren't familiar with the keywork, it's best, IMO, to have an experienced tech adjust it - it can be a DIY repair (ideally a couple of minutes), but you can easily go too far (so the E/B pad isn't closed when the F/C pad closes fully). It's a little delicate. Many techs will do it gratis, especially if you have already been a customer in the past.
Karl
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2024-03-20 21:18
The majority of the time the regulation has gone out as the RH F/C touch has been bent down, either through poor handling during assembly/disassembly or if the case is crushing the keywork when it's closed, as well as if the joints are loose and can shift around in the case. You'll be able to tell where the keys are in contact with the case lid cushion are from the marks the keys leave on the fabric.
Buffets in particular have a fairly soft F/C touchpiece casting and they can bend just by looking at them. The area that bends is just before where the touchpiece is soldered to the key barrel as that area is too thin for purpose, what with it being ground hollow on the underside to run over and clear where the Ab/Eb touchpiece is soldered to its key barrel.
This is one of the most routine and easiest repairs done by any woodwind specialist and should only be done by them as they'd know where and how much to bend the keywork back into regulation.
Whatever you do, don't start sticking anything to the crow's foot or the undersides of the Rh E/B touchpiece as no-one will thank you for that if it ends up being a more involved clean-up operation if you've got glue or any sticky adhesive everywhere. Leave it to those who know what they're doing.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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