 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2008-11-30 18:28
Help! I have a concert tomorrow, and one of the lower pads on the lower joint is leaking. My clarinet still plays, but it hisses horribly, because this is one of the pads that is closed normally. Are there any quick, temporary fixes I can use, as I don't have time to take it in to the repairman? Thanks!
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Author: davidsampson
Date: 2008-11-30 18:35
I have heard that, believe it or not, duct tape will help, but I can't swear to that as I have never tried it, and it does not seem like it would work.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-11-30 18:43
Grab your backup instrument and get familiar with it. If you haven't got one, ring up one of your clarinetist friends and ask if one has any experience with re-fitting a pad. Else try duct tape.
Remote diagnoses are difficult, and in case of emergencies can do more harm than good...
Edit: could as well be that a spring is loose, or something foreign prevents the pad from fully closing...as I said, remote diagnoses...
--
Ben
Post Edited (2008-11-30 18:45)
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2008-11-30 19:09
For heavens sake, don't use duct tape. A trick I learned from Harold Wright is to tightly wrap the pad and cup with food wrap (Saran?). He would play that way for weeks until he had time to visit Hans Moennig for a more permanent fix.
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Author: John25
Date: 2008-11-30 21:37
If, as you say, it is a key which is normally closed, putting a rubber band round to hold the key closed might improve the seal. It depends how bad the leak is.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-11-30 21:45
If the pad is not split or cracked, take the key off, apply some heat and try reseating the pad.
...GBK
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-11-30 22:03
What about aluminium foil as a heat deflector? Put the foil under the pad when you apply the flame. Remove flame, foil and reseat the pad (slight press).
It could be a bent key though, or a post.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
Post Edited (2008-12-01 01:20)
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2008-12-01 00:58
I don't have a backup, and neither I or any of my friends are going to reseat a pad. Anyway, I think it's probably a bent key, as I did knock it against a stand a few days ago (oops...). I'll try plastic wrap.
I've attached a picture of my clarinet with a picture of the leaky pad circled.
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2008-12-01 01:08
I'm not sure why that didn't attach, do the attachments have to be internet links, because that one was a Microsoft Word document and it didn't work.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2008-12-01 01:24
Do any of your friends have a clarinet you could borrow?
Would need a MUCH closer-up picture to get any useful info from it.
Is the problem that the pad, when closed all the way, doesn't seal, or that the key, in its natural state, doesn't close all the way?
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-12-01 01:25
Become a singer.
It probably is something bent and not a pad sealing badly due to being worn.
Look for where it is bent. Where you banged it and figure it out from there.
If you are a student maybe your director can fix it.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2008-12-01 01:30
All my friends are also playing in the concert, so I can't borrow any of theirs. And it looks completely normal, so it must be only slightly bent. Also, the pads are only a few months old. My director and I had to go hunting for the leak, but she can't fix it because she's a trumpet player.
And you wouldn't tell me to become a singer if you'd ever heard me sing. I'm awful. I sound worse than a bassoon with some sort of thick accent, on drugs, with a cold.
Post Edited (2008-12-01 01:43)
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Author: Geirskogul
Date: 2008-12-01 01:43
If you end up using rubber bands, for the love of whatever don't leave them on more than necessary. They have a habit of quickly tarnishing certain metals, sometimes within hours. Create unremovable black lines wherever the bands meet.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-12-01 05:43
Assuming you are correct about the leaking pad, then since it's the F#/C# key, only a few notes should be affected. These are F/C, E/B and maybe G/D. First, play a note where the leak is definitely felt, I assume low E or middle B are a good choice, and have someone press hard on the F#/C# key. Do you still have the problem while they are pressing? Assuming not, you have several choices.
1. Do you only play in the concert parts that other clarinetists are playing at the same time? At worst case you can just avoid playing parts with the problematic notes.
2. You can put tape on the hole under the F#/C# key (the hole itself, not the pad) to seal it, and the only notes then you can't play are the F# and C#. Avoid those notes in the concert.
3. Put something like teflon or plastic wrap over the pad. Maybe even put a thin layer of something soft (fabric?) between the pad and the teflon/plastic wrap. Unless the bend is considerable, this might make the "pad" soft enough to accommodate the bend and ber able to seal. If you do this you will probably lower the F/C key, which mean you might have a slightly stuffy G/D notes, and there will be double action between some keys like the E/B touch-piece and foot, but you will be able to play all the notes. If it is very slight that the pad leaks, a bit of teflon or plastic wrap might be enough with nothing else to add.
4. If it is the spring on the F#/C# key that broke or for some reason doesn't work, better to just tape the tone hole and not use this note.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-12-01 07:25
> 4. If it is the spring on the F#/C# key that broke or for some reason doesn't
> work, better to just tape the tone hole and not use this note.
Definitely check the spring on that key. When you knocked your clarinet over, it might simply have disengaged.
(IMO it is unusual for that specific key to bend when an assembled clarinet is toppled over)
--
Ben
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Author: huff n' puff
Date: 2008-12-01 10:15
Yes! get the rubber band off as soon as poss. especially if your keys are silver-plated.
Don't tell a soul, but I played my alto sax with the G# pad held in by masking tape for years. It worked pefectly.
I may be repeating something that someone else has said, but if you can see what side of the pad isn't closing, you could simply stick on small pieces of masking tape onto the pad to build up the gapsite. I have done this myself in an emergency and it works fine- you may just have to apply a little extra pressure on that key............. sorry, I'm forgetting that you have said that it was a closed pad. OK- a stronger elastic band, but put a bit of tape on the keywork under the band to protect it............. Play well- H&P
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2008-12-02 01:07
Putting a few layers of plastic wrap over it worked fine, and I'll take it in to my repairman for fixing tomorrow. Thanks for all the advice!
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2008-12-02 10:54
"Definitely check the spring on that key. When you knocked your clarinet over, it might simply have disengaged. "
On most clarinets it is impossible for the spring to disengage off that particular key while the key is mounted.
Post Edited (2008-12-02 10:54)
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-12-02 11:02
Not completely disengage, but hop off its cradle and get stuck between the rod beneath and the nose, or comes to sit near the rod instead of in the groove in the cradle.
--
Ben
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