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RE: Extraneous Clicking

Author: paul
Date: 1999-09-13 20:02

My keys do it a lot, too. Since I have a recent vintage pro grade horn, I have to attribute this to my own lack of fingering expertise as an adult novice. Now onto a tougher problem.

I have had several discussions about the extraneous noise problem with my professional tutor throughout the years. It seems that part of the problem is possibly one of perception. Some of the extraneous noises just can't be totally eliminated. Some folks believe that the clarinet was not necessarily made for high tech recording up close with the mike almost touching the bell or mp, etc. Rather, they believe that the clarinet's best environment is on stage with the audience sitting quite a distance away. (You can easily see the classical performer's viewpoint here.) This can be a hotly contested point, but perhaps it's a good place to start with your problem. Try backing away from the recording device's microphone a bit. If you are in a small room, try placing the mike across the room instead of right next to the clarinet. Then, try playing for a while and listen for the extraneous noises in the playback.

Make sure for your recording that there is no condensation build up on your reed or inside your horn's bore. Swab it out well from mp to bell so you can get the best tone and sound with a warmed up horn that's not gurgling.

If none of the above seems to work, you might need to think about softer reeds, more air support, or some combination thereof to get the reed to speak quickly enough to effectively eliminate the undesired noises. Ditto for embouchure and tounging accuracy.

Also remember, lots of folks (like me) would gladly trade your occassional clicking reed noise for fewer squeaks and fewer key clicks, and especially for much less gurgling.

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