 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-04-17 02:36
Another bass problem occurred. I've solved the saliva (by dumping for now), and the higher notes are coming out well, however certain fingerings are simply VERY stuffy, hard to get out, and I frequently blow my head off and only get (at best) a mezzoforte sound (or even worse hit an overtone).
Those notes are the left hand anything from C/G to E/B. I'm wondering if this could be a problem with the horn or if it could be attributed to the mouthpiece. If it's the horn, the horn is brand new to us and has a one year warrenty so we can send it away to get fixed, but if it's the mouthpiece I'll just have to make do. (Unfortunately I don't have another bass mouthpiece to try out to see a difference).
I am using the stock Bundy 3 mouthpiece, with the stock metal ligature, and Rico 3 reeds.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2003-04-17 03:26
Your stuffy notes are most likely due to leaks in the horn and not the mp. Bass clarinets are very difficult to keep adjusted and almost impossible on student basses.
If your mp plays well on the surrounding notes then it has to be leaks. Your best bet is to find someone who can find the leaks to verify this.
Just a quick note on the spit problem--Reeds that are really soft can for some reason make you notice more spit on the reed, gurgling out of tone holes, etc. I think you might try a different mp and maybe a Vandoren 3.
Good luck!!
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Author: Molliweide
Date: 2003-04-17 11:58
That and if you are using a student horn, they just don't seem to be made to play high notes any longer than they are on the store room floor.
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2003-04-17 13:29
If you don't have another mouthpiece to try out, how about another horn? You can put your mouthpiece on another bass clarinetist's horn and try playing the same notes. Likewise, someone else can put their mouthpiece on your horn and see if they have the same problem with it.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-04-17 13:55
Alex, do I read you right that your stuffy notes include the "break" notes, mid-staff B, C, C#, D, D#/Eb ? Does your horn have DRK [double register keying] ? This can make much diff. in response and clarity from one BC to another. I agree that leaks MUST be stopped, and that adequate venting/pad-rise is highly desireable. While my Bundy 3 and Selmer C* mps play fairly well, I DO prefer my Pomaricos, 3 and DS-refaced [its similar], which are very playable wih soft reeds, which further reduce "stuffiness" IMHO. Keep trying. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2003-04-17 16:21
Might be leaks. Might just be the horn. Single register key student bass clarinets are unlikely to have a good response through the entire range of the horn. Sorry to sound a negative note here but I've never played (or tried to play) a student bass clarinet that was even remotely playable. I'm sure there are some that are playable (at least I've heard some people claim that their particular student basses play well), but I believe that anything less than a decent quality double register key model is a lost cause. Student model Bb soprano clarinets can play very well because they have the same basic keywork as pro model Bbs. But student basses never have the double register key. This mechanism is, in my opinion (note the careful qualifications), neccessary to produce a decently responding clarion and altissimo. Maybe someday one of the big manufacturers will produce a reasonably priced plastic bass with the double register key. I wouldn't think that this one mechanism would add all that much to the cost and it would make for a far better instrument than the single register key student basses out there now.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-04-17 18:10
Don,
The clarion C, B, etc. are fine. The ONLY notes that are extremely stuffy and give a LOT of resistance when trying to blow through the clarinet are my left hand notes, excluding the thumb key, in both the lower and upper register.
It is not a double register key instrument. I am not sure exactly what this is, but there's only one pad that lifts up for the register key and that same pad is all that lifts for every note in the upper register.
Perhaps this is the problem. Unfortunately, there isn't another bass clarinet at all. And there aren't other bass clarinetists so no one else to compare instrument, mouthpiece, ligature, etc. with. It's unfortunate I know, but I'll just have to make due with some weak notes. I'll check for leaks though. That I didn't really think about.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-04-18 14:05
Hi again Alex - TKS for clearing-up my understanding of your problems. Did some thinking while playing my Selmer 33 last nite,. I'd suggest you look at the pad-rise [clearance] of the two highest pads below the C#/G# pad [the top pads of the lower joint {on a 2 piece body horn}]. Mine has several mm clearance, and "speaks" well, even tho fingering-response may be depreciated. It might be that the cork under the lower portion of the bridge key is just too thick. Luck in "research", Help, J B, D S! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: bobmi74
Date: 2003-04-19 01:09
Look right under the A key. There should be a pad that goes down whne you press the F# key. That is the one that most likely has the leak or isn't going down far enough. It should ahve a very small screw to adjust it. Hope that helps.
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