 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: cowluvagrl
Date: 2003-06-25 00:42
When I play my clarinet it makes a sort of fuzzy, muffled sound on all the notes. If I swab out the mouthpiece then play again it doesn't sound as bad, but after a few minuets it starts to come back. I think it might be spit but I have no idea what to do about it. When I play other clarinets it doesn't sound like that so I don't think it's me, so I need help to find out what's the problem. ![[huh]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie11.gif)
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Author: hans
Date: 2003-06-25 01:08
If you do a search for "fuzzy sound" on this BB, it will give you a large number of items to explore; e.g., keys that might need adjusting, etc. and that is always a good place to start.
If the problem is saliva in the mouthpiece, sometimes blowing through the mouthpiece **from the side** will clear it.
Another thing you could try is having someone else play it (using their mouthpiece & reed) to see if they can duplicate the problem.
Hans
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Author: Tom A
Date: 2003-06-26 00:06
Do you have a clarinet teacher, or a friend who plays at a high standard? Someone like this could carry out Hans' suggestion, or may be able to identify the problem instantly by listening to you.
As instrumental teachers will know, a number of problems have very specific side effects. Notes below throat E not sounding? The side trill key is being held open (often because it's bent underneath the side F# key). Notes below C fuzzy? It's probably the linking bridge needing adjustment. "All notes" muffled, as you say? Well, that's a bit harder to pin down if it's over the whole range, but a repairer or experienced player should still be able to help identify it.
Do it NOW, before playing becomes an unrewarding chore, or you change your mind and decide it IS you (which clearly it isn't)!
P. S. When you try other instruments, is it on their mouthpiece or your own? That may be it, also.
Good luck. Let us know.
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Author: big fat lyre112
Date: 2003-06-26 15:51
I do that too...but I'm just a really "spitty" person...so I gotta wipe out my mouthpiece like every 5 mins...yeah...dont worry...but I got my insturment looked at and the low E/B and F/C keys were closing together...so I had to have that fixed...but I'm still spitty...
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Author: William
Date: 2003-06-26 16:44
Sounds like your reed may be too soft, becoming too "waterlogged" and closing too easily on your mpc.
Solution--try a stiffer number reed (VanDoren V12 3.0 for starts) and rub the reeds vamp before you play on it. This will seal the open pores and prevent absorbtion of too much saliva.
Simply lay the reed on a flat surface and gently rub back and forth, tip to cut, until it feels smoother. It may become "dirty" looking after while, but that is normal. This process will keep excess moisture from entering the reeds heart while playing and keep the reed from becoming too weak, too soon and closing too easily.
Give this a try--and Good luck!!!
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Author: hans
Date: 2003-06-26 17:42
William,
I may have misunderstood your message. Instead of "rub back and forth, tip to cut" to close the open reed fibers or pores, IMHO rubbing in one direction (from the thick end to the tip) with a smooth, rounded object would be a more effective method of burnishing.
Hans
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Author: William
Date: 2003-06-26 20:18
Hans, gross as it may sound, part of the process in sealing the pores is to actually plug them with oil, etc. from your fingers. So rubbing "against the grain" filles the open xylem ends and rubbing toward the tip closes them, sealing the "gunk" inside and making the seal more permanent. Burnishing is for the back of the reed, not the cut.
Also, I am a firm believer in using saliva only to moisten the reed before playing. Water carries too many minerals and who knows what else that may damage the xylum of the reed and cause it to deteriorate more rapidly. Saliva moistening seems to last longer as well. This is important if you have to endure long periods of rest as often happens in orchestral music and expecially during those inevitable "strings only" moments that sometimes go on forever.
BTW, I use the same prep routine for saxophone reeds and never experiance a reed drying out while the sax is on its stand for long periods of time (with the mpc cap on).
Hope this works for you.
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