 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bill
Date: 2003-06-25 20:50
I have an old (but freshly overhauled) Selmer Bb that has been to the repairman twice but still has a problem with E/B.
I cannot play low E/clarion B using a particular fingering I have come to depend on, in which the RH pinky is NOT depressing any key (i.e., is held aloft). The only way I can make the E/B tone sound is to make sure my RH pinky is depressing the "C" pinky key. On a couple of my other clarinets, E/B played using this fingering is temperamental, but it sounds (on most, it is effortless). On this Selmer, the tone can only be sounded with great (unmusical) effort (really pushing down with my LH pinkie on the long E/B key). E is easier than B when doing this.
Does this makes sense to anyone? Any guesses as to what the problem is? The repairman is super-competent. Does this fingering just "not work" on some instruments?
Bill
Washington, DC
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-06-25 21:10
Had the same trouble myself on my old Yamaha, and a friend with similar trouble.
From my experience, it was two problems compounded together.
1) The key probably doesn't close well enough. When you press the F/C key with your right hand, it gives the extra pressure needed.
2) Airstream. Make sure you are really pushing through a full, solid column of air.
Try this. Play an E or a B with your left pinky on the E/B key, and your right pinky on the F/C key. Put lots of air through to get a good solid note. Then take your right pinky off the F/C key, while continuing to get the note out. Then play another E or B without changing anything. Gets you the feel of it.
How difficult it is to play without the right pinky determines how urgently you need to get it to a repair shop, which should be done anyways. Try taking it to a different one than you've been taking it to before, and demonstrate the problem.
Good luck!
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Henry
Date: 2003-06-25 21:19
Sounds like your repairman isn't so "super-competent". This should be a simple problem to correct. There is probably too much cork on the lower part of the "crow's foot".
Henry
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-06-25 22:11
Yes, all of the above plus maybe key interference or a finger accidently pressing a key.
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Author: SuzyQ
Date: 2003-06-25 23:50
Hmm... This is the exact same thing that happens on my clarinet!! Mainly just on the B, not really the E. I have had my band director look at it serveral times, but each time he just "fixes" something, and it comes home working pretty much the same as it did before. I'm thinking, (I have only been playing 2 years) that he has more chops or something, so it doesn't show when he plays.
I now, most all the time have to press the "c" key down, and am always of afraid of that B! This really hindrences my playing!
Anyway, sorry this isn't really any help, but I'm just curious how you get it fixed and what the problem was???
I really should take mine to a repair shop, but am hoping on getting a new clarinet soon anyway.
SuzyQ
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-06-26 01:16
The crow's foot is far from the easiest thing to adjust properly on a Boehm Clarinet, but no way is it impossible. It sounds like that's your problem: the F/C pad is not closing well enough, because the F/C key is not being depressed far enough by the croe's foot when the E/B key is depressed, Pretty depressing, eh? But when you then press the F/C key a bit, the pad closes well.
You need a proper crow's foot adjustment, most likely.
Regards,
John
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Author: chuck
Date: 2003-06-26 02:13
Bill: the crowsfoot adjustment comes to mind immediately. One other area to check is the maintenance of the LH ring finger on the C4-G5 hole. There is somewhat of an extended reach for the LH pinky that can pull the ring finger along with it. Check your fingering in a mirror. Chuck
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Author: moose6589
Date: 2003-06-26 02:18
Yes that seems to be a common problem for me too, however even after i press full strength on the LH B/E key, it is still not as easy to play as using the RH fingering(ie. more resistance for some reason) even if i add the RH C/F key, it is still more resistant, but nothing wrong with the right hand B/E. Why's that happening?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2003-06-26 02:49
Other problems could be incorrect spring tension or the pad is not quite at the right angle in the cup so you need the strength of both fingers to get everything to seal.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2003-06-26 04:12
When playing the left hand pinky levers check to see if your other left hand fingers are changing postion due to having to reach the keys with the pinky. Bumping into the LH sliver key is common and this can create a leak making B/E difficult to impossible. Also watch that the LH ring finger (third finger) doesn't shift and create a leak. I find that that this happens mostly when playing LH C#/F# and C/F. Some leaks or stuffy resistant notes can be traced back to the fingers. The LH levers on the clarinet can be a bit of a stretch if you have short pinkys.
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Author: SVSorna05
Date: 2003-07-06 21:57
Hey I had this exact same problem so I took it in to the shop and it turns out that for some reason the LH pinky "B" key was bent, and me putting extra pressure didnt help it so take it in and see if that could be a prob.
GL -Dain-
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