 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-11-05 01:54
It's been playing fine. Wonderfully. Until tonight. Tonight, I'm in the middle of practicing some music for a christmas play, and all of a sudden, the clarion G won't speak. Or the A. Or any other note with the register key. When I play the chalemeou notes, low E to about D come out as B through A as though I was hitting the register key (although I wasnt). So the notes didn't speak at all for about fifteen minutes. I pressed various pads while playing and narrowed it down to a leaky register key (which doesn't make sense since the clarion notes don't come out either), or a leaky throat G# or A key (which makes more sense).
Then, as though by a miracle, it starts working fine again. Until I have to pack it up to leave.
Any ideas? I'm going to take apart the G#/A key off the post tonight and check the pads, but what do I look for? Just a visible tear?
Thanks for the internet analysis sans picture (I will post picture of pads later on if it will help).
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2003-11-05 02:40
Check the adjustment screw on the throat G# key...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-11-05 02:45
GBK, the adjustment screw is fine. It's not forcing the G# key up at all and there's still a slight give before the g# touches the adjustment screw.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2003-11-05 02:53
Assuming that the pads are fine and seated properly, did you check the spring tension to make certain that the G# or A key (or any closed keys) are not being blown open?
Blow through the upper joint only, with the bottom sealed and all holes covered to listen for any air escaping ...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-11-05 10:16
Just some suggestions:
Common problems with throat A which prevent it closing properly:
1. The end of the spring that presses on the timber has worn a little groove in the timber, and as the key closes, the end of the spring buts up against the tiny wall at the end of the channel.
2. The spring is rusty, or a metal liner in the wooden channel (only on some models) is rusty, hence introducing a lot of friction.
3. A metal liner in the channel has slipped to an inappropriate position. Incidentally this can cut up the pad on the F# key.
4. There is binding in the pivot, because of rust or gummy residue from inappropriate oil.
5. The end of the spring, which always has a rubbing action on the body of the instrument, just needs a tiny spec of grease to reduce friction.
6. The spring is poorly designed, perhaps only a half millimetre too short, which greatly increases friction.
7. The spring rubs against the side of the timber channel.
8. The effective length of the spring is too short, because of an unsuitably gradual tensioning bend in it, causing too much of the spring to be in contact with the key.
The last three are unlikely if the instrument WAS operating well.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-11-05 16:03
A fine "laundry-list", Gordon. I often put a minimal film [not drop] of oil on spring tips on re-assembly for smooth/easy action. Another source of your problem, Alexi, might be in a leaking, differently-seating, trill key [the highest one's action may be similar to that of a reg. key, try it!]. Sometimes, because of its length, it may "wander" between the usual "guides". Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-11-05 20:35
I blew into the upper joint. I didn't hear any leaky air, but the air was slowly (very slowly) leaving my mouth. I figured maybe that was because I was blowing at a much harder pressure than normal through a clarinet and springs aren't set for that resistance. So does the very slow leak that I can't even hear mean that could be the problem? Incidentally, when I played it today it sounded fine again.
I did check the trill keys. And I can't find my little screwdriver in order to take off the keys and check them out visually. It does look as though the edge that I can see of the G# pad is rough. Until I take it off I can't see whether one of the skins of the double bladder pad I have ripped or not. I'll be back later tonight, and will check the pads and read and post again. Thanks. Hopefully it'll work for tonight's rehearsal.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-11-05 21:09
The erratic nature of your problem suggests:
1. That it COULD be a tiny split across a tone hole... A split that closes when the instrument is not used for a while.
2. It could be a failed pad membrane. Even a small pin-hole can enable water to get inside the pad, and swell it, upsetting the seating on the tone hole. This problem can self-right to some extent between playings, as the pad dries out.
Dealing efficiently with these sorts of problems is where the eyes of an experienced technician come in handy. There are so many possibilities that forum diagnosis is pretty shonky.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2003-11-05 22:05
Gordon NZ said
> There are so many possibilities that forum diagnosis is pretty shonky.
Shonky???
I love the sound of that word. Is it a NZ term? (a la 'dodgy')?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: KENOLD
Date: 2003-11-06 00:24
Remove the register key and check the register key hole or better yet run a pipe cleaner through it. They sometimes get "gunked" up.
Ken
Learn to perform even the things you don't like, as if you love to do them.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-11-06 03:08
Attachment: G_sharp_pad.JPG (32k)
After taking it off, it turns out that it looks like some sort of plastic covering over the felt part of the pad had ripped. I've attached (hopefully I did it right) a picture of the pad. It's very very poor quality, but you can see a dark outline of the rip across the middle of the pad in a quarter moon shape. That's where the film (I'm assuming that was one or two of the bladder pad coverings) has ripped up to that point.
Incidentally, how brown is too brown when it comes to pads? I had most of the upper stack put in cork, but the other pads are very old (I'd have to say probably about ten years old). Maybe it's time to replace them all?
Alexi
PS - "KENOLD"? Does that mean we have THREE kens on the board? I know of a "ken" and a "KEN".....
US Army Japan Band
Post Edited (2003-11-06 03:17)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-11-06 06:55
"shonky".
I guess I take it as informal for 'substandard', 'not up to par', often used regarding workmanship.
It may have filtered here from 'across the ditch' in Australia.
From "Australian Slang" at http://www.geocities.com/Wellesley/1552/strine.html
"Shonky: dubious, underhanded. E.g. a shonky practice, shonky business etc."
It seems to me that 'dodgy' recently acquired sexual undertones. I don't think 'shonky' has any such attachments.
Both are good sounding words. :-)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-11-06 13:57
If you have a "bad" looking pad, or several, its much quicker just to replace it/them. When I have a "hard to find" problem, I use small pieces of masking tape to cover selected tone holes beneath the pad, then play the horn to see if that locates the trouble. You mention a bruised, fuzzy-edged pad, REPLACE it! Check the corks also, any cracks? Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: KENOLD
Date: 2003-11-07 07:22
I had not noticed the difference between ken and KEN. I guess there is three of us. Hope that's not too many! :-)
Ken
Learn to perform even the things you don't like, as if you love to do them.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
