 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: kfeder@hotmail.com
Date: 2004-02-28 17:34
Seems like some of my notes come out a bit stuffy especially the below the staff C#. Is this a common problem? It seems that when I take more mpc in my mouth the tone sounds a bit fuller. Not sure if it's me or the horn. My high notes are ok. Any comments on getting better tone? Ken
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-02-28 18:01
In addition to any stuffiness you may experience, keep in mind that there are a few notes that sound distinctly different to others, especially to the performer. On most notes, the first open hole is directly in front of you, i.e. on the "front" of the horn. The C# (and D#, and some others) open on the side of the horn, so you're likely to hear more of the note in one ear or the other. It's also not in symmetrical alignment in regards to the mouthpiece. How much of a difference this actually makes, I'm not sure, but it's something to keep in mind.
Aside from that, it could be you or the horn, or both. I'd have to know more about the setup (and ideally hear it) to give further suggestions. It's likely that someone else on the board would know more, though.
As usual, I recommend focusing on pushing the air past the last finger down on the instrument.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-02-28 18:16
I believe the mouthpiece also has a small part to play. I know that with my old B45 (five years ago or so) my throat Bb was very stuffy. This is a problematic note in many instruments. However with both my newer mouthpieces (Gigliotti P refaced by Dave Spiegelthal and a Greg Smith), this stuffiness has been significantly reduced.
As you can see, it can be a number of things. However a more focused airstream definitely helps.
You might want to see if your horn can benefit from some sort of "regulation". Maybe just a slight difference in pad height from a tech could do wonders.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Bob Schwab
Date: 2004-02-28 21:08
I'm thinking that the pad may not be moving away from the body of the clarinet enough, thus not allowing enough airflow past the pad and thereby causing a stuffy sound. When I bought my clarinet I took it back to the shop so their technician could make a number of minor adjustments to correct a similar problem. Until I had this done, open G sounded muffled because the pad under the A key wasn't moving far enough way from the clarinet body.
It's best to have a technician look at it. I tried to make a similar adjustment on my own with a previous clarinet and wound up making things worse for other notes. As in the case with my open G, if I had bent the key away from the clarinet body too far, the pad would not be able to make an adequate seal when that tone hole (is that the correct term?) was suppose to be closed off. Something to think about.
Good Luck.
Bob Schwab
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-02-28 21:40
I agree with Bob.
1. Pad too thick so it does not lift high enough.
2. Cork too thick so key cup (pad) does not lift enough.
3. Geometry of key needs bending so that the pad lifts higher.
4. Pad has a big bulge in its centre, restricting venting of the tone hole.
In addition:
5. A cork pad should have rounded edges to minimise this problem.
6. A harder reed causes the oscillating air in and out of the tone hole to be more severe. So a reed that is too hard accentuates the problem.
7 If attending to all the above does not solve the problem, then some judicious undercutting of the tone hole, carried out by somebody experienced at this, could help.
8 Be aware that this particular tone hole is not in its ideal position. It is displaced towards the mouthpiece in order not to interfere with the tenon joint. This displacement makes the note sharp, so the manufacturer designs the tone hole smaller to compensate. The end result is a note which has inferior tone. On a well designed instrument this inferiority is minimised by good design compromises, which include a lot more than just this tone hole. Note that this displacement of the tone hole does not occur when the instrument has an articulated G#, with the tone hole cut right through the tenon and socket.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-02-29 16:21
As suggested above, your ear may percieve stuffiness due to the placement of the tone holes on your clarinet--left, right, farther from your mpc, etc. Try this an old trick--go stand in a corner........and play your clarinet, I might add. The logistics of the corner and the way it compremises the uneven distribution of your tone holes in reflecting sound waves to your ears will give you a better idea of how your clarinet sounds to the audience. Often, what sounds like a "stuffy" long B4, actually sounds much more clear and even from a distance away.
However, the stuffiness may be due to all or any of the other problems cited in others responces--just thought "standing in a corner" might be helpful for you to try.
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Author: Bob Schwab
Date: 2004-03-01 03:16
Gordon (NZ) Wrote: A harder reed causes the oscillating air in and out of the tone hole to be more severe. So a reed that is too hard accentuates the problem.
Could you pease elaborate on this. I've always wondered why certain notes that sound stuffy with harder reeds (such as the aforementioned C sharp) seem to sound full with softer ones. I'm intrigued. Inquiring minds want to know.
Bob Schwab
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-03-01 04:43
I don't know a lot about acoustics, but I do know that there is a breeze blowing in and out of a tone hole, oscillating at a frequency the same as that of the note being played. Try taking a key off the instrument, playing the relevant note, and holding a piece of cigarette paper above the tone hole. It vibrates in the oscillating breeze. So does a loose pad membrane, making a buzzy sound. Try lowering your finger slowly over a ring key, and feel the air movement as the note deteriorates.
The smaller the tone hole, the greater the amplitude of the oscillation, as it attempts to equalise the pressure inside the instrument with the pressure outside. Hence the importance of free air movement (non-turbulent) around a register key pad to reduce fuzziness in throat Bb, achieved with a cone-shaped cork pad.
The C# tone hole on standard clarinets is displaced up the instrument to avoid the tenon socket, so it is necessarily smaller to get the pitch right. Hence it is extra subject to fuzziness.
I have noticed from my own testing of instruments I service, that when an instrument has an acoustic design which leans towards fuzzy notes, then the fuzziness is greatly accentuated by a harder reed. Try it youself.... Play with a reed considerably harder than what you are used to, and you will inevitably get fuzziness in several notes, most likely side Eb (but not the other side keys), the G# being discussed, and perhaps other notes that involve small tone holes with pads over them. I also notice that if more lip pressure is exerted in the centre of a reed, with good breath support, the fuzziness is slightly reduced.
My guess is that with a harder reed the wave form of the air vibrating at a tone hole becomes more complex - more spiky perhaps, less like a smooth sine wave - such that the air is trying to move a lot faster during shorter time intervals.
An acoustics expert may be able to correct me, or elaborate.
Post Edited (2004-03-01 09:26)
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Author: cujo
Date: 2004-03-01 18:47
It is most likely a leaky pad or too hard reed or possibly just a bad reed/liagature setup.
Play on someone elses clarinet with your same mouthpiece and reed to see if it is you or the instrument. If it has the same stuffness it most likely reed related, if the stuffy goes away you probably have a leaky pad.
Also on my good mouthpiece with my good reed sometimes is sounds stuffy even though my reed and ligature look straight. I move the reed up or down a tiny bit and that usually fixes my sound. When I have the reed tight I press on the tip gently so it just touches the mouthpiece tip. A wet reed will let you see through to make sure both tips are almost perfectly together.
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