 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MarinesGirl
Date: 2004-04-23 02:20
Hello.. I play on a Buffet R-13.. I thought i'd be alot more happy with it when I bought it, for what I payed for it, it should be a better horn. But i'm very dissatisfied with it lately. I'm not sure exactly what is wrong.. but i've tried different mouthpieces, different reeds and everything.. but I am always rolling either extremely flat, or a little flat, but never as good as it used to be, i'm in high school and i'm playing in a Woodwind ensemble for state in a few weeks.. and i'm not having fun what so ever tuning to the other instruments in my group.. is there possibly another reason why I am always so flat? My middle joint doesn't push in all of the way because if I push it all the way in, it gets stuck..so i'm thinking the wood is swolen.. but I don't think that would be the reason that I am so flat since it isn't in the upper part of my horn.. any suggestions on getting back to a good pitch? Thanks in advance.
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Author: Contra
Date: 2004-04-23 02:59
My solution to being flat all the time: Bass clarinet.
But seriously, if you've had good tone previously but not lately, the clarinet might have a problem. If you've always been flat, invest in a Click barrel.
Hope whatever it is works out.
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Author: kenbear
Date: 2004-04-23 04:40
What mouthpiece do you play and what is your barrel's length?
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2004-04-23 04:44
Work on keeping fast air speed. The most efficient way to this is to have the back of the tongue in an "eeeee" position.
Katrina
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Author: rc_clarinetlady
Date: 2004-04-23 05:58
I agree with Katrina on air speed and would also add that in my opinion the separation between the 2 joints is definitely a problem. Of course it depends on how far seperated they are but the longer your horn,the flatter you will play. I had the opposite problem in orchestra and was always sharp so I bought a Moenig barrel 68mm long, I am now having very few intonation problems. Measure your barrel...it will have a lot to do with your intonation.
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Author: Tom A
Date: 2004-04-23 06:10
Hang on a minute.
Firstly, I think you mention the position of the bad joint on your horn because the tuning barrel is at the top, so you think the top of the clarinet is where tuning is effected. The tuning barrel pulled out will make ALL the notes flatter, as it's above ALL the tone holes and therefore makes the instrument longer, therefore flatter, on all notes. If the clarinet is longer than it should be from the middle joint down, it will be flatter than it should be on any note using more than left thumb and 2 fingers.
Secondly, whether it's affecting your tuning or not, it is not a trivial problem to have a joint so swollen that it can't fit on or can't be taken off. That's for a technician.
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Author: rc_clarinetlady
Date: 2004-04-23 12:27
True. The point where the clarinet is pulled does affect the intonation the way Wiliam says and by the way you describe the problem of either " always rolling extremely flat or a little flat ", it sounds like you fluctuate during playing. Fixing the swollen joint tenon would be the first place I would start to try to correct the problem. Before you invest any money in a different barrel or mouthpiece and before you completely condemn your new Buffet, a visit with a good tech. in your area is in order. If after fixing the joint you are still flat that would be a time to look at some of the other suggestions and I think you need to measure your barrel. I have no idea what length Buffet puts in as standard with their R-13's but that would be the second thing I would check.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-04-23 14:08
I'm under the impression that the nominal length of the standard current original equipment R13 barrel is 66mm
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Author: William
Date: 2004-04-23 14:17
Get your middle joint fixed so you can push it all the way in. Being pulled out too far will make your right hand notes flat.
Use a shorter barrel. Too long a barrel will cause your whole instrument to play flat.
Another possibility, perhaps your other clarinet played sharp all the time and matched the other members of your ensemble who may also play sharp all the time. Have the entire ensemble consult a tuning meter--maybe your new R13 is really "right on".
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Author: John Morton
Date: 2004-04-23 16:19
I cannot play my R13 to pitch if the barrel is longer than 62 mm. The stock 66 mm. is out of the question, but I foolishly didn't even take a tuner with me when I bought the horn! Live and learn. Maybe it's the mouthpiece, a rather uncommon Vandoren V13.
I was unable to try a Click barrel because the socket was too small for the upper joint tenon.
John Morton
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2004-04-23 16:32
Playing with more air is simply going to make you more flat...the louder the claRINET plays the tendency for the most part of the whole range is for the pitch to drop...How high in pitch is the ensemble you play with?
Add to this the fact that alot of bands play sharp and you may not be out of tune whatsoever...or are you using a mouthpiece that has changed. This can be a primary cause of pitch trouble....
Have the mouthpiece refaced or looked into and or get a tuner...
David Dow
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