 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Joe
Date: 2000-02-10 14:34
hello,
I'm a beginner and have had about five classes so far from a private instructor. I'm really enjoying playing the clarinet, however I still seem to sqeak frequently. We've been trying all kinds of things from repositioning the figures to testing the clarinet - so far not much difference.
When I was playing this morning I noticed that most of the squeaks came when toungeing between lower B, lower C or lower A. I also noticed that when I squeak if I hold the reed a little harder with my bottom lip the squeaking stops - am I on the right track here? Could it be that I need to hold the reed/mouthpiece tighter?
Any help or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Joe
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-02-10 16:39
Welcome to the BBoard, Joe, it sounds to me that you may have a leaky pad, perhaps near the upper-lower joint tenon-socket area. Try the mid staff B [natural], if there are pad difficulties, it'll show there first. Also try a different mouthpiece and/or reed. It is hard to troubleshoot without the horn!! Don
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Author: Joe
Date: 2000-02-10 19:45
Hello,
After more practice I've further narrowed down when I squeak. As I indicated above I squeak when going from lower C to lower B to lower A. I discovered that I only squeak when I tounge from note to note. However, if I slur the notes there is no squeak.
What could I be doing wrong?
Joe
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Author: beejay
Date: 2000-02-10 20:49
If there is nothing wrong with the instrument, you might try a softer reed, and make sure your tonguing (staccato) is crisp. Heavy tonguing can produce squeaks.
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Author: Jim Carabetta
Date: 2000-02-10 22:21
Well, you've isolated the problem; now we'll try to fix it. If the horn doesn't squeak for slurs, and we assume no leaks, that puts the focus on your tonguing technique and/or the synchronization of your fingers and your tongue.. if you're tonguing a note that your fingers haven't finished fingering yet...well..you know...EEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeee!!
Practice those tones, lo-B, C, A.. long-tones for tone quality, and then break them up..tonguing the same tone for quarters, eights, and then 16's. Then, go from one note to another..first lo-B to A (that doesn't involve both hands)..practice a 4-beat B, then tongue to a 4-beat A, and go back and forth until you can do that smoothly. Then swap to 2 beats, then 1 beat, and so on. Then repeat the process from A to B, 4 beats, then 2, and so on. Then do the same exercise from B to C, then C to B and finally C to A and A to C. You need to coordinate you tonguing with the motion of your fingers, and the only way to do that, my friend, is practice. Start slow..you need to train your fingers and tongue to work in concert, and your muscles and reflexes need time to learn.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-02-11 03:31
Since it only happens when you tongue and not when you slur, make sure that you are not moving your jaw. Beginners often do and this can be a source of squeaks.
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Author: Rick2
Date: 2000-02-11 04:05
One other point that you originally mentioned that I believe nobody touched on. You say that it helps stop squeeking if you pinch the reed harder. That is absolutely the WRONG thing to do. Do not pinch the reed. It willcause you loads of trouble down the road.
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Author: Joe
Date: 2000-02-12 00:13
Thanks for all your help!
I have another question. How much of the mouthpiece/reed should I have in my mouth? I'm not sure if that makes sense or not. When I was squeaking it helps if I take less of the reed in my mouth than I had before. Is there somewhere that I could see several good pictures of the correct postion?
Thanks again, Joe
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Author: Joe
Date: 2000-02-12 00:18
Another question - Could the reed position on the mouthpiece have anything to do with squeaking?
Joe
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Author: Jim Carabetta
Date: 2000-02-13 14:32
It will have a tendency to squeak or chirp if the edge is out farther than the tip of the mouthpiece, or if it's split.
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-02-13 17:44
Joe wrote:
-------------------------------
I squeak when going from lower C to lower B to lower A. I discovered that I only squeak when I tounge from note to note. However, if I slur the notes there is no squeak.
What could I be doing wrong?
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Has your instructor checked the bridge? That's the connection in the middle of the clarinet, between the upper and lower sections. The exact configuration depends on what brand of clarinet you've got, but generally there's a little piece of cork to cushion the place where the part of the lever that's on the upper section lays over the part that's on the lower section. That little cork is easily damaged, and will wear thin on an older clarinet. On some new (or newly-overhauled) clarinets, the cork can also be a hair too thick. If that cork isn't just the right thickness, it throws off the relationship between the keys. With *either* a too-thin or too-thick cork, you can get squeaks exactly where you're getting them.
Another possible problem on some clarinets is that the bridge can get bent. Putting the clarinet together a bit crookedly can cause trouble, too. Some people put a clarinet together a little bit crooked on purpose, to improve the ergonomics (I do this on some instruments to compensate for small hands), but the degree to which you can get away with doing this varies from one instrument to another. Twist the joint too far and -- *skreeeek*!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-02-15 02:38
Very good point, Lelia, a poorly corked bridge key can make life miserable. If its too thin, the "long Eb/Bb" just doesnt sound, if too thick, excessive right hand finger pressure is required to seat the lower joint's top pad, which sure interferes with rapid-passage fingering. Find a good repair person! Don
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Author: HTW
Date: 2000-02-17 02:48
If you're a begginner and you've only had 5 lessons, I wouldn't worry about it too much, that's only natural. Eventually you'll settle into a more steady embouchure and develope a better senitivity to the response of the clarinet. Just keep practicing!
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Author: beejay
Date: 2000-02-19 20:49
Also keep a very steady column of air going. Squeaks often happen when you interrupt the airflow with your throat, which is usually involuntary and usually comes right with practice.
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