The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2005-02-18 11:57
Hi guys,
My uncle took up the clarinet probably about 5 years ago after he came to one of my recitals back in high school. He has an RC Prestige clarinet and he recently complained to me about having difficulty tuning it. I had a look for him and found it to have unusually wide 12ths between the low E-middle B and the low F-C. Like any clarinet it has the significant flatness in the lower notes, yet UNlike any clarinet I've played it still manages to be 5-10 cents sharp on the long B and C. Pulling the bell helps slightly but not alot. I told him I'd try and find out if there is something that can be done about it or not? I can't figure out why it is happening. Thanks in advance!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2005-02-18 12:37
He may also benefit from cleaning out the toneholes with a cotton swab (qtip).
With a modern, small chamber mouthpiece, a tapered barrel will help some.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2005-02-18 12:51
music_is_life I did pull the middle slightly. That doesn't affect the interval between the 12th. Maybe it is to do with the bore design or undercutting or something? Is there something that can be done? No clarinet I've played has had 5-10 cents sharp on long B, as well as quite flat on the low E - and similar for the F-C. I'm assuming it is a design fault ?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-02-18 13:43
Have you tried different bells? (just curious if you have or even can) It's worth trying if you happen to have a few that fit.
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-02-18 14:13
Perhaps pulling the bell way out (to flatten the slightly sharp upper twelfths) while drilling a recently-discussed-to-death-on-this-BB "resonance" vent hole in the bell (to bring up the flat low E and F) will, in combination, do the trick. I've done this fairly recently on a couple of clarinets.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-02-18 15:17
long B? as in b4? (all fingres down plus two pinkys?) and low E, same fingering, minus register key? because on my clar. the low E is flat and the B is sharp. same with F and C. perhaps it's common? I have been having intonation issues and have been actively trying to fix them. perhaps it is my clarinet, but I am quick to blame my embrochure. perhaps it plays that way because you are two tight on the top notes and too loose on the low notes? or you're not taking in enough MP (mostly for higher notes)
just a thought.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ron b
Date: 2005-02-18 16:02
Have you checked to make sure the upper and lower joints are the same (matching) brand, make, serial number (if present on both).
- ron b -
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2005-02-18 21:42
Yes, make sure they are the pieces to the same clarinet. I have the problem where the B and C (long) are sharp and the long E is sharp. Actually long E is REALLY sharp on my horn. I've messed with it, but I've accustomed myself to lipping it down as much as possible. I had my tech work on it over the summer and he made the tone nicer, but could not do anything about the intonation of those notes.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
|