 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: RichA
Date: 2005-04-18 20:04
I am a 2nd year student and I practice almost every evening 45 to 60 minutes. Usually, everything goes fairly well except every so often I cannot hit a mid B or C. If I am practicing scales I can hit them on the way down, but not on the way up. Its driving me crazy and I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. Before or after those notes I am fine. The next day - I usually don't have a problem. I've tried changing reeds but it doesn't help. Any suggestions?
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2005-04-18 20:14
It may well be a leak. Put the clarinet across your lap and hold down the B key, firmly but not too hard. Check whether the C pad is completely closed. If there is any play in it, it will tend to leak and produce the effect you have found.
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-04-18 20:28
Rite, D P, thats the most probable problem, since we are talking clarion note/chalemeau note "notation, the Eb/Ab pad may blow slightly open if the spring is too weak, and most any leak above will at least make playing harder [and less fun]. A good tech can find your problem easily. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Tom A
Date: 2005-04-18 23:33
IMHO and experience, if it were a leak, it probably wouldn't sound in either direction and would be happening consistently.
I suggest you monitor carefully each attempt to play the scale. Next time the problem occurs,keep blowing into the B fingering and see whether air is actually going into the clarinet, or you are blowing against a "brick wall" with no air flow (i.e. your mouth is stopping the air).
If you find that you are not putting air into the clarinet on the B fingering, it may mean that you are slightly too tight on the mouthpiece. People have different ways of describing how to remedy this (it's difficult to say in writing). If you were sitting next to me in a lesson, I would suggest keeping your top teeth on and your correct mouth shape, while blowing a strong and "warm air" flow as you ascend the scale. Warmer air means a slightly more open mouth, which has the effect of taking the pressure off the reed.
If I find that a student has this problem only on occasions, I reassure them by saying that they're just having a bad-air day.
Another possibility if it works descending but not ascending is that your fingers are not always closing at the same time as you play A to B. This is for slow practice, ensuring your fingers are relaxed and remain colse to the instrument when not on the holes.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-04-19 01:54
If you can't hit them on the way up, it's likely a matter of airstream.
Realize that, for example, when going up from an A to a B, you are moving from a note that uses very little of the tube to a note that fills the entire clarinet. Treat the B as a big closed note, rather than "one note yet even a bit higher than the A."
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: pewd
Date: 2005-04-19 03:03
i vote for having it checked for leaks, its a common problem
rule that out first.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-04-19 03:06
I would make sure that you're covering all the holes correctly. It's much easier to cover the holes one by one on a downward scale than to jump from an open G to a B or C (with ALL holes covered).
If you have a teacher, see if they can test your horn for leaks or try it out to see if it's the clarinet that needs to be worked on.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: RichA
Date: 2005-04-19 12:39
I thank all of you for the quick and excellent responses. My instructor checked it last night and agreed one of the pads was a little too open and leaking. The on-site tech changed the spring and the pad and the problem was immediately solved. This Board performs a great service - thanks for taking the time with us novices.
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Author: janeuk
Date: 2005-04-19 12:53
I had this problem a few years ago and discovered that my right hand index finger was very lightly resting on the lower of the four right hand side keys.Hardly enough to actually depress the key but enough to stop that B coming out.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-04-19 13:55
Rich - We are glad your problem is at least diminished, and I agree air-flow/embouchure adjustments may help also. Several of us got close to a [possible] assist, that is, when going up-scale, at the time of "fingering"open G and A, you might try putting down all of the right-hand fingers in preparation for the B [ahead of time] to be sure of accurate tone-hole coverage. I like to suggest a practice exercise of playing the first parts of 76 Trombones, starting on open G, speeding up as it feels comfortable. Better teachers than I may somewhat disagree, it works for me. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: coasten1
Date: 2005-04-20 02:42
This is by no means a solution for not hitting the B and C, but if you are in a bind for a quick trick, finger the B and also roll your left index finger to push the A key. It helps the B speak easier. Sometimes if you have to play the B softly, this trick will help.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-04-20 02:55
coasten1 wrote:
> if you are in a bind for a quick trick, finger the B and also
> roll your left index finger to push the A key. It helps the B
> speak easier. Sometimes if you have to play the B softly, this
> trick will help.
Actually, that is a fairly well known alternate fingering to add resonance to the note B4.
BTW - By using that fingering (B4 with the additional throat A key) you can also create a handy trill from A4 to B4 by just trilling the first finger of the right hand...GBK
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Author: Slippy Bal-dog
Date: 2005-04-20 16:06
I have an issue with going between say B & D. I'll just try a B,D,B,D,B,D about as fast as a ambulance siren and the B always comes a little 'late'
Doing the same thing with the C is fine. :(
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Author: VermontJM
Date: 2005-04-22 22:33
I have found that my ring finger is ALWAYS the culprit- I am having issues between F# and B. I just keep plugging away at it.
As I tell my students:
Fingers are stupid. They don't have a brain of their own so you have to train them often and well.
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