 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2005-07-26 13:29
Can anybody think what could be causing a strange type of noise when I play my throat G#... It sounds like there is a slight water bubble or something, but there isn't. It's almost as if the note is about to split and it feels weak. My other throat notes don't do it. I'm thinking about getting the tone hole checked out...when I took the key off to look inside, the hole looks like it is possibly damaged but I'm not sure.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-07-26 14:31
When you key the G# key you automatically take pressure off of the A key .....if the adjustment screw was touching the A key. If the A key spring is weak the A pad might be part of the problem.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2005-07-26 17:57
I'll bet Bob Draznik is right that the problem is either the screw or the spring on the A key. That screw can loosen a little bit over time. That's a tricky adjustment. If that were my clarinet, first I'd try the easiest fix: tighten the screw very slightly. A quarter of a turn too tight or too loose is enough to mess things up.
If that didn't work, I'd take off those two keys and check the leaf spring that's hidden under the A key. There might be a little piece of debris caught under or around the spring, or the tip of the spring might have gradually dug itself into the wood, if it's a wooden clarinet. I've found that situation on several wooden clarinets I've restored. Or the spring might have weakened with age, and fails to close the key tightly unless the Ab/G# presses it down.
While the keys are off, you can get a good look at the pads, too. The problem you describe can be the first sign of a tiny leak from a tear in the skin on the pad, packing down of the felt inside the pad (due to age or pad bugs), or flattening out from age. Or there might be crud on a pad. While the keys are off, you could take a soft pipe cleaner (the type with no wire bristles!), bend it and run it around the inside of the tone holes, where gunk sometimes accumulates even in clarinets that are swabbed regularly.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
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Author: bflatclarinetist
Date: 2005-07-26 21:12
I know this has nothing to do with it, but when I was playing the Serenade for 3 basset horns by Mozart, I had a throat g and my clarinet was new so it was kind of weird, it was like a sudden SQUAK! and it was funny my teacher was like "woah" haha!
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2005-07-28 11:34
I recently went to a music shop where I took off the throat G# keys on my instrument and a new instrument they had in stock. My tone hole had some wax set in it at one point in time, and it has since been removed. When comparing the tone holes, the new instrument tone hole looked mostly cylindrical - mine however appeared more conical... becoming narrowing as it goes into the bore. WHen I was playing a G# earlier, i got the buble noise (it also sounds like a weak note) and i could actually feel the reed start to vibrate heavily and lose its contact with the mouthpiece or something. It is better when I put some fingers down to cover the note. THis makes me think the tone hole is damaged and needs to be opened out because it would seem the air is struggling to go through the hole and is only helped when some fingers go down? What do you think? I'm taking it to a tech next week... however I have to do an audition tomorrow on it for a concerto competition and rehearsals all weekend ;(
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2005-07-28 14:01
'A' key diagnosis:
If the 'A' key is the problem, then the problem will go away if you press on the 'A' key cup.
BTW, is the membrane of the G# key pad split or loose?
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2005-07-28 14:38
The A key and tone hole appear fine, other than the fact that it is maybe opening too high as the throat A and Bb tend to be quite sharp... the G# is the problem one. It's a new instrument too...only a couple of months. I'm wondering if the tech left some wax in the hole which could be causing its unusual cone shape. The pitch of the G# is all over the place depending on whether or not the note actually wants to speak properly or not. WHen enough air gets through the hole it plays flat (due to the cone shape possibly from the material in the hole?)...I don't know I'm confusing myself now.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-07-28 14:53
Aussie Nick,
I wonder if the wax in your G# was put there to improve its intonation. On can flatten a sharp note by shimming the top of the tone hole to effectively lower it in the instrument's bore.
Reaming the tone hole to increase its diameter down at the bore is something you might not want to try at home. If it blows out some chips on the inside, or just doesn't work; you might be able to patch it up with some hard wax.
If the wax doesn't work, you might be able to get it out with a mascara brush.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2005-07-29 02:26
1. I'd want to be certain there was no leak, say around the register vent tube, or a crack inside the bore - perhaps of the barrel, or a screw holding on a side key guide, etc - before blaming anything else.
2. Are the tenon corks that plug into the barrel complete and secure - a firm fit?
3. Perhaps it is just a poor acoustic design. What brand is it?
4. Is it possible that somebody has messed with tone holes, perhaps enlarging one.
5. Could there be something such as a over-large section of enlarged bore diameter where the barrel or mouthpiece meet the body?
6. Are you using a mouthpiece of reasonable repute?
7. Have you tried different reeds?
8. Is the ligature tight?
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2005-07-29 02:37
1) Not sure but will have it checked out. Have tried a few barrels...same probem.
2)Yeah they are fine - firm fit.
3) It's an RC Prestige...couple of months old.. #540520
4)The only messing with tone holes has been with a tech guy put wax in the 2 throat holes...A and G#... and then I got him to remove it because it was too flat. Perhaps the tone hole has been damaged - thats what it looks like anyway.. forming a cone shape rather than cylindrical shape
5)Don't think so..
6)Gregory SMith mp
7)Yep
8) Tried different ligs.
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