 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: crab face
Date: 2005-10-16 23:58
I'm having some trouble going from a high E to a high A, where I start to squeak. When i try again with ample breath support, the A sound goes squeaky again. Other than that my notes are solid. I dont think its the instrument as its in good working condition. Does anyone know what my problem is?
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Author: Tyler
Date: 2005-10-17 00:49
It would be difficult to tell from here what the problem is. If you're talking about altissimo E to A, I can usually slur between these two solely by 'audiating' the notes mentally and expecting the pitches, perhaps moving something in my throat, but it's almost automatic when I expect them to come out. Surprisingly clear sometimes, no less. If you're squeaking, several things immediately come to mind:
1) Biting---don't use jaw pressure or even excessive lip pressure to get the notes out
2) Overblowing--use fast air, but not necessarily a large volume of air, or you could overblow to the next partial
3) Bad reed
4) Warped mouthpiece facing--I started squeaking on my Gigliotti when marching band finally took the life of its facing. A new mouthpiece took care of that.
Hope I've been of help. Just let the high notes come out. "Sit on top of them" don't 'reach up to them'.
-Tyler
Post Edited (2005-10-17 00:50)
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Author: hans
Date: 2005-10-17 02:51
Some Common Causes of Squeaks:
- a dry reed
- accidentally touching a key
- the middle joint in a clarinet is not properly aligned
- using a "wrong" fingering instead of a better alternate
- a finger not covering a hole
- a pad not seating properly
- a weak spring not holding a key closed
- keys out of adjustment (e.g., the A key)
- unco-ordinated fingering
- a leaking joint
- a cracked instrument (in a wood clarinet)
- too much mouthpiece in the mouth
- a burr on the mouthpiece top rail
- misapplied lip pressure
- a reed is split
- the reed is not perfectly sealed on the mouthpiece
- a reed is too thin at the center of the tip or is stiffer on one side than the other
- a poorly designed, worn, or warped mouthpiece (a warped mouthpiece can be refaced)
- the mouthpiece baffle (the slanted top inside the tip) is too high
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2005-10-17 03:24
O.k., I put the axe away for the night but I think I can describe what I do without looking (not easy for me): play the E with JUST the register key and the A key (thumb hole open); move to A playing the standard E but add the R-hand pinky f#/c# key for security.
I'll check in the am. If that's not what I actually do, I'll add another post.
.........Paul Aviles
I just checked. That's right. Damn, I think the landlord's on his way up !!
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2005-10-17 16:56
You can help the slur up from altissimo E to A by sliding your right little finger down from the Ab/Eb key to the F#/C# key. Slurring down is more difficult, but pressing the F#/C# key with your left little finger and switching to the Ab/Eb key with your right little finger can help.
The problem is caused by switching between different modes of vibration. The E is in the clarinet's third mode (5th overtone), and the A is in the fourth mode (7th overtone).
To move between these modes, you have to learn how each one feels and how to move your tongue and soft palate to force each mode.
For how to do this, see Charles Neidich's master class material in http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=101441&t=101441 in the section "TECHNICAL DIGRESSION: The clarinet overtone series and voicing," about 40% of the way through.
For practice moving between modes, see the swab-in-the-bell bugle-call exercise at http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=195995&t=195946.
Ken Shaw
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-10-17 17:20
A good fingering possibility for a smooth slur is to play the E6 without the right pinky Eb/D# key.
Then, slur up to A6 by adding the right pinky F#/C# key and the 1st finger side Eb/Bb key...GBK
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