 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: clarinetsweetheart
Date: 2006-10-23 15:39
I need to play a chromatic scale up and down as high as I can go for an audition I'm recording soon. No big deal, right? I've done this a gazillion times.
But something's not right, and I can't for the life of me pinpoint it and fix it. Every time, when I get to altissimo E, F, and F#, the right notes don't come up. Instead, much higher notes (the A and then whatever notes the fingerings for F and F# can also produce) come out, and the when I play the G above them... the G does in fact come out right every time, which is partially what is throwing me off.
Sometimes I can get the E to come out before the F or F# mess up, and occassionally the E and F, but I only got the F right less than 10 times in a straight-hour's worth of trying to fix this, and the F# never once played right.
I don't know what to do. I moved my embouchure all around - more mouthpiece, less, to the side, to the other side, more bottom lip, less bottom lip, more pressure, less pressure, etcetera. Nothing helped
Does anyone have any ideas?
Thank you!
~*Charlotte*~
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-10-23 15:53
Sounds like you maybe getting yourself all worked up as well as tiring yourself out, so calm down, take a short break and then take things slowly and relaxed and you should be able to do it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-10-23 17:00
It sounds like something is leaking. Make sure all the pads are sealing tight, particularly at the top of the instrument. Also check the adjusting screw on the throat Ab key.
You can also have problems if the register vent is opening too wide. You should just be able to slide a nickel under it when it's open. Also try running a damp pipe cleaner through the register vent (you'll need to remove the key) to clean out any crud.
Finally, make sure the bottom of the reed is flat. Put it on a piece of 400 grit black sandpaper over a flat surface, press on the bark and sand it until the bottom is shiny all over.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: robertgh
Date: 2006-10-23 17:41
You could try adding the RH pinky on the Eb key if you're not already doing this. For some reason, different models immediately speak cleanly when one tries this (my vintage Leblancs, for example, clearly need this).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarinetsweetheart
Date: 2006-10-23 18:20
I tried several different reeds, as well as taking the RH Eb and C pinky on and off, and those didn't help either.
Thanks a lot to Ken, though. I'll look into all of that and maybe bring it in tonight. Thanks everyone!
~*Charlotte*~
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jmberch
Date: 2006-10-24 00:06
yep...i had a similar problem a few months back, and thought i was at fault, when i finaly showed it to my band director, he did something to Ab key, and it was much easier...another problem you might be having is tighting your embochure too much
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: 2E
Date: 2006-10-24 00:25
There are certain altissimo fingerings that do not produce the overtone notes when overblown which can be handy for chromaticism. You could try experimenting with different fingerings by practising 3 octave scales and (chromatic) altissimo studies like flight of the bumblebee etc. Good luck.
2E
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: D
Date: 2006-10-24 11:23
If at all possible, when something like this happens to me, I try and play the same notes on a friends instrument, and get them to play the same on mine. Easy way to tell if it is me or the machine without having to go to the techs.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Cuisleannach
Date: 2006-10-26 04:39
One cheap and easy to check for leaks is to isolate the two keyed joints and do a "suck test". Seal the bottom of the joint with your hand, put your mouth on the top of the joint, cover all of the holes, and use your tongue to suck some air out. This should make a vacuum which should make a "pop" when you release a finger or press a key after a moment or two. If you lose the vacuum quickly or if you can continuously pull air in you have a leak somewhere. I generally fail an instrument if it won't hold a vacuum for a full second if brought in off the street or indefinitely if it's just been overhauled.
This will not catch all leaks but if the instrument fails you can be sure you're leaking from somewhere. You can also do this test with the whole instrument together (to check the tenons) but you'll need an extra hand from someone you KNOW won't accidentally knock the instrument into your teeth.
-Randy
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2006-10-26 06:43
> You can also do this test with the whole instrument together (to check
> the tenons) but you'll need an extra hand from someone you KNOW
> won't accidentally knock the instrument into your teeth.
Slip a party balloon over the bell end tenon and try to inflate it, if possible with the mouthpiece and reed on. Not only makes a great lung and embouchure training, can also help you to detect a leak - you got a lot more time to listen and locate the source of that faint hiss.
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Phurster
Date: 2006-10-26 08:22
Assuming your instrument is working ok... Try very slow practice on these notes. Maybe hold them for several beats. Be aware of how you flex your abdominal muscles. Experiment with how you shape your oral cavity (feels like a high back of the tongue position...research has shown that feelings may be misleading). No need to bite.
Control of the Clarinet takes patience and calm practice. Don't panic. Perseverve.
Good Luck
Chris.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: OpusII
Date: 2006-10-26 11:00
Probably a air leak somewhere on the clarinet if you didn’t have this problem in the past.
I would check the adjusting screw on the throat Ab key as Ken mentioned, if adjusted to tight it could easily open under pressure.
Best Regards,
Eddy
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-10-26 11:04
I had the same problem recently. I had no problems at all with these notes for years, but for a short while the same thing happened to me with the altisimo D#, E, F and sometimes F# notes - the higher overtones came out (not always but sometimes). The G and above were fine.
I found two things that caused this and at least one solution. First, I noticed this happened mostly when I play in a more stressful enviorment, for example a rehearsal of a new piece with many people I've never met before. I also tried different reeds, and it almost solved the problem completely. I don't know what it was, but a lot of reeds lately caused this problem. Finding good reeds solved 90% of the problem, so I guess I was also able to relax more, because it rarely happens now, even in stressful enviorments.
Post Edited (2006-10-26 11:48)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-10-26 11:46
Ken Shaw wrote:
"You can also have problems if the register vent is opening too wide. You should just be able to slide a nickel under it when it's open."
Hmmm..... never heard of that, but worth a try. Money is different here, so how thick is a nickel? I think the register key on my clarinet opens more than that (guessing). I can measure. Where can I read or find about the effect of different register key openings? Do you know the exact (as much as possible) opening that you found to work best, what problems are caused by differnet openings, and what compromises are there with the best opening (if at all)?
Post Edited (2006-10-26 11:51)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2006-10-26 16:54
If speed isn't an issue, try half-holeing with 1st finger of left hand
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
