 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ShinyKeys
Date: 2007-10-12 01:19
Last time, I mentioned how I dragged out my old clarinet from my teenage days and decided to start playing again. I stocked up on all sorts of new accessories, gadgets, etc, then brought it to a place to have it overhauled (new pads, new barrel, etc). It seemed OK, but not perfect. So I brought it to another woodwind shop, and he pointed out all the things the first shop did all wrong, etc., and proceeded to correct them. Both times, the clarinet played at what can best be described as "OK".
I notice that the clarinet seems to take a lot of wind out of me in order to get a pleasing sound out of it. I switched to a new Rovner Eddie-whomever ligature, bought really good reeds, etc. Still, it remained only mediochre-sounding. Ok, I'll admit I'm no Benny Goodman, but the darn thing still oughta sound a bit better than it does. I've certainly been taking better care of it now than I did when I was a kid, and yet back then, it played beautifully.
Maybe a new(er) barrel? A new mouthpiece? A new clarinet? Any suggestions? Thanks
~Rose
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-10-12 01:26
What are you playing, and how long have you been playing it this time? Are you sure you have the correct strength reeds for your setup, given that you say you had not played it for some long period of time? Note I asked about the strength of the reed, and not the size. I am going to assume that you are intelligent enough to select the proper size reed for your clarinet!
BTW... the ligature is a Rovner Eddie Daniels.
Oh yeah... if you haven't been playing all that lung this time, remember it takes a while to get everything back to what you will now consider an "acceptable" sound.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
Post Edited (2007-10-12 01:28)
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2007-10-12 01:54
First, over anything else, have an experienced clarinet player use your clarinet for a couple minutes and see if it's the clarinet. (I've been convinced in the past that something was seriously wrong with my clarinet but when my teacher played it I saw pretty fast that there was nothing at all wrong with it! On the other hand a missing pad or a couple of unnoticed leaking pads can do a number on your confidence.)
If it's not the clarinet then you could try different strengths of reeds, a 1/2 strength higher or lower. Remember to moisten them enough, but not too much so that they're soaked - perhaps 30 to 60 seconds in water is fine. (There are differing opinions on this whole subject, but that's for your own research here on the BB). If you were in my studio my first guess would be that either you're using a reed that's too hard for your softened embouchure, or the other extreme - that you're trying so hard that you're strangling the life out of the poor reed and it can't vibrate, in which case you'd have to stop biting and use a harder reed. I've seen both scenarios among students.
Too, it could be that because of trying so hard you may be closing off your throat with the effort of playing. Relax the throat and relax the jaw.
Perhaps the embouchure is too soft, so some remedial double-lipping on a softer reed would help you to get that back in shape.
After you've been assured that the clarinet is in fine playing condition and then try different strengths of reeds, then come back here to see others' suggestions or get a private teacher to actually see you and guide you. We're just guessing from our armchairs. Be sure to let us know what you finally find out. We need to learn, too!
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Author: ShinyKeys
Date: 2007-10-12 17:16
That's the weird part. Each repairperson played it through right in front of me BOTH times the clarinet was repaired.
The first repair guy - the one who left a lot to be fixed yet and didn't do such a great job - played it through, and it sounded OK. When I suspected that it should be playing better and brought it to a 2nd repairperson, he found lots of things the first guy overlooked, re-fixed it, then also played it through....sounding oddly similar to the first guy. Neither sounded really outstanding, but the horn was playing somewhat better than it had before I took it in for repair, so I didn't complain.
Since these seasoned players didn't sound much better than I do on it, I'm wondering 3 things now:
A) Did each of them realize the clarinet was never going to sound great but just not tell me this so that they could make the money? (The first guy charged me $350 for the "overhaul"...the next guy $200 for the re-fix.); Both claimed it was a "beautiful old instrument"...1st guy offered me $900 to sell it to him;
B) Which one was the real shyster, repairman #1 or repairman #2? Apparently one of them had to be crooked (or at least, lousy) since both found AND overlooked different problems;
C) And of course, maybe it's just me, who hasn't gotten her chops back yet.
All this confusion. <sigh> And I just wanted to make lovely music.
~Rose
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Author: packrat
Date: 2007-10-12 18:23
Are you in a location where you could go and try out a new clarinet and see if you have the same problems? It might give you a different perspective - you don't have to buy the one you try. Of course you might fall in love and end up with a new clarinet!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-10-12 19:49
S K - Without knowing what your cl's makers name [Selmer?] is, some idea of its physical condition, [cracks?], and what mouthpiece [facing] you have, our guesswork is useless. Unless you have a REAL goodie, you prob. should have taken the $900, and bought a better cl for about 4-500. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2007-10-15 03:07
Is your general state of breathing fitness similar to what it was, or has it gradually deteriorated. IMO playing clarinet with a good sound and response is highly dependent on both managing to sustain quite a high air pressure from the lungs, and have the lip support to convert that pressure into the good sound.
Can you still easily blow up balloons? :-)
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