 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: davidsampson
Date: 2007-11-07 03:37
First off, I am playing a Selmer 67 low C.
I am having trouble getting clarion Eb down to long B to play cleanly and in tune, especially the Eb and the B. C is ok, but D is pretty bad. B's main problem is that its very hard to get out, and it isn't usually like this, and its rather sharp. Eb is quite airy, and somewhat... sticky, maybe? D is similar, but not as bad. E and up sound just fine, very free blowing and open. What could be my problem?
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-11-07 04:01
I've several of the Selmer Privilege low C bass clarinets (and one low Eb) and they had no problem in that range. I think the ones I've tried were set up very good because it was in the Selmer booth in a convention. So I'm guessing that maybe the register mechanism isn't working? Maybe the neck key opens when you play those notes? Could also just be a leak. I'd show it to a good repairer who has experience with bass clarinets and see if they find a problem (I say that because someone told me a local excellent saxophone repairer made his bass clarinet even worse than it was). I'd also let another good bass clarinetist try he instrument with their setup to make sure it is not just you or the mouthpiece/reed.
So far I've had two times my bass clarinet had response problems in the clarion. One of them ended as a very long experiment and eventually changing the register tube. The second time was just turning an adjusting screw a bit more.
Nitai
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Author: William
Date: 2007-11-07 18:24
"the ones I've tried were set up very good because it was in the Selmer booth in a convention"
Hmmm......FWIW, it's been my experiance that the instruments displayed at a convention are usually NOT set up very well and it is not the best of times to audition clarinets (any woodwind) seriously. Accoustics (nearbye perc & brass booths), hasty assembly by a careless salesperson (not necessarily an expert woodwind player) and the number of people handling the instruments (kids, curious brass & percussioninst band directors, parents, etc) are just a few of the problems at convention booths.
Your low C Selmer 67 (37??) should be a great playing instrument. Probably a small leak causing the stuffy D response. Intonation may be a pad heighth issue or just something you have to learn to let your ear handle.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2007-11-07 18:36
The bass clarinet is a Rube Goldberg machine. From the factory, I'd guess they play at 80%, or at least that's about how my 67 was (granted, mine had also been auditioned a couple times, though not at conventions). If it's never seen an overhaul, even if it's new, it could probably benefit greatly in the hands of a skilled technician, especially a bass clarinet specialist, if you can find a good one. Mine plays effortlessly up and down the range now.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-11-08 04:45
> it's been my experiance that the instruments displayed at a convention
> are usually NOT set up very well and it is not the best of times to audition
> clarinets (any woodwind) seriously. Accoustics (nearbye perc & brass
> booths), hasty assembly by a careless salesperson (not necessarily an
> expert woodwind player) and the number of people handling the
> instruments (kids, curious brass & percussioninst band directors, parents,
> etc) are just a few of the problems at convention booths.
I believe you that's your experience, but sounds like the convention I was in was very different. I know the bass clarinets there were set up very good because I played them. The acoustics weren't great but weren't bad too (no perc & brass because it was a bass clarinet convention). Selmer had their main clarinet specialist repairer at their booth. There were no kids or parents (in the way you meant) because everyone there were professional bass clarinetists or very advanced bass clarinet students.
> Your low C Selmer 67 (37??)
The 67 is the Privilege.
Post Edited (2007-11-08 08:48)
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