 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ashley91489
Date: 2008-01-26 01:35
Lately I noticed that my register key has been slow to respond. My clarinet was traveling in the car (trunk) where it is a bit colder and the from the car to inside. When I went to play the notes using the register key would not play at all (they came out low). After some playing, it slowly began to work. I'm wondering if the cold weather might be the cause of the register key not responding well.
Any ideas?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-01-26 07:41
Is it a plastic-bodied bass? If it is, then it's more prone to binding keywork than a wooden one due to the plastic contracting with the cold. Plastic instruments will shrink and expand more (in all directions) than wood when subjected to extreme changes in temperature.
So whenever possible, keep clarinets (and all instruments) in an environment of the same (and stable) temperature where you feel comfortable - they don't like being too hot or cold just like ourselves.
And another problem with cold instruments is an increased amount condensation forming in the bore, and running into toneholes making pads stick and gurgling noises.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2008-01-26 13:51
>>When I went to play the notes using the register key would not play at all (they came out low). >>
I'm not quite sure what you mean. Do these notes play as if you were playing the lower-register tones with those same fingerings? For instance, when you finger chalumeau C (middle C) plus the register key, do you hear chalumeau C and not clarion G, even though the register key is open? If so, does it sound like a normal chalumeau C?
Or do you mean that the register key itself is sticking and won't open?
Or do you mean that you do get a clarion note but it's flat?
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: sbrodt54
Date: 2008-01-26 14:00
I must toss in my opinion here, I'm new to this board but before I joined I read quite a number of entries and found Chris P to be very accurate in his responses. This is the first time in months that I disagree.
In 40 years I have found virtually no problems with plastic instruments shrinking or expanding because of temperature, or very little in comparison to wooden ones. Both temperature and humidity need to be controlled as best as possible with any wooden instrument but plastic seems to be much more carefree.
There's no mention yet of whether this is a wooden bass or a plastic, if it is plastic I would first check the oil on the hinge screws to see if it has been changed in the past 20 years. Very old oil will slow down the travel of the keys a great deal.
In any case whether it's wood or plastic, after being out in the cold for any amount of time, allow it to sit in the warm room for at least 20 minutes before opening the case.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-01-26 14:27
Having worked on many plastic instruments I have experienced first hand that they DO move more than wooden ones with temperature changes in all directions (wood moves with changes in humidity and the movement is mostly widthways), and have carried out experiments to prove this very fact, and consequently fit the keywork with enough end play to prevent binding should they get cold.
That's why you have Vito contra-altos and contrabasses with so much end play between the long keys and their pillars, and it was also mentioned on here a fair while back that Fox never made polypropylene contrabassoons due to this very reason as most keywork on contras is on long axles, and the end play would be way to excessive to counteract any contraction.
I've never had trouble with my saxes or flutes in cold conditions (outdoor concerts, marches, cold rehearsal rooms, etc) so key oil viscosity has never been an issue (though the pads stick more with increased humidity levels), but plastic piccolos, oboes, cors anglais and clarinets do have the noticeable tendency for the keys to bind up tight between pillars when cold (not just the cross mounted keys, but the long keys mounted between distant pillars as well), and significantly more than wooden ones when subjected to the same low temperature.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2008-01-26 15:50)
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