The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Yamaha YCL 26II playing sharp

Author: Ash2ashes
Date: 2010-07-21 15:11

Hi guys, I have searched for this problem extensively but have yet to find a definitive answer. If it is my poor searching skills, I do apologise but here it is.

I play a yamaha YCL 26II, I have a 6C mouthpiece, the barrel is 64mm and I am using Vandoren Traditional 2.5 reeds. I have been experimenting with my embouchure and while I am finding times where I have a good tone, the notes are always very sharp and when I try to bend down to the correct pitch I sound like a cat in a blender. The mp and barrel together sounds closer to a G than F#. I am tuning to A=440. I have pulled the barrel 2mm and have found I need to pull even further to get accurate pitch. The pads seem fine to me.

Is it (Most likely)

1 The Barrel too short
2 Clarinet tuned to 442
3 The mp/reed combination not suitable
4 My embouchure terrible
5 The cat stuck in the bell :P
6 Some/All of the above

I know i need to have someone check it out for me but until I can afford the lessons I am having to shoot from the hip so to speak. I am curious if anyone else has found this on the 26II and if I am missing something obvious.

Thanks.
Ash x

Ps All notes are sharp by approx the same amount.

Reply To Message

Re: Yamaha YCL 26II playing sharp

Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2010-07-21 15:33

It's hard to say without testing the instrument.

First off, when you are tuning (using your tuner) follow this procedure:
First tune an open G [G4]

and adjust by pulling the barrel.

Then tune the G an octave higher [G5]

and adjust by pulling out the middle joint of the instrument.

Also, throughout this procedure, make sure the bell is pulled out about 1 mm. This doesn't appreciably affect intonation, but adds something to your tone.

The issue can be that you have too short a barrel, there could be a problem with the instrument, it may be the mouthpiece.... you get the picture!

Even if you can't swinglessons right now, take the instrument to a GOOD technician and have it looked at for obvious problems. Explain theissues you are having.

Many times, student grade instruments are pitched higher to make up for the tendency of beginners to play flat.

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."

Reply To Message

Re: Yamaha YCL 26II playing sharp

Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-07-21 15:59

The 64(.5) mm barrel is the Continental European one for A=442. You may want one that's 66 mm for A=440.
I think I have a spare plastic 66mm one (for a Vito), wanna swap? (I have little use for it short of having it cut down to 64.5mm)

--
Ben

Post Edited (2010-07-21 16:02)

Reply To Message

Re: Yamaha YCL 26II playing sharp

Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-07-21 16:28

The 64.5mm barrel is too short although that was the standard length barrel supplied with the YCL-26II (or 26IIMSUK in full). Definitely try a 66mm (or 67mm) barrel to see if this helps.

Yamaha probably did this as they supplied the 26IIUK with a 6C mouthpiece instead of the 4C - the wider tip opening of the 6C will make things play flatter for beginners so they most likely supplied the shorter 64.5mm barrel to compensate.

The YCL-34II (which is the wooden verison of the 26II) had a 66mm barrel as standard.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

Reply To Message

Re: Yamaha YCL 26II playing sharp

Author: Ash2ashes
Date: 2010-07-21 19:53

Thanks for the replies guys, gonna look into getting a bigger barrel and in the meantime I'll just pull the barrel and try blowing softer. Being a singer primarily, I think the breathing exercises i do may contribute to my being sharp rather than flat.

I followed Jeff's suggestion of tuning with G and found that it helped a lot and after pulling the barrel everything was more or less in tune. As silly as it may sound I was trying to get the low E in tune before anything else :S

Thanks for the offer Ben but I think I'll keep this one around for now, just in case I ever want to play A=442 (It maaaaayyy happen) and I'm a bit of a hoarder haha.

Again thanks guys

Ash x

Reply To Message

Re: Yamaha YCL 26II playing sharp

Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-07-21 20:00

No worries Ash. I got a sixpack of them 64.5 barrels for a firesale price some time ago. Apparently they were found to be playing on the sharp side. ;-)

--
Ben

Reply To Message

Avail. Forums | Threaded View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

The Clarinet Pages

For Sale
Put your ads for items you'd like to sell here. Free! Please, no more than two at a time - ads removed after two weeks.