 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: peter12381
Date: 2011-08-05 04:02
Hi all
I'm an enthusiastic adult clarinet student and have been playing for two years.
I'm wondering if anyone can help with an intermittent playing problem I am having. At the start of a note, just as my tongue leaves the read, there is sometimes a momentary fairly high pitched whistle before the note starts. It is more likely to happen in the clarinet than chalumeau register. It won't happen for weeks, and then suddenly, like today, I seem to do it over and over again.
It's quite different to the common dreaded loud squeak that I also occasionally generate (well fairly often actually), which completely replaces the intended note.
I suspect it is something to do with either my embouchure and tonguing technique or the reed position on the mouthpiece. It definitely isn't to do with the clarinet, as I transferred my mouthpiece with reed attached to a different clarinet and still had the same problem.
In case it is relevant, I am playing a Yamaha CSX with a Vandoren M15 mouthpiece, Rovner Light ligature and Vandoren V12 3 1/2 reed.
Clarinet playing seems to be full of these frustrations, but boy I do love it!
Thanks
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-08-05 06:19
How many different reeds have been involved with this whistle? You moved the mouthpiece to a different clarinet, but did you try changing reeds? This sounds - mostly because it appears so suddenly and then stops for long periods of time - like the result of a soft spot in the tip of the reed. The reed-mouthpiece combination you're using is OK, but maybe you're just getting an occasional reed that's been cut poorly. Are the M15's rails smooth and undamaged. Even a small nick, especially on the tip rail, can cause the kind of problem you're describing.
Karl
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Author: Fishamble
Date: 2011-08-05 07:57
This sounds similar to my experience, albeit on the bass. I got some good advice on it recently: http://test.woodwind.org/oboe/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=353557&t=353557
At the outset I had the strong impression that the reeds were at fault. Following the helpful advice I received, I found that a firmer embouchure and more attention to voicing helped a lot. Some reeds seem to be more forgiving, and positioning them lower on the mouthpiece helped.
All roundly aligned with what you've already suspected.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-08-05 14:51
Many mouthpieces have a very narrow area where the side rail and the tip meet. Whistling is often caused when the reed doesn't close off those corners completely. Try moving the reed a tiny bit higher -- maybe half the width of a thin pencil line -- to make sure it seals all the way around.
A reed that is too thin at one or both corners can also cause a whistle. Take the reed off the mouthpiece and hold it tip down below the shade of a lamp or in front of a window. If one of the corners is almost white, rather than yellow, that may be the problem.
In any case, try a new reed.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2011-08-05 16:32
I've occasionally had something similar, and it's generally the reed or the position of the reed on the mouthpiece. The reed needs to be completely symmetrically positioned on the mouthpiece. I have an old Selmer HS* on which the rails are slightly assymetrical, and that one will whistle with any reed softer than a V/D 3.5
Tony F.
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Author: TianL
Date: 2011-08-05 16:35
i had similar issue on my alto sax.. but it only happens to some mouthpiece/reed combinations. i never really dug into it because i don't play alto that much anyways.. so i just started using a different reed on alto and that problem stopped happening.
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Author: peter12381
Date: 2011-08-06 02:07
Many thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try them out and post the results.
Peter
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Author: peter12381
Date: 2011-08-16 03:44
Hi all
After posting my question about the mysterious whistling sound I sometimes get at the start of a note, it disappeared the next day, then came back a bit the following day, and now has disappeared again. I was able to verify that it happened with different clarinets, mouthpieces, ligatures and reeds. I think I am placing the reed symmetrically on the mouthpiece and I could not induce a whistle by moving the reed up or down.
From the advice above, I think the most likely culprit is my embouchure, etc. (although it might still also interact with the reed and mouthpiece) Being fairly new to the clarinet I think I have a while to go before my embouchure get stabilised.
Thanks to everyone
Peter
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Author: grannybflat
Date: 2011-09-08 09:10
Thanks Peter
I have the same problem from time to time, I'm a newbie as well and I've found all these tips very helpful, like you though I still squeak and whistle a bit.
Great information guys.
Thanks
Jenny
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