 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Jan
Date: 2001-02-14 16:57
I have a 2 month old Selmer Signature which plays somewhat flat thruout all the ranges. I am a bit concerned and not sure what to do. I chose this instrument among 6 other s.s.'s . does it need some kind of adjustment....what would that entail? or could it just be me...the kind of reed/mouthpiece combination?
what do you think?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2001-02-14 17:06
It could be the length of the barrel (likely) or the mouthpiece/reed setup you are playing (less likely). I recently had the same problems with my LeBlanc Concertos and have resorted to using a 64mm barrel to at least be at 440 to start with. As the instrument warms up, I then pull the barrel to stay at 440. This gives me the option of playing at a sharper pitch level when I have to. Good luck with your Sig.--they are good instruments.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: graham
Date: 2001-02-14 19:49
as instrument is new you need to give time to getting used to it, and avoid playing it incessantly. It does not help the instrument settle, and you are more likely to get fixated on apparent faults. An objective test is to find another good player who is not so "close" to the situation and see if they play it out of tune. Probably not. You can go both flat and sharp through plain anxiety.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dee
Date: 2001-02-14 21:14
Also remember that in a cool room, such as is often the case in the winter, instruments typically play flat.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mw
Date: 2001-02-14 22:15
(( I think William hit the bullseye .. ))
The Selmer Signature comes with two (2) tuning barrels -- a 62.5 and a 64.5mm.
I talked to Tom Ridenour at length about the Signature because Tom owns one. (I own one, too) Tom has had some of the same problems. Tom said he opted to use a tuning ring of 1mm with the Signature's 62.5mm barrel. That solved all or most of his problems. No clarinet is perfect (yet) !
I bought the Buffet tuning rings ... they come in .5 & 1.0 mm. I find that my "solution" came around 63.0mm (with the .5mm ring) & the 63.5mm (using a 1.0mm ring ala Tom) wasn't bad.
Best of luck on owning a *GREAT* clarinet !
:)
mw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mw
Date: 2001-02-15 00:48
"Tom has had some of the same problems"
--------------------------------------------
Re: Tuning
I think I mis-spoke. This is really *NOT* a problem. Playing sharp or flat is an attribute or characteristic that comes as a part of the equation that is fitting an instrument to the physical parts of a given clarinet player & the clarinet player's given setup (reed, mouthpiece, ligature & (possibly) their previous barrel of choice which may have been selected to go with their mouthpiece).
SO ... is it a problem? NO, I think "problem" is a poor choice of words.
Is it something we need to deal with (whatever it is) ? YES, of course.
Best of luck, jan.
mw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: wes
Date: 2001-02-19 07:17
Hi!
In about 1993, I bought a Buffet R13 that had been in storage since it was new in the early 1970's. It had a great sound but could not be comfortably be played in a group while using the 66mm barrel that came with it. A 64mm barrel was the answer and I could even pull out a half a mm after warming up. After playing this clarinet for 7 years, I find that I not only play comfortably with the 66mm barrel, but can pull it out one mm after warming up. This could indicate that my clarinet has shrunk slightly from my playing, both in length and in the bore, making the bore larger. Both of these shrinking effects will raise the overall pitch of the clarinet.
Wood changes as it is used. Good luck with a great clarinet.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-02-19 11:06
Clarinet timber (grenadilla = mpingo) is chosen as a material not for its tone but for its extreme dimensional stability in changes of temperature and humidity.
If the clarinet shrank as much as you suggest many of the keys' hinge tubes would have to be dramatically shortened to stop binding between the key posts.
I suggestyour embouchure &/or breath pressure has changed.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: wes
Date: 2001-02-20 07:51
Thank you for your comment. The clarinet has certainly changed, I am convinced, because I was and am very aware of pitch considerations and the clarinet in 1993 was simply too flat and could not be brought up without a shorter barrel or a sharper mouthpiece. It isn't flat now. After studying with a teacher in the Minneapolis Symphony many years ago and later with Mitchell Lurie and others and feel that my air pressure and embouchure are fairly settled down. Actually, loose keys on this clarinet have been swedged by me, possibly two or three times in the time I've had it. Swedging is mostly necessary on the long keys with tubes parallel to the bore. Several times with new clarinets, a new Loree oboe, and a new Laubin oboe, I've observed the dimensional changing of the wood when they are first used, causing the mechanism to not operate properly and tenons to get tighter in sockets. Good wishes.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
