 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-03-30 11:06
As a beginner I expect to occasionally (well quite regularly really) fail to properly cover the 1st tone hole. If this happens and I'm in the clarinet register I can accidently find myself in the altissimo register.
However on 2 occasions I seem to have got stuck in there. When this happened I released the registry key and still stayed stuck in altissimo. I meticulously carry out a finger placement and give it a visual inspection...still stuck in. I eventually clear it by playing a few very low notes although these seem to start off strangled and then free up.
Can somebody give me a clue. I can't detect any keys stuck down. The clarinet has recently had a full overhaul. 100% replacement of corks and pads by a reputable dealer.
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Author: Luuk ★2017
Date: 2012-03-30 11:58
Sounds like a leak to me. Since it affects the whole lower register it should be located close to the mouthpiece, effectively acting as an extra register hole.
To find the culprit, play a 'squeaky' or instable note in the lower register while someone else gently pushes at the higher triller key cups at the right of the upper joint (seen from the players' view), thereby forcing the pads under the cups to close the tone hole. Push one at a time while playing the note repeatedly, so it becomes obvious which one is leaking.
If you're alone you can try this by applying a rubber band over each cup, also one after the other.
Then, go back to your technician because the overhaul has left something to be fixed by him.
Regards,
Luuk
Philips Symphonic Band
The Netherlands
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2012-03-30 12:17
Check the A/G# adjustment screw. It may be too close and opening the G#4 hole a little bit.
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-03-30 15:35
Thank you both very much. I actually feel quite relieved as I feel that I'm near to solving a long standing problem.
I realize now that I've had this intermittant problem for a long time. I used to be practicing away quite merrily and then, suddenly, I couldn't play a note. I didn't know where to start looking for the cause. I now realise that even then it was getting stuck in altissimo (just a convenient way of describing it) but being a beginner my embouchure was not strong enough to play in this register so I just got zilch and no clues. Now I've progressed a little and so when this happens I can play enough notes to realize that they are altissimo notes.
I have 2 suspects, both trill keys, on one the pad is not concentic with the hole by a bigger margin than any other key (but still seems to be seating OK). The other is not a smooth action, it seems to have a small resistance part way through the movement (rather like a camera button that lets you pause part way through for setting the focus). However the spring easily overcomes this resistance. When it happens again I will have a better idea of where to look. Thanks again for the clues.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-03-30 15:41
While a certain dealer may be reputable, that doesn't mean their repairs are particularly special. I've seen repairs done by companies with good reputations that leave a lot to be desired.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2012-04-01 01:57
As suggested above, there are several things that can cause this problem. In particular, check the A/G# adjustment screw since the pads have just been replaced. It should have a small amount of free play. However, I have found it several times to be one of the top two trill keys being in need of swedging. If you are not careful in assembling the two joints (that is, if you just grab the upper joint and twist it into the lower joint) it is easy to put sideways pressure on one of the top trill keys. That can distort the pivot tube of the particular trill key and, eventually, allow it to have some sideways play. The pad can then be displaced slightly from the hole it is covering and cause the problem you describe. Since the key, when handled, can just as easily be moved back to where it belongs, the problem can go away just as quickly and not be discovered as a leak with a vacuum test.
I have had occasion to do this repair for a fellow clarinetist in our community band minutes before an important concert.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-04-01 20:29
Yes, of course it could be a key with a slight leak but more likely it's the A throat tone key not always sealing because the adjustment screw going to the G# is slightly touching the G# key, I've seen this happen on several occasions, it's happened to me in the past until I realized what it was. Or you may just be hitting the G# key by mistake. If it's not a leak than it's you, you keep voicing too high in your throat and or tongue position. If you play a high E and then a high A, same fingering, you do it by voicing the E up. If you don't voice back down you will keep getting a high A instead of the E. It sounds like once you get the "overtones" you don't know how to drop your voice. Some teachers teach to play the upper register with out the register key to learn how to voice. They don't do that to have them play that way when they play normally but to learn to voice higher when needed. Keep that in mind. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-04-01 21:17
I'm very grateful for all the good advice. As it is an intermittant problem I will have to wait for an opportunity to check out some of the theories. I 've checked the physical ones such as the adjusting screw etc. It's just wait and see now.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-04-02 02:13
Another factor that may apply here: It is easy to get the clarinet up into its overtones, but much more difficult to get it to come back down to a lower register.
If you can't blame the "come down" problem on a leak, you'll just have to work on your voicing, embouchure, ... 'til things start working reliably for you.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2012-04-02 12:12
When you check that adjustment of the screw on the throat A / Ab crossover keys that Ed Palanker writes about, one thing to be aware of is that there's an incredibly tiny difference between just right and all wrong. That difference can be a quarter of a turn, maybe even less. Eventually that screw will loosen a tad on nearly all clarinets.
I have the impression that a lot of people decide the problem can't be in that spot because they're turning the screw what seems to to be a normal and reasonable amount. Thus they're going back and forth between too loose and too tight, without realizing the adjustment is so finicky. I handle it by starting from a point that's obviously waaaaay off so that at least I know which direction I have to go. That means I start by loosening the screw grossly too much. Then I tighten it in tiny increments.
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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