 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: offblue
Date: 2012-07-19 04:36
I've had some trouble with squeaking recently (involving some painful auditions) and I'm wondering if my mouthpiece could be the problem. What else causes squeaks other than embouchure?
I'm also considering moving away from B45 that my teacher recommended. I find it difficult to transition between registers and the highest register to be very thin and finicky. The sound is also not as full, round, and colorful as I like. What mouthpieces are the most suitable for R13? I've looked at the M13, 5RV, and B40 lyre on the internet. Do you have any experience with any of these?
Thank you very much. I'm going to be first chair next year (HS senior) and feeling apprehensive...big shoes to fill.
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Author: SamuelChan
Date: 2012-07-19 10:32
You should check finger placement, pad leaks, reed chipping or not placed properly, etcetc. May not be the embouchure or mouthpiece, but airspeed too. Before moving to get another mouthpiece and have the chance of same thin notes and squeaking, check the clarinet as a whole, and airspeed. I've come across many people who has problems with airspeed, but they accuse their equipment instead.
Enjoy the 'first chair'! Haha.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2012-07-19 12:54
There are lots of things that *can* cause squeaks, and chasing after all or even a few of them at once can become confusing and completely destabilize your approach to playing.
You need to ask yourself a few questions: How long has the squeaking been happening? Does it happen generally (like when you're practicing and relaxed) or only under stress (auditions/performances)? Did you change anything just before the squeaks began?
My experience is that the most common cause of squeaking is unbalanced reeds (usually a hard spot somewhere across the tip). If you react to the imbalance and initial squeaks by tensing or contorting your embouchure to stop them, you compound and maybe prolong the problem. Obviously, if it only happens under stress, tension in your embouchure (causing excessive pinching) or in your hands and fingers (causing holes to be open that shouldn't be) almost certainly explain the squeaks.
You can pretty easily find if the mouthpiece is at the root of the problem - borrow one from someone and play on it for awhile. It could be some out-of-spec problem with your B45, but I don't think the B45 or any other mass produced mouthpiece on the market generically can be the cause of squeaks by itself. But if the reeds you're using aren't balanced or a good fit to the facing, it could cause you to tense up, potentially causing several problems including squeaks, thin sound and inflexibility.
Karl
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-07-19 13:45
Have you tried several reeds? A dying reed can easily squeak.
The bottom of the reed must be absolutely flat. Reeds often get an impression of the window, which causes a leak unless you happen to put it in exactly the right place. Use 400 grit black sandpaper over a piece of glass, pressing down only on the bark area to get it almost to a mirror finish.
The reed tip may be more curved than the mouthpiece tip, especially at the corners. Try moving the reed up so that it projects a tiny amount over the mouthpiece tip -- maybe a tenth of a millimeter.
I frequently reshape a reed tip to match my mouthpiece, maneuvering it in a reed trimmer to shape the tip. For the final adjustment, I pinch the tip between my thumb and index finger and use a fingernail file, always stroking from the corner toward the middle.
A mouthpiece can be damaged easily by banging it against a wall or a stand. One student was having a terrible squeaking problem. I looked along the rails and found that one of the corners had been dinged back so it never sealed, creating a permanent leak and squeak.
The Vandoren B45 has a long, open facing http://www.saxplus.com/vandoren-clarinet-mpc-info.html. If you want to try another facing, I've found that the 5RVLyre suits my style. Your results will almost certainly vary. For better quality at a lower price, you should try the Fobes Debut http://www.amazon.com/Clark-Fobes-Student-Clarinet-Mouthpiece/dp/B0002HLKKK/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1342705265&sr=1-1&keywords=fobes.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2012-07-19 14:35
>> I find it difficult to transition between registers and the highest register to be very thin and finicky. >>
Could be the mouthpiece, could be the reed -- but when an experienced player starts having trouble over the register break, then I wonder if there's a tiny pad leak getting started. Usually the lower notes on the affected pad(s) will still sound fine for awhile after the upper register starts to go bad. That's especially likely to be true if you're getting squeaks on the "long" B and C at the middle of the staff.
Another likely culprit is the topmost trill key pad. It's usually the first to pack down and rot, because it's highest up and gets (and stays) wet the most. If and when it goes wrong, the trouble starts with the highest notes before it eventually affects the whole range of the clarinet.
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: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2012-07-19 15:58
Unbalanced mouthpiece rails, especially near or at the tip, will cause squeaks, even with the best-balanced reeds.
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Author: offblue
Date: 2012-07-19 18:21
Samuel - Thanks for the possible suggestions. I agree, maybe I need faster air in the higher register, since my teacher frequently pushes me to use more air. And I will definitely have fun being first chair!
Karl - Yes, there are lots of factors and it is most likely caused either by my nerves or poorly adjusted reeds. And I will try to stop the squeaking before it becomes a habit to accommodate it. Thank you for your help.
Ken - You're probably right about the dying reeds because I try to make them last as long as possible. That's interesting about the dinged mouthpiece because I dropped mine once, and there was a microscopic chip in the top left edge of it. Thanks for the mp suggestions too.
Lelia - That's good insight about the pads and I have found the middle register to be difficult too. Thanks.
David - Another reason to justify buying a new mouthpiece!
Post Edited (2012-07-21 14:41)
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