 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: dubrosa22
Date: 2012-08-21 23:57
Since I began playing my Yamaha 4 months ago I've regularly found the chalumeau G and clarion D very stuffy and resistant. Regardless of whether I play it in isolation or in a phrase.
The notes immediately above and below are fine. G#/D# are strong, clear and full. And easy to blow. Likewise down to E, F# and F. No issues across the break and up to clarion C where I generally reach my limit. Only the G/D sound and feel like there's a hankerchief stuffed in the bell.
I initially put it down to a slight leak somewhere exaggerated by my sax embouchure.
Quickly reed strength and mpc facing improved things to the point where it was only quite rarely heard/felt but it's there all the same.
The best result is when I play Mitchell Lurie 3s. If try some ML 3.5s the G/D gets stuffier. Grand Concert 3s very stuffy. Rico 3.5s very very stuffy. ML 2.5s a little stuffy. Rico Royal 2.5 fine.
I've never experienced such middle-of-the-road notes to be so sensitive to reeds. The high range and very lowest definitely, of course. Clearly my playing favours softer reeds - which bothers me not.
So is it my beginner airstream pressure being shown up by reed strength/variation? Or do I have a leak somewhere? Surely if it is a leak it would affect more than just one (two) note?
I plan on visiting my tech soon but I'd like to have an idea whether it's me or the horn - I suspect a little bit of both.
I should have a teacher to discuss this with I know but since my baby was born I had to go it alone unfortunately with both sax and clarinet.
Thanks,
V
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-08-22 00:15
It could very well be the key pads right below those notes are not opened enough. Ask your tech to raise them unless he says that's not the issue. Other then that it's a problem with the clarinet, perhaps the bore. Assuming the lower notes F-E are fine it's probably the key pads need to be raised.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: dubrosa22
Date: 2012-08-22 01:09
Thank you Ed, the key-pad heights do indeed seem like a probable cause.
In regards to that I should have mentioned intonation. Silly me. Like most Yamaha's the intonation is pretty solid throughout. Especially in the chalumeau register - only a little flat on the problem G and a *little* sharp in the throat notes and the problem D (from memory). Clarion is solid too until around the Bb-B when it gets a tad sharp, but I suspect that's me not the horn.
The barrel I'm using really adds lovely tone to the throat notes but unfortunately is not quite as in tune as the stock barrel however pulling out a hair or to fixes that mostly.
Thanks again for your help.
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2012-08-22 03:20
Is there a change that you're not covering the hole completely with your right ring finger? If you have small fingers, that could be a possibility. When I was first starting out 20+ years ago, my finger was too small to cover that tone hole (and my pinkies couldn't reach the pinky keys). My fingers are long and thin, so even now I have to be mindful enough to make sure the holes are completely covered when I press the rings down. I think that's why my finger position is a little flatter than my teacher would like, but I don't think I could cover RH3 if my fingers were more rounded.
----------
Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
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Author: dubrosa22
Date: 2012-08-22 04:50
Tone-hole leaks were my first thought however in this instance that doesn't seem to be the case.
If I key a G = XXX-XXX and then add the pinky for G# = XXX-XXX-x I can instantly hear the difference. I can even trill between the two and still hear the difference between the notes.
It stands to reason that G# should be just as bad as G if it were my tone-hole covering technique?
The more I think about it the only way I get a really good G/D is by blowing substantially harder than for every other note. Does that still sound like key heights?
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Author: kdk
Date: 2012-08-22 07:04
dubrosa22 wrote:
>
> The more I think about it the only way I get a really good G/D
> is by blowing substantially harder than for every other note.
> Does that still sound like key heights?
>
Yes.
Karl
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