 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BellaBfhs
Date: 2013-02-21 10:57
Hi! One of my students is having clarinet problems. It's a Yamaha Advantage wooden clarinet. It's going flat badly. We have tried different reeds, and checked it over. It is not the student though, I've tried playing it and it still goes flat. Any advice?
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2013-02-21 11:44
Define "flat". (how many cents?)
You're not using a 13-series Vandoren mouthpiece by chance?
--
Ben
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2013-02-21 13:06
Yes, 13 series Vandoren mouthpieces might do it.
Is the flatness mainly in the throat tones? Sometimes this can be helped by adjusting key heights. Are the tone holes clean? Is it possible that there is gunk in the register key tube?
How old is the clarinet? It's possible that if it hasn't been properly cared for, the bore might have begun to warp. When not in use, where is the clarinet usually stored? There is a difference of opinion on the subject of oiling, but if it has never been done, it might be wise to start. Yamaha does recommend it, and they make bore oil, although I know nothing about it. I've had success with Bore Doctor, but there are other good oils out there too.
You might want to direct some of these questions to Yamaha. I've called them a couple times, and they have excellent customer service.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2013-02-21 15:30
It's important to know what specifically is flat and by how much. The Series 13 pitch has already been mentioned. But that's not the explanation if you're talking about flatness in a specific range (and not elsewhere). Flatness in the clarion and not in the chalumeau might suggest an obstructed register key opening (bent reg. key, dirt in the vent, damage to the tube that projects into the bore). Flatness in the chalumeau and not in the clarion registers might suggest that the problem is a sharp clarion rather than a flat chalumeau. Is there any unusual stuffiness in the instrument's response?
Contacting Yamaha is a good idea, but you may get a better, more helpful result if you can give a more precise description of the problem.
Karl
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Author: BellaBfhs
Date: 2013-02-28 10:47
The Register key opening was obstructed. Apparently someone had accidentally tipped it over at school and she didn't think it did anything. Right now it's getting repaired. Thanks for the advice!
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