 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Wayne
Date: 2001-04-02 04:22
I play on an old Buffet Evette model clarinet which I had re-padded and checked over about a year ago. Recently, I notice that the low E is muffled when played with the pinky key only. When I add the F key, the note sounds fine. It's the same for the middle B - it becomes louder and clearer when the C key is depressed. Is this an easy fix ? Also, I'm wondering if the way I'm taking my clarinet apart may have caused this. I feel that I'm careful (it's old, and I really like the way it sounds !) but I'm wondering if there's a " correct way " to seperate the bell and bottom piece of the instrument just in case I'm the culprit. Does anyone know the Evette model ? I wonder what model Buffet would be it's modern model. Thanks everyone for the great tips on reeds - a real help !!
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-04-02 05:21
Sounds like the B/E pad is not sealing. If that's all it is it's an easy fix.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-04-02 12:16
Linkages and pad seating involving the F/C and E/B keys. This is usually the first area of a clarinet to need adjustment as pads 'bed in' further and linkage corks compress. Problems are compounded if there is any sloppiness in the pivots. Correction is usually reasonably easy for an experienced repairer but this is the most deceptively complicated area for adjustment on a clarinet. Many adjustments and other contributing factors are interrelated. It is not a good area for the experimental handiperson to work on.
Contrary to what some people believe, experience and engineering knowledge has shown me that no significant damage is done during assembly by grasping the clarinet FIRMLY around the area including the bottom 2 key cups. Indeed MORE damage is likely in trying to avoid these keys (especially for young, weak, student hands). Damage WILL be done by squeezing on any of the pinky finger spatulas.
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Author: Steve F.
Date: 2001-04-02 13:40
I agree with Gordon that this is the toughest part of the clarinet to get working correctly. This problem is extremely common. One thing you might try to fix the problem until you can arrange to get it fixed properly, is to stick a small piece of tape to the bottom of the right hand low E key, so that the tape goes between the key and the "foot" that comes down from the low F key. You might need more than one piece, depending on the severity of the problem. By holding down the low E key with normal playing pressure and then pressing the low F key, you can watch the gap appear between the foot and the bottom of the low E key. This will give you an idea of how big a problem it is. If you can't fill the gap with one or two layers of tape, take it to the shop. Too many layers will cause other problems. The nice thing about this is that if it doesn't fix your problem, just reomve the tape and you're back where you started, with no harm done.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-04-02 15:28
Gordon and Steve say it very well. As a semi-skilled repairman, your problem is that the F/C is not closing tightly when the E/B is pressed alone. It is a bit surprising that the mid-staff B will even sound! This is a very common problem produced by use, pad wear [or tear] or mal-adjustment resulting from "grasping" for assembly with possible bending of the E/B long rod. It probably needs a pro repairperson [such as J Butler] to check pad quality-seating and "crows-foot" and other corking before any key bending is attempted. If you wish to try to date your Evette, let us have its serial number, I have a similar horn as many others do. Luck Don
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-04-03 00:26
Getcher self a "Mag lite" or other small flashlight and take the horn into a darkened space.
Light up the bottom joint from the bore and seal the pads with the normal keys.
If you see a sliver of light, the pads aren't sealing and need to be "Floated".
If they seal, but the upper pad connects first, the 'Crow's foot" needs to be moved closer to the horn (that way it engages later).
Been there, done that too.
anji
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-04-03 06:06
1.Differences of pads places:
It is commonly taught as the best fingering to use not only the left pinky(the two pads are very far from the finger position and the one key is controlling two pads and each pad is placed in very different places) but also the right pinky(the finger position is near to the F pad) to emit lowest E or middle B to secure their sitting at the same time.
2.Felt pads characteristices:
Besides,as described by someone in a response to the question about Straubinger pad,bigger pads need a little more time to sit tight than smaller one because of the spongy characteristics of pad felts and its biggness than smaller ones even when good sealing/key connections secured. This would avoid both pads sit tight at the same time. I agree to this analysis since I have always experienced these phenomena even after having had good pad adjustmenst by good repairmen especially when very fast fingerings are necessary.
3.Solution
Use the ordinary recommended fingerings by both pinkies and to train these as the first choices whenever possible and to use alternative fingerings of right pinky only, but the latter depends on whether adjacent fingerings allow this or not.
p.s. 'Leak-light'(trade mark?) is sold cheap at web shops. If you use mag-lite, it would be better to use in lantern style since if not, almost no side light comes.
Leak light is very much brighter and the light comes in all directions. Easier to diagnose pad leaks.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-03 10:39
Hiroshi wrote:
>
> [snip] Use the ordinary recommended fingerings by both pinkies and to
> train these as the first choices whenever possible and to use
> alternative fingerings of right pinky only, but the latter
> depends on whether adjacent fingerings allow this or not.
It is essential to have the mechanism properly adjusted so the the B (and low E) can be played easily with either the left or right pinky alone. Once you get into keys of multiple sharps, it is almost never possible to use both fingers to play the B. Often it is necessary to use one key when playing the scale and the other when playing arpeggios in that scale. For example in the key of B when playing the scale, you would use the right pinky on a standard Boehm as you go B, C#, D#. Yet if you play the arpeggio starting on the first note of the scale, you must use the left pinky (B, D#, F#).
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-04-03 14:32
Very good analysis, Dee, it leads me toward MY solution to easy little-fingering of the right hand E/B by raising the [usually-placed] thumb rest about 1/4" , I invert mine. Don
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Author: Matt Locker
Date: 2001-04-03 15:37
What I found neat (and inexpensive) was to run a couple christmas lights from a string into the bore. It's easy to see the leaking pads this way, and almost everyone has at least 1 set of these at home.
FWIW,
Matt
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Author: wayne
Date: 2001-04-03 15:56
Thanks everyone.... Not wanting to mess up the horm further, I brought it back to the shop that did the overhaul about a year ago and will hope they can adjust it correctly. If not, I'll send it to one of the sponsers (jButler) here at sneezy,
Thanks again, Wayne
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-04-03 20:18
In my experience, although a leak light is useful for sax, it is poor indeed at identifying small leaks in a clarinet. It will only shkow major leaks. This is why repairers use a feeler shim instead. Even on a sax a light will miss leaks unless it is really bright. I use a single Krypton bulb producing about 4 watts, but never on a clarinet.
Also, a light tests for simultaneous closing, but what is possibly more important is equal closing pressure, which the feeler tests for in experienced hands. The two are somewhat mutually exclusive because of the slight flexing of the key metal in linkages, etc, so the practical reality is a compromise.
Almost always, when there is a problem with these two keys it also involves pads closing securely at the 'back' but not at the 'front'. Adjusting the linkage will not help this, so any results achieved thus will be precarious.
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Author: John
Date: 2001-04-06 04:22
You need some relignment on the two lowest keys E/F they aren't working together as they should. You may need a bridge key alignment on the other problem. These are commone problems on clarinets not just your brand.
This is not an expensive fix for a decent tech.
Cheers,
jv
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