 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: shadow1
Date: 2015-12-25 08:36
My very cheap student yamaha seems to be extremely sharp when I play the G in the clarion register. It is no long sharp when I go up to an A though. The F, E, and D below it are also very sharp but anything in this register below D is fine. The lowest A is always extremely sharp as well. Iv'e already pulled out my barrel plenty, and I've also pulled out a bit on the joints. If I pull out any more, my turing C will become too flat. I know that student clarinets are nightmares but they're all I can afford since I'm still in college and not a music major. If anyone has any tips on how to fix this that's be great. Right now, I hold down the B key when playing a G and the C key when playing an F or E. When I play a D in the clarion register I just try to lip it :/
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2015-12-25 09:22
Have you tried tuning by pulling out the middle joint first and THEN the barrel if needed for the throat tones? Might be a better compromise.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-12-25 15:21
Your web address looks like it may be from Europe. The first thing that I am thinking is that you may have a clarinet that was manufactured to play A=445 or something higher anyway than what we use in the US (A=440).
If you're using an electronic tuner, set it to 445. Then have your clarinet mostly together (barrel 1mm or so out is ok) and see if everything plays in tune that way.
This brings up an interesting point. Your best note to see where things are on a horn would be the "open G" or the second line of the staff. Tune there first, with your embouchure at a nice, comfortable, middle of the road feeling. Typically, as you proceed up the staff to the second space A and the third line Bb, the notes will be a little "higher." Then the "B natural" (full length of tube) will also be a little sharp. The "F" and "G" at the top of the staff should be "spot on."
So the other part of having a clarinet made for a sharper European market may be a mismatch with the mouthpiece. But I'm not sure what the Europeans do for Boehm mouthpieces in that situation (could use standard mouthpieces we all do, but make sure you are using a "standard pitch" Vandoren and not a "13 Series").
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: shadow1
Date: 2015-12-25 15:31
I'm tuning to A=440 and I'm from the states. I usually time to middle C but I'll try tuning to my open G
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-12-25 15:35
Well, the clarinet may NOT be from the States. Or made for our market (may be why it was cheap).
................Paul Aviles
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2015-12-25 16:17
Nothing against the Vandoren mouthpeieces, but they tend to be a shade long in length, so sometimes you have to use a shorter barrel and also a wider bore on the barrel. I think Vandoren mouthpieces are very good, perhaps the best machine made mouthpieces on the planet. But handmade, custom made can be a cut above, depending on who the mouthpiece artist is.
I'm not trying to sell mine, because I don't know what kind of clarinets you are playing on. I use a slightly shorter length mouthpiece with a wider bore, this lowers the pitch and evens out the 12th's. I have samples, but I'm 3 to 4 weeks behind.
The mouthpieces I make are the exact same length and bore size as the Chedevilles. The baffles are deeper than the Kaspers and the rails are a shade wider making the sound quality a bit darker.
My facings are longer compared to the Vandoren 45's so you don't pinch which raises the pitch. A longer facing stops pinching. For example David Shifrin uses a very long facing with a 4 strength Steuer Exclusive reed. So there's a lot of secret measurements that go into making mouthpieces. Just the thickness of a human hair and less than the thickness of a hair can make a note and 12ths go sharp and flat. Not to mention the sound.
It's confusing, that's why I offer samples to try before you buy. I want everyone to be happy and I sometimes get a mouthpiece returned for adjustments, but pretty much everyone buys at least one. Some teachers will buy maybe 5 to 10 for their students.
Lets talk about reeds just for a second. A short facing, such as the B45 should be refaced. The reeds you are playing on are thick, so they need to vibrate. A short facing is choking of the vibrations maybe causing you to bite just a shade, so the pitch goes up. A longer facing could really help. Keep the tip the same, but make the facing longer and let the reed vibrate more. This is what David Shifrin did as well as many others.
I've never seen you play, so these are guesses from experience going back to 1984 when I first started making mouthpieces. Feel free in writing back to savagesax@aol.com, I need more information. It's after 4 AM so if I made mistakes, typing errors forgive me! I wait for Santa to drop off my new Eb clarinet!!! (Kidding)
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2015-12-25 16:24)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-12-25 16:26
I just wanted to add that the scenario as described above is atypical; highly unusual. One would not normally experience a major sharpness in the third line D through the top of staff G only to have it go back in tune the next note up.
One other odd thought. Perhaps the bottom joint is to a different model Yamaha ?!!?
Anyway, perhaps the best tests would be to play someone else's clarinet to compare, and/or have them play yours.
..................Paul Aviles
P.S. Merry Christmas y'all
Post Edited (2015-12-25 16:27)
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Author: tylerleecutts
Date: 2015-12-25 23:44
If it's a non 13 series Vandoren it may help to try one. If you're tuning to 440 with a non 13 series it may be problematic. Now sometimes on some clarinets these mouthpieces can play flat, so try some stuff out before you buy anything.
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