 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Wookie001
Date: 2016-12-11 03:22
The Bb' on my Buffet RC Bb Clarinet doesn't sound right somehow, although everything else sounds fine.
is this a common problem with all clarinets or does the register tube need some cleaning?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-12-11 04:21
Remove the speaker key and clean the speaker tube out with a pipe cleaner dipped in either alcohol or dampened with soapy water just to be sure. Don't use anything that can scratch or enlarge the speaker tube.
The tone quality of throat Bb isn't the best on most clarinets due to how it's being produced. Ideally you want a much larger tonehole further down the top joint - you'll definitely notice the difference by using the trill key fingering compared to the regular throat A and speaker key fingering (plus any resonance fingerings by putting the right hand fingers down to add more substance to it).
The other and clearer sounding throat Bb is with the throat A key and lower of the two trill keys (2nd touchpiece down from the top).
If the throat notes have been getting progressively stuffier, then the throat A and G# toneholes and open G tonehole (LH1 ring key vent) could be occluded as well.
If you haven't had your clarinet serviced for over a year, then I'd advise you book it in for a service very soon as you'll definitely notice the difference when all the toneholes have been cleaned.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2016-12-11 09:14
It's also possible that the A key isn't lifting the pad far enough. If this problem has recently developed, check if the pad which this key operates is loose and/or damaged.
Tony F.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2016-12-11 14:18
Just one small piece of advice to add to Chris P's thorough analysis of the situation: make sure you give plenty of breath support on that B flat. Blow sufficiently to make it sound like a real note. It tends to be too sharp, so you may have to put your fingers on one or more rings of the lower joint. Any note that is out of tune cannot possibly sound good. My last suggestion is purely psychological: learn to like its rather vaporous and distinctive sound. If you don't like the sound of a note, it will take its revenge by sounding worse. Learn to like it, and it will sound better.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-12-11 14:47
Every note on any clarinet will have its own tone quality, so they all combine as a whole to give the instrument its character. If every single note had exactly the same quality (which some may want), then that would be a bit dull.
But throat Bb is especially not a great note, so definitely try to love it for all its faults.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2016-12-11 19:48
Proof of what you have said: I don't possess absolute pitch, but play any note on the clarinet and I can identify it. Play these notes on the piano, and I can't. It's the specific character of each note on the clarinet that I recognize. As for the throat B-flat: true, it's not the nicest note on the clarinet, but it has its charm. A crooked nose can have its charm.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: TomS
Date: 2016-12-11 19:51
I think everyone has pretty much covered it ...
To sum up some suggestions: Check register vent for dirt, the pad for adequate clearance (a compromise between clarity and on some clarinets "under-toning" on some notes). The throat "A" key pad may need more clearance. The register vent pad (if cork) can have the sides tapered (kind of a volcano shape) and this may help, as well.
Use the side trill for B-flat when possible or a good "resonance" fingering as well.
Tom
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Author: ruben
Date: 2016-12-11 19:55
The tapered cork register vent pad does help. Selmer does this as a matter of course.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Wookie001
Date: 2016-12-11 19:59
Thanks Chris (and the others too) for your detailed information/advice on this!
It's a fairly new clarinet (playing it for about 3 months now) but nevertheless I'll let my clarinet doctor have a look, maybe the swab has left some fuzzes in the register tube.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2016-12-11 20:15
You can take the register vent key off yourself ... use a pipe cleaner moistened with a little alcohol to clean.
Be careful. View the online videos on this type of self-fixes.
Tom
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