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Re: Stuffy clarinet

Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-06-24 22:31

Leather pads are good to go as soon as they're seated like any other pad. There is no 'break-in' period with pads - they either seal or they don't. They should be checked to see how they're seating using light finger pressure to close them as well as being seated without any excessive force.

So they could either not be seating correctly and have a leak somewhere, they could have recovered and started leaking if they were installed using heavy finger pressure or they could be porous and air can be leaking through the leather.

As for the specific ventings, give the speaker key, throat A key (G# will follow suit) and trill keys around 2mm. Give the G vent (LH1 ring key), side F# key and both Eb/Bb keys around 2-2.5mm and the C#/G# key around 2.5mm. The LH2 ring key (with vent key for E/B) will have its venting determined by the RH ring keys.

RH ring key and cross B/F# 'sliver' key around 2.5-3mm, Ab/Eb key 3mm and a minimum of 3mm for the F/C key which is determined by the venting of the E/B key which can be as much as 4mm depending on the leverages in relation to the F/C key (the point where the crow's foot contacts the E/B touch will determine this).

If you have these ventings set and things are still stuffy, especially in the low register on the C, C# and E, then try using a softer reed.

If the bell is soldered on, then you're best sealing it by stretching a surgeons' glove over the bell to seal it off, then do the suction test. This works well on saxes too.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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