 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: OmniClarinet314
Date: 2017-08-16 23:30
I'm currently in high school, and I currently play a Ridenour 576bc. I play on 2.5 Vandoren BlackMaster reeds. I can't find a fix for the fuzzy and airy tone on my clarinet. All of my notes sound so fuzzy and airy whenever I play. I want them to sound pure, but I get the opposite. Is there any way for me to remove the fuzzy tone in my notes? Should I buy another clarinet like the R13 or should I improve my embouchure?
Thank you
Post Edited (2017-08-16 23:31)
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2017-08-17 00:11
Hi Omni,
Have you had a technician look at your instrument to make sure things are in good repair?
Bad pads, small leaks, reeds, mouthpieces, etc. can cause problems.
As players, we can also be the cause of the problems (embouchure, fingers not covering the holes correctly, tongue resting on the reed, etc.)
If you can, I'd have an experienced clarinet player test your instrument, or (if available) take it to a technician. Don't forget to check the mouthpiece for dings/chips too. It doesn't take much of a scratch/ding/or chip on the mouthpiece to cause all sorts of issues (depending on where the damage is located.) Reed type and strength of reed also can play a roll in a "fuzzy" sound. Is there too much moisture on the reed? Is the reed frayed? Is the reed too hard? Too soft? (examples of questions to think about pertaining to the reed.)
Does the fuzziness disappear when you try to push more/less air through the instrument?
For the most part, I think any level of clarinet (from beginner model to professional model) would normally produce a non-fuzzy tone if the clarinet were in proper playing condition.
I definitely wouldn't hurry to buy a different clarinet just yet...but it would be beneficial to track down what the current problem is!
Best of luck,
;^)>>>
Fuzzy
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-08-17 01:35
Try a different reed other than a Black Master as they're designed mainly for Austrian clarinets (but can work with French style mouthpieces).
If you find the lower register is especially stuffy, then try dropping down by half a reed strength to see if that clears things up.
How long have you been playing for and what type of mouthpiece are you using?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-08-17 02:01
OmniClarinet314 wrote:
> I can't find a
> fix for the fuzzy and airy tone on my clarinet. All of my notes
> sound so fuzzy and airy whenever I play.
In my teaching experience, most of the time fuzzy tone over the entire instrument indicates a problem with the reed-mouthpiece combination. It can also result from biting too hard and not letting enough air into the mouthpiece to produce a full sound.
The easiest way to find the cause is to have someone else try your equipment. The solution may be to change mouthpieces or reed strength or, as Chris suggested, try some other reed than a Black Master. It may be that you need to change the shape of your embouchure so that it doesn't interfere with the reed's freedom to vibrate.
It could be a problem with the clarinet itself, but it would need to be leaking from many places or somewhere very high up on the clarinet. It certainly won't hurt to have it looked at by a reliable technician. You never know how much better it could play until you have it adjusted. But I would have someone you trust as a player check your reed and mouthpiece first - it's free and you can do it tomorrow at school.
Karl
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Author: OmniClarinet314
Date: 2017-08-17 02:40
Thanks for the replies.
I have been playing for 6 years, and my mouthpiece is a Gigliotti P34. What do you people think of the BlackMaster 2.5 and Gigliotti combination? I will have my clarinet checked sometime this month as I have not had it checked for 3 years. Hopefully, it'll be better. If not, then I would have to change my mouthpiece and reed combination.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-08-17 04:31
I have no idea how Black Masters work on a P34 nor what strength Black Master would work best. I also don't know what the Gigliotti mouthpieces are like today. The last couple I tried weren't of the same quality as the ones that were produced while he was alive.
But the mouthpiece was designed to work with the Vandorens of the 1970s. Later Gigliotti used #4.5 V12s on the P facing, which was designed with the same tip opening as a P34 with a longer curve. I'm not sure why you decided to use Black Masters originally, but you might give a try to V12 #3.5s or Blue Box (Traditional) #3 or #3.5. I don't know how #2.5 Black Master compares to those, but they are slightly wider and may not be a good match to the P34 at any strength.
Karl
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Author: zhangray4
Date: 2017-08-17 06:25
Hi OmniClarinet314,
I am a senior in high school. Maybe I can help you out, as I had similar experiences, and maybe I can suggest a few points.
Although I do not play on the mouthpiece you play on, I have experimented (a lot, actually) on Black Master and White Master reeds. Before that, I've basically used V12 and V21. At first, I liked the change to Black Master and White Master for some reason. However, I soon went back to V12s, because I felt you had to sort of "bite" to get a good sound. Even if you don't bite, you still need more embouchure support, in my opinion. Those Black Masters are for Austrian/Viennese clarinets, which feature very closed tip mouthpieces. Our French mouthpieces do not usually go as closed as they do. So for the Viennese, they may be fine with the Black Master, since the closed tip mouthpiece allows them to use less pressure with the embouchure.
I could play on the Black Masters, but it would be so tiring, at least for me. Immediately after I went back to the V12s, I felt that I was pinching the reed. When I relaxed my embouchure, I got a spready sound that tended to go flat as well. Now I can play on V12s, but it took time to get used to relaxing the facial muscles.
I ended up switching to the Steuer reeds ultimately, which I currently use. The tip is thicker the Vandorens, so it won't take too much to adjust to coming from the Black Masters.
So all in all, I would suggest not using Black Masters. I have tried using it, but I don't think it is worth using. Might as well try a French cut reed that produces a similar feel, in my opinion, a brand like Steuer.
Hope this helps!
-- Ray Zhang
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-08-17 06:55
zhangray4 wrote:
> Those Black Masters are for Austrian/Viennese clarinets, which
> feature very closed tip mouthpieces. Our French mouthpieces do
> not usually go as closed as they do.
Actually, the P and P34 were designed with a .99 -1.00 mm tip opening, which is very close for a French mouthpiece and probably not so different from many German ones. But the length, the distance from the tip to the point on the rails where the reed meets the mouthpiece, is much longer on a typical German mouthpiece. The effect is similar to a close tip - a stiffer reed is needed than is needed for the same tip opening on a French-style mouthpiece.
Which is why, apart from the wider shape, the Black Masters may be too stiff for the Gigliotti.
Karl
Post Edited (2017-08-17 12:31)
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Author: zhangray4
Date: 2017-08-17 08:42
Ahhhh thanks for clarifying Karl. Wasn't familiar with the Gigliotti P34, so I assumed it was more of the standard French mouthpieces. It was wrong of me to assume that.
Right idea, but wrong logic
-- Ray Zhang
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-08-17 19:02
If your Ridenour clarinet is in good mechanical shape, then look to your MP and reed. Tom's clarinets are easy to play with a good sound and should not have fuzzy notes ...
For a centered, easy sound, a Reserve X0 or Vandoren M13-lyre and Pilgerstorfer Dolce #3.5 reeds work well for me ... the Pilgerstorfer reeds have changed my life ...
You don't have to use really stiff reeds to prove anything ... IMHO, an easy blowing setup that allows you to play all the notes and with good sound and articulation is the target. No softer, no stiffer. No blood, no sweat, no tears.
Tom
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-08-17 19:33
If you're finding the LH notes and especially the throat notes stuffy and haven't had your clarinet serviced for several years, you can get build-up in the toneholes where they meet the bore which will compromise the tone quality. You can only see this once the keys are off and is why it's important to have your clarinet serviced regularly to be sure the toneholes are all clear of accumulated debris (a mix of dried condensation, dust, fibres and grease).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Mojo
Date: 2017-08-18 17:48
You need some basic trouble shooting. Swap clarinets, mouthpieces, reeds with another player or two. Does the problem stay with the player or move with the equipment?
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
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