 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SuffolkSaxhams
Date: 2018-04-04 10:52
hello, strange thing happened twice recently and I wondered if anyone might shed some light. Towards the end of band practice my Yamaha SEV clarinet suddenly won't play any of the notes of the lower joint in the middle register. Upper joint is fine. Changed the reed, swabbed out the horn but still no lower joint notes. Lower register plays ok but stuffy. Struggle on and try again at home an hour later and still same result. Go to bed and next morning all is well again.
This has happend twice recently and I'm wondering if it's due to my tiredness at the end of the day or something I might be able to remedy at the time. I'm worried about this happening in a concert. Be glad of any comments or sugestions.
many thanks
John
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Author: kdk
Date: 2018-04-04 11:48
When this happened to me years ago, it turned out to be a slightly torn pad that was absorbing water as I played. As it absorbed water, it swelled up and eventually became distorted enough not to seal on its tone hole. The solution was to have the pad replaced, but my repairman had to find the torn pad first. You'll have to remove each key with a pad in it (or have your repairman do it) and inspect the pad surface for any tear in the skin.
Karl
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Author: SuffolkSaxhams
Date: 2018-04-04 12:37
hello Karl
the pad above the right hand F has what looks like a tiny blister on the edge and is bulging slightly. Thank you.
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Author: Mrdi
Date: 2018-04-04 17:40
Try adjusting the lower barrel. Sometimes it twists
and goes out of alignment.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2018-04-04 19:14
SuffolkSaxhams wrote:
> hello Karl
> the pad above the right hand F has what looks like a tiny
> blister on the edge and is bulging slightly. Thank you.
If that turns out to be the problem, you're in luck. In my case the tear was in the surface of the pad that sat over the tone hole, so couldn't be seen without completely removing the key (and several others in the search).
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Author: SuffolkSaxhams
Date: 2018-04-05 13:50
just an update - it was indeed a faulty pad taking in water, swelling and loosing airtightness. Turned out it was the c sharp/g sharp left hand pinkie key pad.
The problem was getting worse and the symptom arising sooner in my practice so Karl's diagnosis was spot on.
many thanks
John
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-04-05 14:04
Have cork or synthetic pads (excluding Gore-Tex) fitted in the keys with low lying toneholes - side F#, both Eb/Bb keys, C#/G# key and the RH3 B/F# sliver key as they won't split, burst, swell or bulge through the effects of water.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2018-04-05 20:31
That happened to me with my oboe, which I was keeping on the stand. Suddenly the lower joint notes would only play an octave up. I took it to a shop who told me it needed a total cleaning and adjustment (a well known shop, too, and a two hour drive away.) At the shop it played fine after they worked on it, but the next day, bingo same problem. I finally tracked it down, and it was just the slightest of twists such that my hands did not notice it but the oboe did. $250 down the drain, never to return to that shop that did not play test it before they reamed me.
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