Author: clarnibass
Date: 2018-04-14 10:51
>> You say the F# key (thanks, Nitai, for the key name) should be checked by pressing the back bar. I'm a little surprised by this, since it's closed by pressing on either RH 1 or 2 (F or F#). The back bar is a linkage I had never really noticed or thought about, but I can see how it would affect (even determine) the closure of the F# pad. <<
Use the back bar to check the F# key by itself, not in relation to other keys. Or also to check the closing of F# and G# only. If you check by pressing the F# key itself, the force is applied differently than the way it is when playing (even if the mechanisms are as tight as possible). I prefer to check any key the same as it is when playing it since tiny differences can affect them.
After F# is adjusted by itself, you can check it with F and E by pressing those keys.
In some cases I prefer a different way to what Chris described. For example the 1-1 Bb on clarinet, I prefer the lower pad to have slightly more pressure. Some players really don't like to feel anything in their left hand when pressing the right hand, and also it is the last closed key (before the first open hole) so closing is less critical than the lower key closing for lower notes (the upper key is closed by the left hand finger for other notes anyway). This is a specific case.
New saxophones and a lot of old saxophones have the F# key closed by all three right hand stack keys. Some only have the F and E keys closing it (sometimes with D closing E by a linkage).
Because the lever is longer for E, so there's more flex, I prefer to have E close F# with slightly less force than F closing F#. Also because F# is the last closed hole (again before the first open one) when playing F# (using the E key) but for F, it is one above that.
The lower you go, the more critical the closing pressure is, but I want to avoid as much "spongy" feel in the stack key, which can happen if F# closes too soon compared with the others. So for F# (played by E), I make sure it just closes, maybe slightly more for F, and with all three fingers down it is even a little more. These are all tiny differences in closing force, it's not like it doesn't close in any of these cases.
Also important to check G# for all of these adjustments.
>> In this case the F pad (directly closed by the RH 1st finger) is *much firmer* against its tone hole than the F#, which is closed by the back bar. <<
Do you feel a significant difference in the closing of F# in these cases: using F key, the F# key by pressing the key itself, F# key by using the back bar, the E key by itself, using all three stack keys?
Don't use excessive force when checking F# with the back bar or pressing on the key itself. If checking this way with very light force it is closing much more than using both F and E, then it's likely and adjustment problem. If not, the F# pad itself might not be closing accurately, or the F# to G# adjustment is preventing it from closing with more force.
You can check this (maybe with another person) by pressing on the G# pad with more force, eliminating it from affecting the closing of F#.
Another important linkage is the F# to Bis Bb (similar to clarinet 1-1 Bb). Make sure the F# key linkage arm is not hitting the Bis Bb linkage arm before closing enough. This is the same as the 1-1, IMO the Bis Bb should just close, with very light pressure, by the F#. I like to close F with regular playing force, check press the left hand stack A key (which closes Bb) and see that the Bis Bb linkage arm still moves a fraction.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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