 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jacob R
Date: 2023-04-27 21:01
Question, I am missing a pad on my trill key (the one closest to the top of the joint) and I was wondering if this can cause any airy tone and make me more prone to squeaking?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-04-27 21:14
If you're missing a pad, then you have a serious leak and that will indeed cause you all the trouble you're having and then some.
You simply can't play a clarinet with any missing, significantly damaged or poorly seating/installed pads.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2023-04-28 01:09
Just to make an obvious point explicit - are you saying the pad that covers the tone hole is missing from the cup, or a bumper cork (to keep the bottom of the metal key from hitting the instrument body and making noise) is missing?
I don't see how you'd be getting anything *except* squeaks and hiss (never mind being "prone" to squeaking) with a pad missing from any of those trill keys on the top section.
Karl
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Author: escher
Date: 2023-04-28 18:01
I suppose the other question is - If you are missing the pad - do you still have it?
If so, it is a relatively simple matter to reattach it.
Not sure of your age, as this forum does have some younger members, so if you are younger a parent would need to help...
..but if you do have the pad, and it was originally attached with shellac - you can put it back in its cup and use a lighter to heat the cup / remelt and reattach it...
That being said - Don't just jump in and do it, however - let us know if you have the pad first and post some pics before doing anything.
The bottom line is - don't rush and do something that could damage the instrument. Most times the repairs are simple unless you make it worse by jumping in before fully understanding the problem. Pictures are extremely helpful!
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2023-04-28 20:55
escher wrote:
> ..but if you do have the pad, and it was originally attached
> with shellac - you can put it back in its cup and use a lighter
> to heat the cup / remelt and reattach it...
This *can* work on the fly as an emergency repair to get the instrument through a rehearsal or performance. If you're very lucky, you'll get the pad in the same original alignment. But if, as is likely when you pop a pad in and heat the cement to melt it down, you don't get it in exactly as it was, the impression left by the tone hole on the pad surface will no longer be aligned with the edge of the tone hole, allowing for possible leaks. Certainly better than missing the entire pad, but generally a new pad should then be mounted by an experienced repair tech ASAP.
Karl
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