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Re: Do perfectly parrallel closing pads pop?

Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-06-19 21:33

Any open tonehole closed by either a finger or by a (perfectly seated) pad will cause the bore on any woodwind instrument to resonate to some degree depending on how quickly or firmly you close that tonehole. You'll hear it far more pronounced on flutes and saxes.

You'll notice that more when closing each tonehole in turn when not playing the instrument or when playing very quietly. If your clarinet doesn't make that sound when closing toneholes/keys alone, then you've got a leak somewhere - either the affected pad or tonehole is damaged, ill-fitted or porous.

Think of it like those playground percussion instruments that are a series of tuned plastic pipes open at both ends that are played with rubber coated paddles, or a similar but more compact instrument made out of PVC pipes arranged in piano keyboard fashion and played in the same way - that's effectively what you're doing when closing a tonehole on any woodwind instrument to any degree, or slapping the mouthpiece on a brass instrument with your hand (which you shouldn't do unless you have a stuck mouthpiece puller to hand).

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

Post Edited (2023-06-21 18:47)

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