 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rene
Date: 2001-08-05 11:33
I posted on behalf of this before, and yes, I am aware about the old discussions in this group and read the articles related to this. However, I am still helpless.
The problem is about water in the A, Ab and even G hole of the upper clarinet part. I already tried various ways to treat the inside of the bore (oiling). I also cleaned the holes, and tried some fluids there (to no avail). Tried this and that. But still after a frustrating short period of playing, I get water there. The result is A blowing as Ab due to a bubble of water which hangs from the pad to the hole, and similar effects. The problem varies with weather conditions and is best in warm rooms.
My Solution is to un-assemble the clarinet, swab the upper part, blow and suck through the bore with the A pressed, and drying the pad with cigarette paper.
Yes, it is somewhat frustrating.
Any ideas? Thanks!
Would special pads help?
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Author: jbutler
Date: 2001-08-05 11:57
You've oiled the bore, but have you tried taking the keys off and lightly oiling the inside of the tone hole? Also, when oiling the bore make sure that you protect your pads. Oiling should not be something you have to do frequently. I also recommend you use a natural oil. Check out the link to the Doctor's Products in the sponsor's section of the Clarinet Pages.
John
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-08-05 14:19
Here's a cheap suggestion, that may have no effect, but should do no harm...
Coffee filters like the Melitta are fairly smooth and absorbant.
These are inexpensive, and may be cut into easily handled shapes (I like a pointed triangle about 4" long) for dabbing at the tone holes.
Likewise, they could be pulled through the bore, in front of a swab without leaving lint behind (after the first pass with the swab).
Just my dollar and 49 cents.
anji
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2001-08-05 15:27
When that happens to me I just open the key and blow directly under the pad, it only takes a second and clears up the problem. In fact I can't remember how long it has been since that a fouled A or Ab has happened to me in a performance because I have made it a habit to ocassionally puff air under the pads which are prone to this durring long rests and before the start of a piece.
After 35 years I did replace all the pads, but the A and Ab were not the ones going bad. Anyway the tech put cork pads there to protect them against water damage.
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Author: Katherine
Date: 2001-08-05 15:31
The greatest amount of condensation is going to occur in the first few minutes or so of playing you clarinet since you are blowing hot air into a cool instrument. After about 5 minutes or so, try swabing out your clarinet to get out this initial condensation. This will reduce the chance of getting water in your keys. You'll still get some condensation in there but once you clarinet is warmed up the difference in temp between you air and the clarinet is a lot smaller. And have you tried the absobent papers that they sell in woodwind cataloges? Those work well for me too.
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Author: Fred
Date: 2001-08-05 16:03
Also pay attention to how you position your clarinet inbetween playing passages. If you assume that the condensation has to gravitate somewhere, decide where you want it to go and position the horn in that manner.
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Author: Rene
Date: 2001-08-05 19:53
Thanks for the posts, which at least keep me informed that I am not the only one with these problems.
Terry, I tried to blow from the outside as suggested, of course, but that does not really help in my case. Must be a huge amount of water, which cannot simply be blown away this way.
And yes, Katherine, once the water is removed and the clarinet is warmer, things get better. In an open air concert in warm weather, I recently had no problems at all after an inital swabbing action.
I did already try oil (and other fluids, as I said :-), and am no longer a believer. It just did not work well enough.
OK, will swab and patiently dry the hole.
Happy clarinetting,
Rene
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Author: Sara
Date: 2001-08-05 22:22
My high school band director had the same problem on the same keys and she had the repair shop change them from pads to cork. I played her clarinet many times and neither one of us had a problem after the cork was put in. Maybe that would work for you.
Good luck,
Sara
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-08-06 14:03
1. A long shot. Some clarinets have a more severe problem because there is a heavy lint build-up inside tone holes. It comes from inappropriate swabs and pad savers.
2. Play in a warmer environment.
3. I can understand water problems in C#/G# and side Eb/Bb but water in the holes you mention sugggests that you are holding the clarinet in a tipped up position, perhaps during rests, so that water runs down the TOP of the clarinet, as Fred has mentioned.
4. These problems tend to be worse if keys have a limited opening.
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Author: Jonathan Farquhar(Aus)
Date: 2001-08-09 04:44
Dear Rene,
I have had water in my keys for the last few weeks which has been really frustrating as it starts bubbling after around 10 minutes. As I did a concerto performance with orchestra last saturday i didn't want to be pulling through all the time so i had my clarinet oiled (its a new clarinet and needed it) and waxed. Since i had this done i haven't had any troubles at all. I didn't even need to pull through during saturday's performance which was the Finzi concerto (around 30 minutes). What u can do is take all the keys off the upper joint, grind a candle up, dip a cotton wool bud in the shaved wax and twist it around the inside of the tone holes. This should prevent water from getting in them.
Jonathan Farquhar
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Author: Forest Aten
Date: 2001-08-09 05:29
Rene,
This trick used by Hans Moennig might work for you.
Moennig was never thrilled about using bore oil but he did recommend using bore oil in a special way if a player was having water problems.
You need some cotton string, bore oil and a weight (one that won't scratch the bore of the clarinet and will easily pass through the bore) that can be tied to the end of the string.
Tie the weight to one end of the string.
Soak the string in the bore oil. Go light on the oil. A little oil goes a long way.
Tilt (slightly) the top joint of the clarinet with the thumb hole facing down (on the low side of the tilt).
Feed the weighted end of your bore oil soaked string down the bore of the clarinet. The weight should pass just to the left of the register vent and go through the clarinet.
Move the string up and down on the bottom of the bore to create a channel or course for the water to follow. Try to keep the bore oil on the bottom of the clarinet bore....the key is to define a channel of bore oil for the water to follow.
You may only need to do this seasonally...or when you have those periods when the water is a problem.
I have used this method for years with very good success.
Good luck,
F. Aten
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