 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: marcia
Date: 2024-11-09 04:31
I know that some consider the alto to be the nerd of the clarinet family, but my willingness to play it allowed me to join the wind ensemble that I very much wanted to join. So, I have been playing this instrument for many years now, and it was in the shop a few months ago for some maintenance. When I picked it up it played very well. Recently it has become very difficult to play in the clarion register, and altissimo when I have to go up that high. It does not speak readily. When it does speak, sometimes I get the right pitch, sometimes I get a harmonic, sometimes I get nothing. Articulation is difficult. I have been using the same Legere reed for an extended period of time. (I don't have a lot of experience with Legeres) The three possibilities are, either alone, or in combination-the reed, the instrument, the player. I think I will be paying another visit to my repair shop after my next concert with it, but thought there was no harm in asking if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions in the meantime.
Marcia
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Author: donald
Date: 2024-11-09 15:36
And it plays fine in the lower register?
IF this is the case, then most likely what is happening is that when you use the register key, the "throat Bb pad" is also opening. It is supposed to be an "either/or" action, depending on the model instrument you have the rocker that holds the Bb pad shut is either coming from the thumb pad, or the A key. At any rate, most likely it's not being held shut when the register key is performing the "making upper register notes" function.
This can happen because your repair tech set it up to work perfectly, but in the intervening months something has changed (adjusting screw backed out a little, pad shifted or became compressed, little piece of bumper cork/teflon fell out)
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-11-09 17:23
I strongly recommend developing the skills of checking for leaks with a feeler gauge .... particularly if you're playing one of the larger horns. If suddenly it's not playing properly, then nine times out of ten it's a leak.... and the confidence of finding you can diagnose it is generally followed by the realization that you can fix it yourself, and so save yourself a deal of trouble, inconvenience and also money.
But above all it's really the key to maintaining your instrument in peak sound performance .....so away..away techno-fear!!! 😅
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2024-11-09 17:36
Almost certainly that it's a leak.
It could be the reed. Did you try other reeds? If you did, then it almost eliminates the possibility that it's the reed. If not, it could be the reed but more likely that it's a leak.
Do you trust yourself to be able to play it? Sounds like you've played it fine in the past. If not, it could be you, but still more likely that it's a leak.
It doesn't mean it's not you or the reed, just far more likely to be a leak.
Some leaks - both mechanical and from the pads themselves - can be overcome by pressing harder. Try pressing each supposedly closed key with your right hand while playing left hand notes, or have someone else press keys while you play. It won't necessarily find the leak, but there's a good chance that it would.
Both a throat Bb leak (what donald mentioned) and most other random leaks from the upper area would affect the upper register far more than the lower. Depending on the specific leak, sometimes to the point of some upper register notes barely playing while the lower register feels almost normal.
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Author: marcia
Date: 2024-11-09 20:36
Yes it plays fine in the lower register, yes I tried other reeds with the same result, so I too suspect a leak. However I did the "home leak test", blocking off all the tone holes and sucking the air out. I was able to create a vacuum in both upper and lower joints. So I looked at the register key/Bb mechanism with some suspicion. As for attempting to fix it myself--Not gonna happen! I'd probably make it worse. ![[frown]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie2.gif) So thank you for your thoughts. Looks like another visit to the shop.
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Author: donald
Date: 2024-11-10 01:47
Sigh. If it plays fine in the lower register but not the upper register then it's almost 90% likely to be what I described above. I've seen this dozens of times. A general air leak is most likely (though, true, not always) to also have an effect on the low register.
(opinion based on 40 years of teaching and having to do "commando repairs" on various student and professional instruments)
Post Edited (2024-11-10 01:53)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2024-11-10 08:59
>> I was able to create a vacuum in both upper and lower joints. <<
In this case it's more likely a "mechanical" leak e.g. something similar to what donald described. Though a vacuum test can suck the pads into the holes slightly and disguise a leak sometimes. A blow test is better, but it also needs to be done a specific way and can even have the opposite problem, since with enough force it can blow closed keys open.
To check, press the lower "register" key (i.e. the throat Bb key) to hold it closed while playing upper left hand notes. It's not guaranteed to find the problem but it could give some clues at least.
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Author: davidjsc
Date: 2024-11-11 05:28
RE: >> IF this is the case, then most likely what is happening is that when you use the register key, the "throat Bb pad" is also opening. It is supposed to be an "either/or" action, depending on the model instrument you have the rocker that holds the Bb pad shut is either coming from the thumb pad, or the A key. <<
Agreed with donald... This has been a problem in the past on both my alto and bass clarinets - and always been the first location my repairman goes to check over whenever I have had my instruments in for general maintenance.
In my case, when the rocker notes act up it is solved by pad replacement and some drops of oil in the assembly when the rocker sticks, not closing/opening completely, etc.
It could also be acting up if the instrument took some damage and the rods have been bent, i.e. from putting the instrument down on a hard surface. That rocker assembly and its mechanics seem to be the most vulnerable or prone to incidental damage.
DSC
~~ Alto Clarinet; Bass Clarinet; B-flat and C Boehm Clarinets; Albert C Clarinet; Oboe ~~
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