 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2026-02-10 14:01
I have a piece of music where I play throat a b and c in succession many times on a Yamaha bass clarinet. Mostly when I start the 'b' sounds fine. Then after perhaps ten times, it doesn't sound any more. I cannot work out what is happening. I have been wondering...
pads that need replacing
do I get tired?
not enough air pressure?
psychological?
water, condensation in there?
Any ideas? Otherwise, I will have to take it to the technician.
Many thanks in advance.
Maruja
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Author: kilo
Date: 2026-02-10 14:53
What model Yamaha? And to make sure what you're describing, you're playing the throat A, then the long B and C in the clarion register, right? Are you keeping your right hand down?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-02-10 16:35
Sounds like the speaker mechanism is out of adjustment - my first guess is both vents are opening or being held open at the same time. The lower vent should only open for throat Bb and the upper vent for all the upper register and make sure the vents aren't occluded with fluff.
Have the silencing materials where there's any sliding motion replaced with low friction materials so the rocker doesn't hang up - I use tech cork with a layer of teflon on top for that purpose.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: lydian
Date: 2026-02-10 20:07
My guess is water. Run a qtip or pipe cleaner through the hole a few times, clean the pads and oil the bore a bit to make it more hydrophobic. If you can also adjust your playing angle so the horn is perfectly vertical that will help the condensation go straight down instead of into the hole.
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2026-02-10 21:11
It's the bottom level student Yamaha. Yes, I am keeping my right hand down. I will try these suggestions, so thank you all.
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Author: lydian
Date: 2026-02-11 00:00
So you're actually playing clarion B and C, not throat B and C?
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Author: kilo
Date: 2026-02-11 00:48
The Yamaha 221 ii doesn't have a vent on the neck, slightly compromising the acoustics, and the slightest leak can make the jump from A to the long clarion very chancy.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2026-02-11 03:59
Clean the pads (throat Bb and register vent if not the same key) with thin paper stuck between the pad and tonehole, while holding the key cup down gently. Sounds like a pad is sticking from gunk.
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