 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jas Carson
Date: 2001-08-21 06:13
I GOTTA BIG PROBLEM.
First off.... Thanks to everyone who helped me out with my mouthpiece/reed question. Your responses assured me I am taking the right path in that area.
However... my question was a knee-jerk reaction to a bigger problem.
My clarinet (Buffet B-12, plastic, circa 1992) is constantly sharp. I mean "BIG TIME" sharp. I've been (re)playing for over a year now (after a 20-year absence) and practicing 2-3 hours a day. My technique and overall sound quality is good (I just made the first clarinet section in our community band), but I can't seem to get in tune!!!
When tuning up with my section leader, I have to pull the barrel way-way-see-the-cork out... and then the mouthpiece has to be pulled out even more. Then... drop my jaw so low I begin to squeek! ---- Perhaps a full-size garden hose duct-taped to the barrel would get me there ---- I've tested myself with a pitch pipe too.
I've used various strenght reeds. I checked for leaks (both the blow and suck method and with a light) and there are none. I thought it might be a problem with the mechanics of the clarinet (ie: pad distance, etc) but the problem occurs throughout the instruments range.
AAAAAAAH! Please help! What are the possible causes, and subsequent solutions to my problem?
Thanks everyone,
Jas
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Author: graham
Date: 2001-08-21 08:06
How does it compare with a piano, tuning fork, or tuning machine? Could be the community band plays flat.
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Author: Mindy
Date: 2001-08-21 10:12
Ok, I can't exactly answer your question......but....... I wanted to say instead of JUST pulling out at the barrel puul out at the bell and pull out between the upper and lower joint. It helps so your barrel isn't pulled all the way out. When you tune (you probably know this already but I am just gonna say it anyway) this is hte way to do it:
low C------pull from between the upper and lower joint
then go to open G------pull from barrel
then the third space C (what do we call that? is it high C??)-------pull from the bell
That should help you to get in tune a little bit. But that is all I can say :(
I hope you figure it out soon!
Mindy
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-08-21 11:28
Does it still have the original barrel? If you purchased it used, perhaps the previous student put on a shorter than normal barrel.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-08-21 12:14
Anybody put the pitch pipe to the 'Section leader' yet?
Check yours against a cheapo meter like the portable Korg.
I would also wonder if your mouthpiece might be contributing to the prollem.
(If it is a non-standard piece, for A=442Hz?)
Start with your rig onna meter. If you ARE sharp, check back.
If the 'Section Leader' (aren't these the ones that get killt off on Star Trek) is flat, then the problem is unmanageble with equipment... it's an orchestral thing.
anji
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Author: David Kinder
Date: 2001-08-21 14:07
I think you're thinking of Star Wars - red leader, gold leader, etc. ;>)
Just another idea - you might want to get yourself a 'click' tuning barrel. It can adjust from 62mm all the way to 67mm. This way if the band plays flat, you can blend in with them better. At home, you can play the way that normal people do. I think these barrels go for about $50 to $75. I'd go for the international or locking barrel with the metal rings.
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Author: Benny
Date: 2001-08-21 14:22
B-12's tend to be on the sharp side. Since they are intended mostly for beginners (who usually have a bad embochure which makes the pitch flat), Buffet built them to play sharp to compensate. When I play mine at for school band, I use a 67mm barrel with tuning rings. Now if I was playing it for orchestra (not that I would - I would use my R-13) I would use a 65mm barrel.
You should get a tuner if you don't have one already - a Korg CA-20 will be fine and can be purchased for about $20 USD. You can calibrate it to tune either sharp or flat. Find out what your band tunes to (e.g. my orchestra tunes to A=442 Hz) and calibrate your tuner for that number.
Benny
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Author: Eileen Pahl
Date: 2001-08-21 22:45
I have a similar problem with my E11. Was that also designed to play sharp?
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Author: Corey
Date: 2001-08-22 01:23
the E11 and B12 are in A442 so that could be part of your problem.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-08-22 02:14
Last time I checked my tuner, items sold in the USA had A=440Hz with a standard barrel.
^Chekyer fakx^
If you can't be constructive, you're just adding to the confusion.
:
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Author: jenna
Date: 2001-08-22 02:50
I second the click barrel.. helped many people I know correct their problems.
Although.. at our community band concert Monday night the girl that uses a click barrel was so sharp she had the barrel clicked all the way out, and pulled about 1/8 of an inch out of the upper joint. Kind of a scary sight.. it was a sharp kind of night, though.
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-08-22 04:57
You might experiment with some different mouthpieces too. I have an old no name meatl clarinet that plays sharp with the stock white plastic MPc. It plays fairly in tune with a 2RV or C*.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-08-22 12:12
In a very warm room a clarinet can be very sharp.
Does anybody know for what temperature the pitch specs are given?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-08-22 15:29
I read somewhere (sorry can't remember the reference) that at a 72°F (22.2°C) and the barrel pulled around 2mm that the instrument should play at the referenced pitch for which it was designed.
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Author: Corey
Date: 2001-08-22 19:05
Anji- i do have my facts straight it even says they are in A442 on the web site. They don't have the standard barrel length the E11 has a 64.5 and the B12 has a 65 mm barrel not the standard length of 66.THEY ARE IN A442.
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Author: Erica
Date: 2001-08-22 20:42
Corey's right. I have a catalogue of Buffet clarinets and it says all the beginner and intermediate clarinets are pitched at 442; Corey's right about the barrel lengths as well.
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2001-08-23 04:15
I don't know how much money you've got, but the Vandoren 13 series mouthpieces are pitched at A=440. That might help lower the pitch also. (If I have my facts straight, the non-13 series are pitched at 442.)
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Author: KevinS
Date: 2001-08-23 04:24
Jas,
The points that are made by the people posting here are excellent. I was playing between 10 and 25 cents sharp on every note on my Buffet R-13's using a vandoren 5RV Lyre mouthpiece. In trying different barrels and mouthpiece combinations, the horn now plays within 2 cents on EVERY note through the range of the instrument.
I ended up with a 66MM barrel and a Greg Smith Kaspar Cicero mouthpiece. I can't beleive the difference these two relatively inexpensive (in relation to the entire investment in the clarinet) items changed my tone and intonation.
Good Luck!
Kevin
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Author: Wes
Date: 2001-08-24 07:09
Some mouthpieces are flatter than others. I have a Portnoy and a Zinner that are flatter than the typical Van Doren, for example. A longer or adjustable barrel can also be used.
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Author: Filipe T.
Date: 2001-09-15 20:51
ok, i've got a tuning problem:
1) I play in my church(clarinet) and there's 3 flutes and three saxs. the problem is that the piano hasn't been tuned in a year, so some notes soud half step higher or lower. And the other problem is that the church isn't ours, and we cant tune the piano. and we have a big problem when it comes to tuning, i've got a tuner, and if everybody tunes with the tuner, the piano will be REALLY different, and we can't tune with the piano because some notes are half step higher or lower. what should we do???????
2) How do the clarinets play in the orchestra?? I mean how do the get their throat notes tuned??? i've got a CLICK barrel, it works REALLY well, i got a darker tone and i got a clearer sound, i have to make the biggest as it can get AND pull the mouth piece a little bit out. the problem is that if my throat noter are tuned, the B ( middle o the staff) to the E, will be like 15-20 cents too flat, and if my B to E is tuned, the throat notes will be like 15-20 cents too sharp, what should I do????/
Thank you !!!
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