 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: D. Gibson
Date: 2001-12-11 03:08
I just got a buffet clarinet from my alma mater to record a quartet with. Problem is, I've played it , and the clarion register is really difficult to play. All the notes up to a middle line Bb in the staff are fine, but B natural in the staff just won't come out and other notes are sporadic at best. What could this be? I don't think it's pads because the pads look brand spanking new. Anybody have this problem before, difficulty in clarion register playing of the bass clarinet?
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-12-11 05:03
Basses and contras are very fickle when they have even just a minute leak. Sometimes too, the register key will go out of adjustment and give you fits also. Without being anle to see it, my first guess would be a leaking pad somewhere as that B nat. is the first note to give up in most cases. Have you tried a leak light on it yet? Also check the neck tenon for a good fit. I found that putting some ultra thin teflon on the neck, I was able to get my daughter's bass to blow much easier.
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Author: kny
Date: 2001-12-11 10:28
You could test which pad is leaking by asking your friend to depress the suspecting pad when you play B natural. If it comes out, you will know which pad is the cause of the problem
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2001-12-11 15:24
I have the same problem with my Selmer Bass- I think it is a poor quality horn. if you find an answer let me know. My tech. says everything is ok.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2001-12-11 16:42
There are techs and there are techs. The same tech that made my wife's sterling Powell flute as tight as a drum has left leaks in clarinets. Sometimes even a great tech will return an instrument in less than optimal condition.
Breathing is different on a bass - start out with a softer reed. You will process more air, and at lower pressure, than with a soprano clarinet. If your bass is adjusted properly, and if the neck and mouthpiece fit snugly, given the right reed/mouthpiece, you should be able to breath lightly into it and have it respond wonderfully and easily, just like any soprano clarinet. A friend has an awsome bass sax that responds like this for me (an admittedly lousy sax player.)
Testing may take two people. Disassembly your bass. Take the upper section, seal all the holes with your left hand, stop up the bottom tenon with your right hand, and blow into the top tenon. If you or your assistant don't hear any leaks, do the same with the bottom joint. The other person will be needed to locate any leaks that you hear. One of my teachers used to do this with cigarette smoke - never let anybody do this unless you are smoker yourself and have no plans to quit.
Remember that these instruments have larger and longer keywork, which translates as "easier to knock out of adjustment". While larger and more awkward to carry, a case that requires only minimal disassembly will help keep you from knocking things out of adjustment.
My old Leblanc bass has a couple of set screws that regulate the right-hand finger-hole mechanism - these get out of adjustment and all notes starting with top-line F don't speak well. A couple of minutes with a screwdriver usually fixes things. I also keep a flat-jawed pliers in my case to adjust the crows-feet on the right-hand pinkie keys.
Some horns have dual octave keys. This becomes a personal matter - either you love this setup or hate it. Most have a plateau on the lower side of the left-hand index finger - this is to half-whole all the notes in the altissimo register.
Good luck!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-12-11 21:06
I believe that we went thru a very similar bass clar., clarion, thread recently. It's solution was that , being a top-quality bass, it had DOUBLE register keying [a key-pad on the neck also ] which was not properly coordinated with the reg. key on the body, so that ONLY one would be open for "its function" . If either leak even slightly [barely lifting] when it should be closed, notes may not "speak". Check it, Don
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-12-12 05:01
Check the set screw on the throat Ab key. If it's turned even 1/8 of a turn too much the Ab will leak and throw the whole horn off.
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Author: James
Date: 2001-12-12 07:05
wow, i don't think my eyes can handle all the posts this late at night but all i can say that if its a mechanical problem, brannens are the ones to fix it. basses are very fickle and they usually don't work right till they have been serviced, overhauled, customized..... what ever you want to call it. Good luck hope everything works out well
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2001-12-12 18:13
If the goosneck is loose. Some instruments have a flange on the bottom of the goosneck and this will work. A quick fix, pending joint cork replacement, is to use a rubber O-ring from a full-service hardware store.
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Author: Ted Donaldson
Date: 2001-12-13 01:25
I'm just a junior high (middle school :P) student, but from my experiences... I must ask this question... WHAT MOUTHPIECE ARE YOU USING? On bass you can really tell differences between MP's... If you are using ... utter Polyerthane (fancy word ) poo poo, then it will sound like that... Try a C*...
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Author: R Simpson
Date: 2001-12-15 00:41
I know exactly what the problem is. On many Buffet Bass Clarinets, the register key "area" is always out of wack. When playing Bb (just below the break) the bottom reg. key hole should be open. When playing B nat. and above, the top hole should be open. If the bottom hole is open when playing B nat. or above, those notes will be very hard to get out.
-R. Simpson
NDrum2005@aol.com
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