 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ben L
Date: 1999-02-03 00:21
I have had significant problems trying to make my clarinet play in tune. It simply won't go sharp enough to match our band. While my friends have their barrels pulled way out, mine is all the way in. It sounded so bad at one concert that I had to use a cheap marching band clarinet instead. I believe the problem is in the instrument, not my embouchure.
The instrument is an intermediate wood Buffet Evette and Schaffer from the 50's. My barrel is the same length as my friend's Buffet barrel. The instrument has a very small bore compared to other clarinets. I am using a Selmer C85 105 mouthpiece (the type with a shorter tip opening)which also has a relativly small bore (the istrument was flat before I got this mouthpiece though).
I may have to get a shorter barrel just to play in tune. I'd welcome any suggestions. There are lots of things I'd like to know. What types of barrels are good and what do they cost? Are there any problems with getting a short barrel, and are there other ways to adjust pitch? How might the mouthpiece and barrel interact? How will my instrument's small bore effect this (could bore size be the culprit)? What are the causes of chronic flatness?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-02-03 00:31
Ben,
When I switched mouthpieces my clarinet also got "flat" (nicely in tune with itself, but I hardly _ever_ have to pull out the barrel). Since I like the mouthpiece I'm using, I've going to have a repairperson shorten my barrel by 1mm to compensate for the mouthpiece.
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Author: Donn
Date: 1999-02-03 02:01
Sounds like the old story about "Everybody's out of step but Johnny". Strikes me as very curious that everyone else has their barrels pulled out. I would try a tuning meter before spending a bunch of money on something that's already OK.
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Author: Susan
Date: 1999-02-03 03:21
You can purchase a chromatic tuner for around $20 from Woodwinds & Brass or Weiners. This would help you decide if you are the problem. A Click barrel, might be an idea. This lets you shorten or lengthen the barrel to play in tune. This barrels are around $40. You might try different mpcs and reeds to see what effect they have on your tone
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-02-03 19:11
Mark:
You know that I have the luxury of switching between an A=440 and an A=442 barrel (1 mm shorter). Both barrels came with the horn. Since I can live with a couple of barrels, I personally believe that other folks can, too. Therefore, I wouldn't get an existing barrel permanently shortened. Instead, I'd look at buying a barrel that's already pretty much at the length required for the mp and the horn to be in tune. I believe that the click adjustable barrel is a good idea, especially for the price. Replacement Buffet barrels easily cost about $100 from WW/BW. I don't know if other manufacturers make replacement barrels of varying lengths or what their prices would be.
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Author: Nicole Y.
Date: 1999-02-04 00:44
This reminds me of my band director. Whenever he tunes(except for today, 'cause I was directly on the mark, a miracle!) he is always saying either "you're sharp, pull out" or "you're flat, push in!" HA HA!!! (YES, I really love my band class) Anyhow, you might try a new barrel or you could shorten yours. After all, if the clarinet plays flat under ANY conditions, the barrel is not going to do you much good.
Nicole Y.
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Author: Susan
Date: 1999-02-04 01:11
Ben,
Another suggestion is to try playing another clarinet with your own mouthpiece. If you continue to play flat, then your embouchure could be part of the problem. What happens if someone else plays your clarinet? Are they also flat?
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Author: Ben L
Date: 1999-02-04 04:45
Thanks for the comments so far, they have given me some things to think about.
To clarify, the clarinet is flat against a tuner, not just the band. It is this way with several different mouthpieces (I mentioned the mouthpiece because I was concerned that changing the barrel might hurt it's performance). Neither the current mouthpiece or barrel are abnormal in terms of pitch, they are just fine on most instruments. The problem is not my embouchure either; I have no problem playing in tune when I use another clarinet. I can only figure that some characteristic of the clarinet itself is responsible.
The instrument has had this problem for as long as I've used it (three years) - it's just that I'm finaly becoming good enough to do something about these types of problems.
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Author: Ben L
Date: 1999-02-04 04:45
Thanks for the comments so far, they have given me some things to think about.
To clarify, the clarinet is flat against a tuner, not just the band. It is this way with several different mouthpieces (I mentioned the mouthpiece because I was concerned that changing the barrel might hurt it's performance). Neither the current mouthpiece or barrel are abnormal in terms of pitch, they are just fine on most instruments. The problem is not my embouchure either; I have no problem playing in tune when I use another clarinet. I can only figure that some characteristic of the clarinet itself is responsible.
The instrument has had this problem for as long as I've used it (three years) - it's just that I'm finaly becoming good enough to do something about these types of problems.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-02-04 12:13
paul wrote:
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Mark:
I believe that the click adjustable barrel is a good idea, especially for the price.
On my particular clarinet the Click barrel makes it sound absolutely horrible.
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Author: Fred McKenzie
Date: 1999-02-04 20:27
Mark Charette wrote:
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Since I like the mouthpiece I'm using, I've going to have a repairperson shorten my barrel by 1mm to compensate for the mouthpiece.
Mark-
I think of the mouthpiece as being more "expendable" than the barrel. What about having the repairperson shorten the mouthpiece instead? It might be easier.
Fred
<a href=http://www.dreamnetstudios.com/music/mmb/index.htm>MMB</a>
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-02-04 21:52
Fred McKenzie wrote:
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Mark Charette wrote:
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Since I like the mouthpiece I'm using, I've going to have a repairperson shorten my barrel by 1mm to compensate for the mouthpiece.
Mark-
I think of the mouthpiece as being more "expendable" than the barrel. What about having the repairperson shorten the mouthpiece instead? It might be easier.
Not for me - the mouthpiece works well and is about the same price as a good barrel. Barrels are a simple appliance vis a vis a mouthpiece - shortening them is very easy and a common enough operation.
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Author: ann
Date: 1999-02-07 00:32
I have an R13 Buffet and have a similar problem. I play exstremely flat. I was forced to by a shorter barrel just to play in tune. I bought a gregory smith barrel(chadash brand) to match my gregory smith mouthpiece(1*). It works great now, I am either just in tune or slightly sharp. Although now with the problem solved, I have come to the conclusion that it was not the instrument. I believe part of it was the mouthpiece(they tend to play slightly flat(although the trouble of getting a new barrel was worth it). Additionally I tended to notice when I played flat my horn was cold(usually due to the room temp).
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