 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarinet35
Date: 2002-06-20 00:28
Hi Everyone! I've learned you guys give great advice on this board so here's another question...
Whenever I put my clarinet together I tend to not line up the barrel and mouthpiece with the rest of the clarinet--I align it more turned to the left. I don't know why...it just feels right that way. If I line up the mouthpiece and barrel with the top joint--logo of barrel directly opposite register key--it feels extremely strange to me and I can't play at all with it that way. Anyone know why I do this and if it is possibly harmful to my playing? And how I can fix it if so? Thanks!
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Author: Fred
Date: 2002-06-20 01:53
It's all the way it is comfortable for you. My main clarinet I play conventionally aligned; one of my backups I play like you described. No problem as long as the linkage works OK.
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Author: jez
Date: 2002-06-20 07:37
I do the same. The reed is never quite in line with the speaker key.
People who try my clarinet always have to turn the barrel.
I don't think it's a problem, just what's comfortable for you.
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Author: ozgida
Date: 2002-06-20 09:25
Maybe it's just because of the way your teeth contact the mouthpiece? I don't have a similar situation but my front teeth aren't perfectly straight so I can see how someone might want the mouthpiece twisted a bit to make it fit well.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2002-06-20 10:23
Rather, many try to seek the best positions of barrel and also bell.
Even upper and lower joints are not necessarily connected 'too much' straight as to make the canti-lever joints match perfectly. We have different physical constructions. LOng arms, short arms. However, the pads should be adjusted to make the upper/lower pads move in a good match. A good repairman will always ask at what position the clarient is played by the player before making repair work.
This applies to the slight direction change too.
As a way to ascertain the joints are connected at the same places every time you play, you may better mark the matching points.
(Many flute or trumpet players do so.)
If the result is good, that's good. I think.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-06-20 13:54
Hiroshi I think it is time manufacturers designed this linkage so that alignment of the two joints did not affect it.
The bridge section of the lower section ring key, on the surface where it contacts the linkage cork, should be be curved as if it were part of a cylinder concentric with the body - WHEN THE KEY IS FULLY DEPRESSED.
The bridge section of the A/D key should either be a tangent to the other curve, or slightly curved to match it.
I adjust this geometry on most of the instruments I work on.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-06-20 15:39
Steve Girko, who's as good as anybody, has an off-center jaw and teeth. He compensates by turning the mouthpiece mabye 20 degrees to the side. Bernard Portnoy has a receding chin and compensates by holding his clarinet absolutely vertical.
You do what works.
Ken Shaw
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Author: E. Michael Blake
Date: 2002-06-22 21:13
The saxophonist Lester Young preferred to turn the mouthpiece so far to the side that the body of horn ended up at something like a 45-degree angle. It worked for him.
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