 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bob Schmedake
Date: 2002-08-07 22:20
I don't know if what I am experiencing this week is a result of possible damage to my clarinet or if it has to do with the fact that I'm trying to practice at an altitude that is roughly 6000 feet higher than where I normally practice, but when I have been practicing I can't get the notes below C in the lower register. What I'm getting is a very airy sound that is very dull and if I adjust my embouchure I can get a solid sound that is at the higher harmonics.
I have checked all my valves and they appear to be sealing and opening correctly. Does altitude make a difference in playing the instrument?
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Author: William
Date: 2002-08-07 23:43
"I have checked all my valves"
FYI--clarinets do not have valves, but rather keys with pads that close various tone holes to produce specific pitches. You may have lost a pad, perhaps the first pad near the top of the lower joint (the B/F# one). That would result in an "airy" sound.
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Author: Mark S.
Date: 2002-08-08 13:56
Bob,
I grew up playing in Colorado (5340 ft.) and frequently played at even higher altitudes (8000+ ft.). My experience is that the horn does play differently as the air gets thinner, often getting reedier sounding, but I never experienced an outright failure like that. Dropping the reed strength is a good idea so you don't pass out, but I don't think that would fix your problem.
It sounds like you developed a seal problem in the lower joint. Take the lower joint, cover the tone holes and close the E lever so all pads are down, lick your left palm and cover the bottom of the joint. Place the top end of the joint against your lips (no reefer jokes, guys), and try sucking the air out of the joint. If you can't, there's a leak somewhere.
At altitude, the air can get incredibly dry (~5% relative humidity), which can wreak havoc on the wood. Something could have shrunk and opened a leak just from the dryness. Or (god forbid), the dryness cracked the instrument. Regardless, a little Colorado trick to get the instrument to behave better -- go buy some oranges, and take the peel (which should dry pretty quickly) and leave it in your closed instrument case. It will help stabilize the wood, and leaves your case smelling orangy-fresh :-).
Good luck.
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