 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-09-27 22:51
I thought I'd pass along this personal experience. Trying out a new used clarinet I kept getting "squeaking" in the lower register notes. After repadding a few keys and a number of other unsuccessful attempts I finally noticed that if the alignment of the top and bottom sections was not "just right" the F key (left pinky) would depress the C# key (also left pinky)just enough to open it slightly. Actually the "just right" alignment to prevent this binding put the top and bottom sections slightly out of alignment. Sometimes the left pinky C# key is intentionally bent downward a little for better finger clearance and this one probably was. I imagine that experienced technicians have encountered this many times.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-09-27 23:27
Hi, Bob
I'm curious and please correct me if I'm misunderstanding your description.
Why did you find you needed to change pads on a new used instrument?
How did adjusting the alternate F key put the bridge linkage out of alignment? They're independent of one another.
The left hand C#/F# key is always lower than the B/E key unless it's changed, 'customized', to suit an individual's need to alter it.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-09-27 23:49
ron...the instrument was used, but it was "new" to me. Guess it's a terminology problem! The maladjustment was not in the bridge linkage but in the F key itself i.e. someone probably bent it downwards for more finger clearance. When I say "lower" I don't mean closer to the wood but towards the bell! Thanks for the comeback...and "Hi"...
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-09-28 01:20
"Hi", Bob
I pictured the key as bent inward toward the body. I don't think it's a terminology problem, I just wasn't sure which way it was bent.
Is it playing okay now? What make is it?
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Author: Karel
Date: 2002-09-28 02:33
I may be having a related problem. I have an R-13 bought new 3 yrs ago when I was 1 year into learning to play. I have always had difficulty going over the break to clarion B on the left, but not on the right. It seems to me that my L pinky fractionally depresses the #C key at the same time? Would it be practical to have that key bent slightly away from the wood and not cause other problems?
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-09-28 05:14
Sometimes in the region where the E/B & F#/C# levers mmet their respective keys, one binds against the other, sometimes only as they pass eachother, so that E/B briefly opens F#/C3. some judicious bending solves the problem. Also, there is sometimes a problem of the lever-key linkage itself binding so that the F#/C# key does not close reliably. Some rather tricky minor bending is usually requited.
Now for an extremely common problem - the left E/B does not work as well as the right E/B. This is a symptom of any of many problems in this area. Most maladjustment shows up more with the left than the right because the right fingering has a tendency to press down on the E/B upper pivot whereas the left has a tendency to lift up (away from the body).
The problems that produce this symptom include a loose post, sloppy pivot, poorly seated F/C &/or E/B pad (usually closing harder at the 'back' than at the front), poorly adjusted crowsfoot linkage between E/B and F/C. All but the first one of these are common with brand new instruments, even from top makers. The poor seating is almost universal on new instruments.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-09-28 14:16
Gordon..many thanks for your astute comments;I'll certainly refer to them in the future. ronb:yes, it's working fine now. I constantly marvel at the intracacies of the clarinet mechanism. In my day we referred to complicated contraptions as "Rube Goldbergs". Now I wouldn't call the clarinet mechanism by this name because I respect the workmanship that has been involved over the many years of its development. If one were asked to invent a clarinet today I wonder what we'd get!
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Author: Karel
Date: 2002-09-28 14:56
Thanks also, Gordon. Pity you are across the Tasman.
Karel.
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