 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Henry
Date: 2002-11-17 17:53
I have mentioned my "new" used Leblanc LL before. It is in (almost) perfect shape right now, except for what I think is one remaining slight shortcoming. The left E/B and F#/C# keys (left pinkie) do not end exactly at the same height. The former seems to be clearly bent upward somewhat and ends up higher than the latter, so that sliding is only comfortable in one direction. Shouldn't these keys end at the same height, just as with the right-hand pinkie keys? My question is: Can that key be safely bent downward into the right position, without the risk of breaking the metal? (Of course, I would not attempt such an operation myself and leave it to my tech but the last time I saw him make an adjustment to my horn, he hid some part quite violently with a mallet!! I cringed, although I kept my cool!) Could anyone out there give me some reassuring advice on this? Thanks a lot!
Henry
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-11-17 18:42
There are a number of much-more-skillful techs than me on this BBoard, who I hope will answer your questions. Yes, IMHO, the little-finger keys should be "balanced" [in pairs] for best playing-feel. Adsjustments by bending should be the last step, because use of small [but mighty] pieces of cork to level and silence keys should be the first concern [again IMHO]. I suggest that "sliding" should be infrequent, as "cross-fingering" by the little fingerS solves most of my problems. Others, please help! Don
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-11-17 19:15
The previous owner of the horn probably had the B/E lever bent upwards to make it easier to reach. Should be an easy fix. A good tech can bend keys anyway you want them. Slides can sometimes be unavoidable unless your instrument is equipped with the left hand Eb/Ab key, something that I believe should be standard equipment on all clarinets. But that's another topic for discussion.
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-11-17 21:19
You think hitting part of a clarinet with a mallet is disturbing? My husband the tuba player has told me how they get dents out of brass instruments...
That sounds more discomfiting to me!
LOL!
Katrina
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2002-11-17 21:38
Kat, remember they're brass players. They ENJOY that kinda stuff. It's their favorite past-time.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-11-17 23:16
I routinely bend keys to meet my fingering needs or to fix keys that have become inadvertantly misalienged through careless handling or unfortunate gravatational effect and have never had any damage occure. They are a lot stronger--and pliable--than you think. The mallet "proceedure" was probbly applied to a post to relieve a snug fitting rod and is another repair I have done without disaster. If something should break, it is easily repairable by your favorite repairperson. Now starting up the bandsaw might be a different story..................(be careful out there)
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-11-18 00:11
Please be herewith re-assured, Henry... what your tech did when he hit something with a mallet is not uncommon. It may seem like outrageous abuse but, really and truly, it's not as severe as it may have looked to you.
Rawhide mallets and steel dent balls are standard equipment in instrument repair shops. The proper tools to use depends on what and how much you need to whack, thump or grind. In your case, probably just a little reverse leverage will pull the key back where you like it. No need to worry over a little persuasive tinker-toy hammering or prying - techs know how much and how far to go with it... and, how not to damage anything while they're at it. Since flutes, clarinets and such are so co-operative, they respond to a lighter touch -- (ahem, usually:). Anything more aggressive than that is reserved for the bigger brass horns and saxes.
William does his own key bending (and hasn't suffered any long term agonies) and so could anyone else who's not too squeamish about such things. Keys are pretty tough and fairly pliable, especially nickel-silver keys. As long as they're not 'pot metal', and you do it right (don't hit 'em too hard with a claw hammer :], you're okay.
A parallel, though not even a small fraction as technical of course, is a visit to your dentist. All the hammering, blasting, drilling and grinding, etc. sounds and may seem (at the time) horrible to you. Next day, you're soooooo glad you went in.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-11-18 02:33
Not to mention a hip replacement, or a skull operation!!
Banging and bending are standard operations for technicians.
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Author: Henry
Date: 2002-11-18 15:52
Thanks all for your words of reassurance! Off to my tech again (if not to my orthopedic surgeon for a hip replacement...just for the fun of it!).
Henry
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-11-18 21:52
Key position is a very individual preference and depends on the length and curvature of your fingers. I prefer the left F#/C# key very slightly (maybe 1 mm.) higher than the E/B key. I've told myself that the E/B key is longer, so I can go higher for the F#/C# and longer for the E/B, but I think it's really what I got used to as a beginner.
Reginald Kell had his left E/B key bent so it stuck nearly straight up.
If you want to get really nutty, the better repair shops can shorten or extend keys to fit your hands. Horn players do this a lot. You see dimes soldered to the ends of French horn valve keys all the time.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Henry
Date: 2002-11-18 23:28
Thanks, Ken, for the additional info. It sounds like your preferred relative position of the two keys is just opposite to that of the current position of mine. At the end, my E/B key is about 3 mm HIGHER than the F#/C# key and that may be extreme by anyone's measure (except perhaps Reginald Kell's?)! If this preference is as individual as you suggest, do you think I could do the bending myself and do you, or anyone else, have some advice on how to do this safely?
Regards, Henry
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-11-19 03:38
Strongly recommend you ask a tech to show you, hands on. It's not the most technical thing to do, but not easy to explain 'over the phone' - (at least, I'm not really confident with it). With a live person observing you, you'll have help at hand should you possibly get in a bind. Once you've done one or two you'll be more confident.
Yeah, please ask a tech. Coffee and do-nut bribes seem to work pretty well around my neighborhood.
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2002-11-19 04:05
Henry,
Press down the anther end of the key/lever (E/B –F#/C#) while you bend it DOWN!!! You don't have hold if you bend the key UP. It's not a big deal just be careful.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-11-19 14:14
Key bending is like kissing...you have to do it to really get the feel for it. If you really want to do it yourself(key bending,that is) buy some old keys or an old junker and practice on it first.
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Author: Henry
Date: 2002-11-19 17:45
Bob, I like the comparison! Back to practice. Getting there is half the fun!
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-11-20 14:07
Bob -
Would you want your daughter to learn kissing by practicing on an old junker? (You and me excepted, of course.)
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