 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Casey
Date: 2002-11-18 21:29
Okay, you know how on the Concert G scale, second octive when you go: a, b, c#? Well, you use left hand b and right hand c# going over the break, and when i try to use the left hand b it stutters, and takes about 5 seconds to come out,and it squeeks, i know it's not a serious problem, cause it happens to me all the time, but i usually just give it to my director, and she unbends it in a heart beat, now i've never asked how she "unbends" it, so if this has ever happend to any of ya'll can you tell me how to fix it real quick,..(This is urgent) Thanks in advance
*~*casey*~*
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-11-18 21:46
If you're consistently stuttering and squeaking on the break cross, it sounds serious to me.
Could be the key linkage between the arm and the paddle. Try crossing the break using the right hand B. If it comes out well, then the problem lies somewhere with the left hand arm key. If not, then it's something else.
Also, check the pad on the low E/B tone hole. If it's not sealing the hole, you've found a problem.
Disclaimer -- I'm not a technician.
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Author: Hank
Date: 2002-11-18 21:49
Hi Casey,
I'm a little confused here, the G concert scale is your A scale, right. However, whether it is G or A, you probably have a mis- adjustment in the keys and linkages for the B, C, and the C# keys. This is a repair that just a simple bending will not fix. Go to a technician for a proper adjustment (which is not too major a deal) but there is a specific sequence of events that need to be done and the pad seating needs to be carefully checked. This should fix your problem.
Did you perhaps drop your clarinet at some time. These keys do not go out of adjustment much on their own.
Hank
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Author: Casey
Date: 2002-11-18 21:50
Alrite, it's not the pads, i checked all of that, when i play the b across the break, it plays find as long as im holding down the c key pinky, but when i let lose of the c key pinky the b doesn't come out, i think it has something to do with the key position, apparently in the c key that is affecting the b keys sound,....i still do not know what to do
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Author: Casey
Date: 2002-11-18 21:57
Hey Hank,
Thanks for the information, I think that sorta covered my question, for the long term, taking it to a repairmen would be the smart idea, but still, is there anything i can do for it "right now" i have a chair test tomorrow...lol...Like i said before, my teacher just bends something and plays back to normal, until it does this again a few months later
Did you perhaps drop your clarinet at some time. These keys do not go out of adjustment much on their own.
Hank ::
No, im afraid I haven't dropped it anytime lately, im quite percautious over my clarinet, so I don't drop it. haha.
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Author: Casey
Date: 2002-11-18 22:05
Ralph G-
It is a Buffet Crampton E*11....it's a good instrument, but as im getting more into the world of clarineting, i think i need a more stronger model,...im thinking of purchasing a buffet R13, they seem very popular, but i'm going to try out many different kinds of course...my clarinet teacher plays on an R13, i like the sweet, crisp, lovely sound it makes.
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Author: E. Michael Blake
Date: 2002-11-18 23:08
Casey,
Please don't take offense at any of what I say here, I'm just trying to help, and if what I point out doesn't apply to you, fine.
My own recent self-taught method-book efforts involving left-pinky B have led me to discover all of the surprising, undesired actions being taken by several of my fingers without my knowledge, most of which prevent getting a clean sound from the note. I suspect that I'm clumsier than most clarinetists, but once I concentrate on keeping the fingers only where they belong, I get a decent sound.
The problem can arise with grazing the left-pinky C# on the way to the B, but if the hands have to move rapidly to get to the fingering position, I can also ruin everything by (1) grazing the throat A or G# key with the side of the left index, (2) grazing right-side Eb/Bb with the side of the right index, or (3) nudging the lower-joint F# banana key with the right ring finger. I'm sure a teacher would tell me that my hands have no business moving in any way to make this possible, and devote the next several months to getting me to minimizing my finger movement, but I'm cheap, so this is my cross to bear.
Of course, if a quick bend by your director does away with your problem, the problem may not be extraneous finger activity--unless she's doing something like rotating the upper and lower joints slightly, so that the bridge still operates but the Eb/Bb is not where it could be grazed unintentionally. I gather that, for the chair challenge, you don't have the recourse of asking the director what she does, and why, but just as a matter of expanding your own knowledge of the instrument, I think you should find out what she does, and more importantly, why. If she thinks there is some mechanical problem with your clarinet, you certainly ought to know what it is.
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Author: Nick
Date: 2002-11-19 03:15
I've had this problem before. I couldn't get that left hand b out of my instrument without hitting the pinky c.. this is what was happening..
the left hand b key that youre talking about is pushing down a pad near the barrel. The cork on that little flat part that sticks out of that 4-set of funnily shaped blobby keys (please excuse my incredibly technical description) was actually worn down, so that when I pressed the left hand b key it wasnt depressing the pad all the way down to cover up the hole... when you push down that pinky c, it forces the pad to go down.
This is what I did.. I took some scotch tape, and laid it down on a plastic surface.. It doesnt have to be a big piece, only a few square millimeters. I then layered the scotch tape on top of each other, until I got about .5mm thick or so.. I cut out the small area I needed with an xacto, and stuck it out on the flat part near the blobby keys. This pretty much simulates the cork that was compressed down from pushing the pinky c too many times.
Hope this helped! e-mail me if you think this will work but I didnt explain it well enough
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Author: Alex
Date: 2002-11-19 06:00
While you should get the instrument looked at, part of the problem could be alleviated by *you*. It may be a lack of proper air support on the B. Happened to me years ago, and happened to a friend recently.
When you're playing the B with the left pinky, you tend to mentally think of the left pinky, and therefore create an air column that only extends fully to where you envision your B pinky (i.e. around your right index finger). If you put down the right hand "C" key, you are now thinking to push air that far down (i.e. all the way through the clarinet, as you should be doing anyways), and the air resonates through, giving a fuller, easier tone. Try playing the "B" with both your left and right pinkies on the B keys, then lift your right pinky while still playing the note, changing nothing else whatsoever. Then play the note again, etc., with and without the right pinky until you figure out what it should feel like.
While going up the scale, putting down some right hand fingers on the A will not only help intonation (only if necessary, of course) but also get you in the mindset of putting air all the way through the clarinet.
A friend of mine once was having trouble with B's, and after getting into the proper mindset, they came out much more smoothly.
Nonetheless, there's probably a leak, loose pad, or misaligned key, which, coupled with inadequate support, cause the B to be very difficult.
Hope this helps.
-Alex
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Author: Hank
Date: 2002-11-19 12:27
Alex,
With an instrument that is in proper repair, it is difficult for me to see why B is a difficult note to play. Maybe for a beginner that is having problems with had position and embouchure but if Casey is playing scales across the break and auditioning for chairs, these problems should be far behind.
H
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-11-19 14:34
Congrats, You have found one of the most common mal-adjustments that our cls are blessed with. The mid-staff B "easy playability" is one of the best indications of a well-adjusted cl. Being an amateur [maybe a semi-pro] repairer, I'll bow in judgement to our several pro's opinions [if given]. IF, All of the large pads are "good" and exhibit "seating rings", viewed in bright light, your problem may be as simple as the [loss of a] thin piece of cork on the "crow's foot" [underneath the lower right-little- finger "touches"]. A couple of layers of masking tape might serve as a temporary fix [or borrow your teacher's cl for the tryout], otherwise get skilled help from a CLAR repairer and dont try a "do-it-yourself" unless you clearly understand the linkages. Luck, Don
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Author: Ken
Date: 2002-11-19 18:28
Don, I'm not sure I follow. I'm having a barely distinguishable, delayed speaking problem (on a whisper) with my LH Break B. In appearance the lever (w/ new overhaul) naturally rests in the flush/closed position. When the LH Break B is depressed the mechanism opens in sync with the right side B and C keys. To my dim eyesight the function of it doesn't "seal or close" any lower joint pads and if the cork was missing it would only affect "pad/cup level and distance" of the right side B and C...and of course a degree of clicky-ness.
How then would the actual amount/thickness of cork (or any sliver cork even there) affect the note qualities of a full Break B? The only distinction I can see is possibly more cork at the base/pivot point of the lever. v/r KEN
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-11-19 20:42
Ken - #1 Your use of "Break" has me puzzled, I am assuming you are referring to the Left-hand E/B Lever. I am talking about about the "Crows Foot" [shaped] extension on the RIGHT hand F/C [upper right of the four touches] which closes the F/C pad on depressing EITHER E/B touches without requiring that finger also. Its badly needed for efficient cross-fingering. #2 There should be no clicking, thats what those small pieces of cork are for. #3 Your "delay" sounds like an inexact coordination of fingerings [sorry, don't know how else to say it] . My above post to Casey is on just one of the possible troublesome problems which a competent repairer would find quickly. Luck, Don
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Author: Casey
Date: 2002-11-20 02:15
Thank you Don and Nick, you two were the one's that answered my question....You were both right, and the tape did the trick, as for that, I got my clarinet teacher to "bend it in just that special way that always works" and she took the tape off, and she fixed it, all back to normal except for now all my keys stick down to the pad because well, theres sticky stuff from the tape being there, so then we pulled out the baby powder, and tried to get the stick off,...lol, it was a heck of a day, but everything should be okay now =) thanks everyone though for your responce's =), i love this bulletin border, responces are very fast, and most of the time awesomly accurate!
*casey*
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