 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-05-13 01:38
Reeds play good E3 to A#Bb4. But when go from A to B4 or C5 it squeaks and blocks up. Seems to be a fingering issue for if I slide thumb off register key and barely place it back the note seems good. Any tips on this, or just keep playing it over and over until it comes. Happens with 2,2.5,3 reeds and when note comes out it is good as the lower notes. Think it is fingering. Frustrating to keep trying though. Maybe just concentrate on it, leave, come back for more?
Corrected: meant B4 and C5 not C4. Sorry for confusion.
Post Edited (2016-05-13 07:17)
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2016-05-13 02:16
Given the reference C4 depicted to the right of the Clarinet BBoard header on each page of this site, I'm having trouble with the mention of the register key in your question.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2016-05-13 02:21
I think it's fingering, too. And when you slide your thumb off the register key and barely place it back, you're somehow correcting whatever the problem is. There are any of three or four holes you most likely are slightly opening in the movement from the "throat notes" to B4 and C5.
What you say about moving the thumb may mean that you're opening the bottom of the thumb hole slightly when you move it to press the register key. Instead of sliding your thumb *off* the register key, try just repositioning it slightly so you're sure the entire thumb hole is covered while you're pressing the register key. If that helps, you may need to experiment with different thumb positions.
You can also be moving one of your index fingers or one of your ring fingers slightly off their holes when you make the change - it only takes a sliver of an opening of any of those holes to cause the problem you're describing.
Without someone standing there with you to look and, maybe, to move your fingers around slightly to find the problem, you'll have to do some experimenting by feel. Move each finger slightly in turn to see which (if any of them) allows the note speak when you move it.
One thing, IMO, that won't work is to "keep playing it over and over until it comes." Without figuring out why the problem happens, all you'll get are random results. The underlying problem won't fix itself without conscious attention to what your fingers are doing.
Good hunting!
Karl
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2016-05-13 02:23
B4 is long B (middle line) and C5 is long C (3rd space up) just above it.
Karl
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Author: BGBG
Date: 2016-05-13 07:13
I AM sorry. I MEANT B4 on the middle line and C5 on the space above it. Apologies.
Post Edited (2016-05-13 07:15)
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2016-05-13 16:44
Will slowing down your fingering decrease the likelihood of this squeaking?
If so this may just be an issue of practicing to get your fingers in the right places at slower speeds until you can master faster ones, as you and Karl covered.
I'm assuming that if I asked you to play a C5 ![[C5]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/c5.gif) directly this wouldn't have the likelihood of squeaking that moving to and from A4 ![[A4]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/a4.gif) (I think you mean A4) might have, correct? If so, how does your finger position differ if at all in the way you attack C5 directly versus going back and forth between it and A4?
Are you changing your embouchure in any way (I hope not) when playing a throat tone like A4 versus C5? Is your register tube clean (not that squeaking makes me think "register tube problem")?
(I don't know your level of play so I'll explain. The register tube forms the hole covered by the register key. Periodically the register key should be removed by someone experienced with clarinet benchwork (a tech) and the register tube cleaned with a pipe cleaner.)
When your left thumb covers the register key, at what position on the clock face is it at? I'm curious as to the orientation of your left hand.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2016-05-13 16:50
Karl's explanation is closest to mine.
My addition: to train the fingers to reliable and easily go from A4 to B/C5 -- start on BC5...go down to the A4...and back to BC5. Preferably half notes, slurred. Your fingers will more reliably return to where they started. When you can comfortably do this starting on A4 and going to BC5 will be easier to achieve.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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