 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Geirskogul
Date: 2008-10-22 03:51
I just had my Yamaha clarinet (YCL-23N...immaculate condition btw with a cork/pad mix on the top joint, and pads on the bottom. The pads are the "good" Precision Pads, as I'm cheap but I'm told that they're fairly awesome for the price, and the cork is...cork. Jeeze, that sentence didn't work out too well.
Anywhoo, everything seems to play okay except for the Eb played with the lowest trill key. when I hit it, they key seems "airy" or "breathy," with a distinct hiss until I press the key down all of the way. The "hiss" gets quieter and disappears the farther down I press the key. It may also be my imagination, but notes E and D also may be the same way, like they don't "cut" as much. The register key, crow's foot, and first three trill keys are all cork, and the rest down is pads. The pads are a bit thicker than the old ones, too.
Could it be a pad leak, maybe a pad I'm not looking at? The upper joint passes the "vacuum test" and takes a bit of pressure before the "blow test" gives way on one of they keys.
~~~BONUS QUESTION TIME~~~
I just saw a Boehm-system clarinet in person (at a pawn shop), but all of the normally finger-covered holes were like on a flute with solid caps. Is this weird Y/N?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-10-22 06:03
Sounds like you're not getting enough venting which is causing the 'airy' sound - this can be due to the use of thicker pads or thicker key corks.
Increase the key openings and this should clear things up. If you want, I'll find Yamaha's own recommended key ventings so they can all be set in accordance to Yamaha's own spec which should make things much better.
The photo is a Vito plateaux model - if it's going for a reasonably low price, then it's worth getting. I wouldn't mind a plateaux model full Boehm, and with all the fingerplates cork padded.
I trust the auxilliary Eb/Bb tonehole has been plugged since the key is missing, but if you don't use this key then it's not going to be a problem (I plug up this tonehole on my clarinets as I never use this key).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2008-10-22 06:18)
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Author: Geirskogul
Date: 2008-10-23 04:35
I've never bought a new clarinet, so if you have those venting heights that would be great My three clarinets I've done all myself, and whenever I encounter someone else I'm all like "whoa, it shouldn't sound like this...it should sound like that," and I go back to adjust.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-10-23 05:29
Play the Eb only with the upper joint and press the Eb key more than you would in regular playing. Does that help the "airy" tone?
Edit: Sorry, I didn't mean with the joints apart, I meant with the joitns turned to where you can press the key considerably more.
Post Edited (2008-10-23 08:06)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-10-23 07:08
Yamaha's recommended ventings are as follows (all in mm - for all models of Yamaha Bb and A clarinets):
Lower joint:
E/B key - 3.6
F#/C# key - 3.5 (determined by venting on E/B key)
F/C key - 3.2 (determined by venting on E/B key)
Ab/Eb key - 2.7
RH ring - 2.7
B/F# (sliver) key - 2.7
Upper joint:
C#/G# key - 2.5
Eb/Bb (sliver) key - 2.5
D/A (LH2) ring (or E/B vent) - 2.5 (determined by venting on RH rings)
E/B (LH1) ring (or G vent) - 2.1
Side Eb/Bb - 2.5
Side F# - 2.5
Bb (lower) trill - 2.3
C (upper) trill - 2.3
A lever (throat A key) - 2.2
G# lever (throat G# key) - 2.1 (determined by venting on throat A key and amount of double action between the A key and adjusting screw)
Register key - 1.8
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2008-10-23 08:12)
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Author: Geirskogul
Date: 2008-10-24 02:43
Oh jeeze I'm going to have to adjust every key/cup height on this thing! I didn't know .4/.7mm could make such a difference. I fixed the Eb key, but every pad on the lower joint is out of whack. I guess it's time to break out the padded "v" pliers again.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-10-28 15:23
Just for comparison, here's Yamaha's clarinet venting list from around 1978 (in mm):
Low E/B - 3.10
F#/C# - 2.60
Low F/C - 2.90
Ab/Eb - 2.60
B/F# - 2.30
Lower Ring - 1.90
C#/G# - 2.30
Eb/Bb trill (side) - 2.10
Eb/Bb Aux - 1.80
A/D Ring - 1.80
F#/C# Trill - 2.10
F# Ring - 1.80
Throat G# - 1.70
Throat A - 2.10
Bb Trill - 2.10
C Trill - 2.30
Register - 2.00
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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