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 New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: Jordan 
Date:   2011-06-22 01:27

today i bought a r13 buffet clarinet.. when i played it at the store i purchased it from, it worked like a charm. now that ive gotten home, it wont play these notes in the attachment. it played perfectly at the shop. i've tried two mouthpieces, four reeds, and it still wont work.. any help?

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: JJAlbrecht 
Date:   2011-06-22 01:59

I couldn't see an attachment, but is sounds like a pad may have worked its way loose. Take it back and have it checked.

Jeff

“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010

"A drummer is a musician's best friend."


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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: Jordan 
Date:   2011-06-22 02:09

aww, im really upset, that clarinet has an amazing sound so i dont want to bring it back.. but i dont want my parents money to be wasted
and the notes are:
in the staff B, C, D, (4th line) E, (fifth line) F
below the staff B, A, G, F, E
(all of the flats and sharps in between also

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: luckyclarinettoenla 
Date:   2011-06-22 03:16

I concur with Jeff's assessment. If you're not ready to take it back, let someone else (perhaps a teacher) play your clarinet and see what they say. It is very likely that something isn't sealing--I would start with your trill keys and work downward. In any event, you still have a warranty on your clarinet and the shop that you got it from should honor that and fix most defects.

Never fool yourself into believing that today's 'good enough' will do tomorrow!

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: LJBraaten 
Date:   2011-06-22 04:33

I don't think Jeff was suggesting you return it - only to have the shop check to see if they can find the problem. Sounds reasonable to me, since it's a new purchase of an expensive instrument they should fix it at no cost.

LJ

Laurie (he/him)

Post Edited (2011-06-27 06:56)

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: pewd 
Date:   2011-06-22 04:52

I teach clarinet in McKinney. Contact me offline.
That is presuming the location software has located your ISP correctly.

- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: concertmaster3 
Date:   2011-06-22 05:13

check the pads, beginning with the upper most pad on the lower joint (above your first finger) to see if it's sealing, and work your way up from there. If you can play C and not B, that or the C# pad could be your issue, or at least somewhere in that vicinity.

But, with any new instrument, if you're aren't experienced in repair, have someone look at it to make sure it really is in good shape!

Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: donald 
Date:   2011-06-22 09:36

It sounds like you are saying that none of the notes in the right hand (lower joint) work? If it really is as clear cut as this, it is most likely one of two things- either that a pad at the top of the lower joint (the first tone hole, which stands open, or the chromatic key operated by the "banana key") is not closing....
OR that there is a problem with the "link" between the two joints that is stopping the first tone hole (which, as written above, stands open) from closing. Sometimes the cork on the link key can come partially unglued and becomes "folded" over itself. This has the effect of preventing the right hand ring keys from closing the pad that closes the top hole....
This is a reasonably common problem with student clarinets (many of which will have this problem if not correctly aligned, regardless of the cork). it is easily fixed, and is the most likely explanation if indeed the problem is that none of the notes on the right hand joint work.
dn

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: danb1937 
Date:   2011-06-22 11:19

I think the first thing to check is the alignment of the bridge key; it it's misaligned, that can cause all kinds of problems!



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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: Jordan 
Date:   2011-06-22 12:42

thanks everyone! i tried it again last night because i was going insane over how my clarinet wasn't playing several notes and it randomly worked.
thanks everyone for your time!

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: Jack Kissinger 
Date:   2011-06-22 12:47

It sounds to me like you don't know a lot about a clarinet's mechanism and how it works. My advice, in that case, is "Don't mess with it." If you misdiagnose the problem, you can make things worse. Take the clarinet back to the store where your parents bought it, tell them the problem and ask them to look at it. Their repair tech should have the expertise to find the problem quickly and it's probably a very simple fix. The store will likely fix it quickly for free while you wait. Or contact Paul. He's very knowledgeable.

Best regards,
jnk

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: JJAlbrecht 
Date:   2011-06-22 13:51

That's why I suggested taking it back to the store to have them check it out. I was not saying to return the instrument, only to have it brought into proper playing shape. BTW.... that is something they should have checked before it ever left the store!

Jeff

“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010

"A drummer is a musician's best friend."


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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: Lelia Loban 2017
Date:   2011-06-22 18:14

>>i tried it again last night because i was going insane over how my clarinet wasn't playing several notes and it randomly worked.>>

Aha! That comment reinforces what others have recommended. This behavior of playing notes easily some of the time and refusing to play properly other times is typical of a clarinet with a loose pad or two (or three or ...). Sometimes the pad happens to seat correctly when you press the key. Other times, the normal action of moving the instrument around while playing, putting it away in the case, taking it out again, etc., will cause the loose pad(s) to move a fraction, just enough to mess up some notes. Then the pad might revert to the right position again. Chances are the glue just didn't quite set right when those pads were installed. Maybe the technician moved a pad to adjust it after the glue had already partly-set -- that sort of thing. The pad's not loose enough to fall out but it's loose enough to move.

Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: SteveG_CT 
Date:   2011-06-22 21:37

Any chance this clarinet has cork pads in the upper joint? I was having similar issue with a "newly repadded" clarinet I got off the auction site recently. After some frustration I removed all of the keys from the upper joint and found that every one of the cork pads had a crack running across the full width of the pad. Swapped them out for leather pads and all was right with the world.

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: Jordan 
Date:   2011-06-23 01:39

alright my private lessons teacher is coming over tomorrow so he will take a look at my r13, but the shop we bought it from has VERY limited hours so it would be awhile before i could take it back anyways

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 Re: New Clarinet Won't Play Some Notes..
Author: clarnibass 
Date:   2011-06-23 03:54

It could be a loose pad but even more likely something with the bridge linkage as someone mentioned, possible the cork folding, you not assembling it alignned, etc.

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