 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: denkii
Date: 2011-12-14 00:21
So the pad under my throat A key (the one that closes with the rings) is sticking quite a bit. I'm not sure if I'm just pressing on my keys too hard now, but when I transition from say a middle C to a G, the pad delays a bit so there's a weird like not-so F# note that plays for a split second. I tried using alcohol to wipe down the pad because apparently that works for leather pads? but it still sticks sadly. I have a school performance soon on Thursday and a dress rehearsal tomorrow so I don't have much time to buy talcum powder, pad paper, and all that stuff (or go to the tech for that matter).
Thanks!
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Author: dtiegs
Date: 2011-12-14 01:20
My band director uses dollar bills. It has worked for me, maybe it will work for you, no guarantees.
DTiegs
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Author: TJTG
Date: 2011-12-14 01:23
Yes. Try putting a dollar bill underneath and pulling it through OR Your screw could be too tight. Loosen it a smidgen and see what happens. Good luck.
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Author: Bill G
Date: 2011-12-14 01:53
I once was doing a clinic at a rural high school and the pad on my articulated G# key stuck. I told the group I had a cure and reached for my wallet. I had only one bill. I nonchalontly said "You t;ake a $100 dollar bill and place it under the pad, etc" Of course it worked, but how many musicians can be expected to carry a $100 bill for that purpose? It got a big laugh because the band director had told them in advance that I was a lawyer by profession, but a musician on the side. This story has been told on me many times over the years.
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Author: denkii
Date: 2011-12-14 02:05
I actually tried the dollar bill trick after reading Yahoo answers but I only use 5's because I'm a poor student haha ):
Well it didn't really work, I probably should try to loosen the screw but I can't find any of those small screwdrivers anywhere. But I found out, as long as I swab before too much moisture collects it should be fine. But man do I have A LOT of moisture just leaking out everywhere.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-12-14 09:54
It's not a matter of loosening a screw, you need to take the key off (first G# key, then the A Key, then the rod holding BOTH ring sections) and clean it. I have used a soft soap with warm water for this. You may also want to take the same solution to the top of the tone hole as well....... you never know how much 'gunk' is causing this problem. Rinse with warm water, dab dry, replace keys.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2011-12-14 10:40
>> It's not a matter of loosening a screw <<
That depends. This key is (normally) mounted on a rod screw, so the tightening of the screw shouldn't really have anything to do with the key sticking or not. However, sometimes key hinges can bind on their rod screws, when tightened all the way, because of several possible issues. In those cases, loosening the screw can help, though the real solution is to fix whatever is causing the screw to bind when tightened.
>> clean it... replace keys <<
I would oil it before assembling (and also make sure there is no water left in the hinge or on the rod).
But denkii's description makes it sound more like it's the pad sticking and not a mechanical issue from the hinge.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2011-12-14 14:58
With an old clarinet, sometimes the volatile fractions evaporate from the key oil over time, and leave gumminess behind. In fact that's the case with the clarinet in C I bought at a flea market last Sunday. I think this clarinet hadn't been played in a number of years. At first, a couple of keys operated sluggishly. Moving them up and down rapidly a few times freed them up. But when I overhaul this clarinet, I'll be washing all the screws and rods, cleaning out all the screw holes with a damp pipe cleaner (the all-soft kind), drying the holes with a dry pipe cleaner, leaving the unassembled parts to air-dry until I'm sure there's no moisture left to start rust, then re-oiling everything before I put the keys back on.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
Post Edited (2011-12-14 14:59)
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Author: john4256
Date: 2011-12-14 15:57
I use a $1 too - seems to work for me every time. I got the tip from a fellow band member and I have used it ever since. UK paper currency doesn't do it at all.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-12-14 19:55
Yes, it could be some body oil or something like it on the pad in which case a bill or swab might work. Sometimes using a little powder on the bill or pad paper will "dry" the oil. It could be something on the tone hole as suggested above or it could be that you need to loosed up a screw or put a few drops of oil in the screw joint. But it could also be a weak spring or a bad pad. If the pad has even a tiny crack or cut on it it's possible that it sticks to the top of the tone hole no matter what you do to the pad. It would have to be replaced in that case. There isn't always an easy answer to a sticky pad, especially when a $100 bill doesn't work. I use 50s myself. :-) ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: denkii
Date: 2011-12-14 23:24
Thanks for the help everyone! It might have been some key oil that got onto the pad but I tried using rubbing alcohol to clean the pad out. It doesn't seem to be a huge problem as long as I don't play a relatively long amount of time with the moisture building up.
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