 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2026-01-23 22:37
On my Bb R13, Eb4 and Bb5 are both flat and fuzzy-sounding when played with the LH sliver key. This started happening recently.
It looks like that key is not opening far enough; it opens noticeably less than the corresponding key on A R13. I'm not sure what might have happened, but one theory is that I closed the case with something impinging on that key, maybe the cylindrical metal weight in the end of the swab cord, and I failed to notice the cover closing slightly harder. Memory is blank about it.
How best can I slightly bend that key so it opens further? I'd just use a screwdriver to pry up the lever while the key's in place on the instrument, but I'm wary of losing the bumper cork on the underside of the key. My repair person could probably fix this in seconds, but there'd undoubtedly be a time lag in that schedule, and this strikes me as a doable job if one is careful.
Ha, if just occurred to me I could take the corresponding key off the A clarinet and it would probably fit on the Bb . . .
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-01-24 05:03
You can't just swap one key from one clarinet to another, let alone a key from an A clarinet to a Bb as there are going to be differences - either the length of the key, the geometry of the pad cup or the placement of the various pieces that make up the key. Some LH3 Eb/Bb 'sliver' key pillars are set further down the joints on A clarinets compared to Bb clarinets, so all the various pieces are all in very different places.
You can carefully lever the bent touchpiece up with a smooth piece of flat metal (like a spoon), but do it a bit at a time and not all in one go. You want a minimum of 2mm to a maximum of 2.5mm of venting for the LH3 Eb/Bb key pad.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2026-01-24 06:46
Thank you, Chris P. I checked the pad height and it seems within the specs you cite. After a close comparison, it turns out I was wrong that the height of the key on the A instrument is much different: they're very close. That key normally doesn't open very far.
I took the trouble to try swapping the keys, not to disagree, but to learn. The key from the A instrument fit between the posts ok, but the pad was not centered on the hole: it was a bit higher up along the instrument, too high to seal properly. Something for me to mull over.
While doing that task, I saw that the tone hole had an alarming quantity of crud in it, something like lint, fairly loose. I cleaned the tone holes not long ago, so the discovery surprised me, though given the current delinquency of my housekeeping it probably shouldn't have. Anyway, I poked the lint out, and that will undoubtedly improve things. How much, I'll find out at tomorrow's practice.
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Author: Reformed
Date: 2026-01-24 14:16
Also for those sliver keys (LH E flat/B flat and RH B/F sharp), exact position of the finger tip impacts tuning.
Curling the finger to move the finger tip closer to the key's axle sharpens the note. Flattening the finger to move the finger tip along the sliver flattens the note. This is because the finger tip is close to nearby open holes.
At least for me with relatively shorty, stubby fingers. YMMV.
I'm not sure I have seen this elsewhere and really only practical in slow passages but definitely is useful.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-01-24 15:17
It's the only key I never use at all on any clarinet. I've even plugged up the toneholes so when the key gets caught accidentally, it won't cause any grief.
I've often had to reshape it or reangle it for some players, or even disable it if it's never used but gets in the way.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2026-01-24 23:00
The main causes are (in no particular order) loose skin on the pad, a lot of dirt inside the tone hole or the key not opening enough.
For the last option, with the sliver key, it's rare that it got bent to open less. For this to happen it needs contra on one side (key or touchpiece arm) while bending the other side down. It's possible, just very unlikely.
Sometimes the bumper loosens a little and folds over itself, essentially becoming much thicker.
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