 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: tenthchair
Date: 2008-05-23 21:26
I have a Leblanc Eb clarinet, and tuning is very good except the altissimo E, F, and F#. These notes are so flat!!! To play these three high notes with good intonation, I have to use un-regular fingerings to get the notes to play sharper. These fingerings work well in slow songs but not in technical music.
Does anybody have this same problem?
Can any Eb clarinetist out there help me with this problem on E, F, and F#?
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Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2008-05-23 22:22
Not an unusual problem at all.
Most of us deal with this on Eefer. Good breath and embouchure support, as well as alternate fingerings are necessary. Some improvement may be noted with a well matched handmade mouthpiece from one of the excellent makers who advertise here on the forum.
Make sure you get the Hadcock book of Eb clarinet excerpts. It's worth it just for the alternate fingerings and the notes about which to use in particular places.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2008-05-23 23:54
I have found that it is important to have reeds that are stiff enough to keep the pitch up, yet respond. I try to lighten the tip just enough to get them to articulate. I use a Fobes mouthpiece and barrel with Vandoren White Master reeds (cut down to fit).
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-05-24 03:53
Good suggestions above. Depressing the side G# throat tone key while playing those notes will bring the pitch up easily. Also, using your fork key, also known as the sliver or banana key, in the right hand brings the pitch up. Of course using alternate fingers are always a good idea too if they work for you. This is not an unusual problem, even on some Bb clarinets. ESP, www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
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Author: tenthchair
Date: 2008-05-24 07:42
Yes, I always use the throat Ab key and the banana key to bring up the pitch. Do you know if most Eb clarinetist take a few sixteenth notes in Daphnis et Chloe down an octave due to the intonation problem of the E-F-F# chromatic runs?
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2008-05-24 16:18
First of all, playing in a symphony orchestra one has to make sure to have an instrument that plays in tune even in the altissimo register. As far as Daphnis is concerned I think what is important is the character of the high register before perfect intonation on every 16th note even if it’s preferable to always play in tune. That’s why it’s so important to not give up in the search for a good instrument given that you already have the skills for the instrument as such and a good mouthpiece/reed setup.
Alphie
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2008-05-25 13:56
First, I almost always use the sliver key, even in relatively fast passages, especially on the altissimo E. Adding the Fobes extension has improved the note but not eliminated this problem. It is the worse note on all Eefers I've played and on the LeBlancs I've used it seems especially bad although I've only had two. When I bought my R13 many years ago I tried 5 others and the one I bought had the most in tune E. That was one of my shopping criteria!
If I'm hitting only the E and not the notes around it, I often use the overblown G# fingering. Play the normal G# and then blow more intensely and a relatively clean and in tune high E will emerge. You need to practice this though as the feel(resistance) of that note is different than the other notes in the altissimo. That was the trick i used on the LeBlancs that I used to own.
It is imperative to play all the notes up high on the Daphnis & Chloe. You are a star in these two suites! In Suite #1 you can use the second from the top side (Bb to B trill) key to get the E out on those runs about 2/3rds through the piece. Which side key(s) varies from Eefer to Eefer but you can try fingering high C and then add them and check with a tuner. On some horns you have to use either the A or G# keys in addition to the ones on the right side of the upper joint. On others you may need both the top two side trill keys in order to get a good E. Either of these fingerings makes for a smoother run than trying to hit the legitimate E fingering or the overblown G#.
Hope that helps!
Eefer guy
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