 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: moolatte
Date: 2009-06-22 01:42
For some reason, I can not play high E (3 ledger lines above the staff) as well as I used to be able to. It comes out as a really loud high A instead.
I can't set up a lesson with a professional clarinet teacher because my dad is too forgetful and lazy and only he has the phone number. Then maybe I wouldn't have to post such a stupid question.
I can't figure out what's wrong. Even other notes are affected. The range is from E, 4th space in the staff to C, 2 ledger lines above the staff. These notes jump an octave too high. I can't figure out what's wrong. I'm sure I'm covering the keys correctly. I'm sure my embouchure isn't leaking. What could be wrong?
Also, my C, 1 ledger line below the staff all of a sudden is coming out all buzzy and airy. No other note surrounding it sounds like it. We were playing at a concert, and how well I played my solo depended on our school's rating. (I know that sounds egotistical, but it honestly did) And I got really nervous, so a bunch of spit got lodged in my register key, causing it to stick, and I have to pop it every time I pick up my clarinet. And the buzzy airy C thing started.
Do I need to have my clarinet flushed? Or is that like for brass instruments only? ^^;
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2009-06-22 01:54
Check your A key (the 2nd space A) and see if the screw on that key (at the top) is in too far - maybe it's opening up the A key a small amount and causing a leak. I'd get the instrument to a repair shop to get it checked out.
Also change your reed - could be something as simple as that. Other thing could be another pad leaking (possibly one of the upper side pads that you hardly ever use).
No flush - would damage pads. That's only for brass players, but do have a good swab that will keep your instrument clean.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: moolatte
Date: 2009-06-22 02:13
The screw on the A key looks like it's in too far, but I didn't even know there was a screw there until now. Bad ASCII art time!
./|----|\
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The dashes are the level of the screw. I don't know. It's looks further in than any other screw that I see on my clarinet.
As for the reed... I'm having reed issues. The humidity out here has been rising and falling constantly lately. It's been raining a lot recently, and I got a blue box of 3 1/2" Vandoren reeds before the rain all started. I could play on those right out of the box. But I got a new blue box of Vandoren 4" reeds, and it's nearly impossible to play on those. Why is it being such a hard transition? It wasn't so hard of a transition from 3" to 3 1/2".
I played on Mitchell Lurie 3 1/2" reeds for almost 3 years, mainly because I was without clarinet instruction for 2 of those years, so that's why I'm so behind in reed numbers.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2009-06-22 02:19
> I played on Mitchell Lurie 3 1/2" reeds for almost 3 years,
> mainly because I was without clarinet instruction for
> 2 of those years, so that's why I'm so behind in reed numbers
Behind??
Behind who??
Who told you that it's a race to get to the highest reed number?
I hope it wasn't a clarinet teacher.
...GBK
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Author: moolatte
Date: 2009-06-22 03:27
My original band director did. I was in beginner class, and about the 3rd quarter of the year, she said we should all be on Mitchell Lurie 4 1/2s or Vandoren Blue box 3s
Never did I hear her say that we were supposed to be moving up in reed type progressively. I didn't really start doing that until the beginning of last year.
Post Edited (2009-06-22 03:31)
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2009-06-22 07:08
-- "My original band director did. I was in beginner class, and about the 3rd quarter of the year, she said we should all be on Mitchell Lurie 4 1/2s or Vandoren Blue box 3s" --
It's pretty clear that the one thing you should be changing is your band director. Not progressively either. Just try another one!
Steve
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2009-06-22 08:47
> ... we should all be on Mitchell Lurie 4 1/2s ...
Very poor advice !!
Reed 'inflation' is a terrible thing. Play what's comfortable and gives a clear tone at pp and ff.
That 'E' can be a tricky note. By all means get the instrument checked (get another player to try it with their mouthpiece & reed, for starters. As for the 'A' key, it should be able to move very slightly without lifting the G# key that sits across it; if not, the screw is too tight). Remember always to press the RH Eb/Ab key. Also, these high notes do not necessarily need to be 'lipped up' to pitch. In fact, I find my 'E' and 'F' speak reliably only if I relax and think 'low'; if I pinch the 'E', I get the 'A' or nothing at all. It may be that your embouchure has changed unconsciously and is stopping you sounding this note.
Post Edited (2009-06-22 08:58)
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Author: aero145
Date: 2009-06-22 12:14
I had the same problem as you had. I just tried to use another fingering instead when I didn’t have to do fast passages using the normal E fingering:
normal:
-x|oxx|ooo’
my favourite:
-xˆ|xxx|ooo , where the hat is A-flat/G-sharp
It’s possible to get high-A with the fingering but it’s more difficult to get and does never come accidentally.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-06-22 13:54
I think your biggest problem is your director as they clearly don't know what they're talking about.
I don't know anyone that plays on anything harder than a 3.5 here in the UK, and these are players with several decades of playing under their belt.
Find a reed strength that YOU are comfortable with - and NOT playing on the hardest reed as if it's a competition between you and your peers, or playing on the strength reed someone merely thinks you should be playing on which is poor judgement and advice on their part. You won't get anywhere by playing on floorboards, so drop back to a 2.5 and see how that works for you. If that's too soft (it will sound like a kazoo), then try a 3.
What you're aiming for in a comfortable reed strength is the clarity of the lower register so you can play reasonably loudly without it sounding stuffy (especially middle C and the E above that), and able to articulate every note cleanly and easily without wasting effort doing that.
The correct reed strength is a purely individual thing, not one strength suits all as a lot of instructors seem to think. And the correct strength reed will play easily throughout the entire range.
You are not in a 'who can play the hardest reed know to mankind even though you've only been playing for a few years' competition with your peers, and if they have some kind of ego trip on playing on the hardest reeds, then let them - they're not doing themselves any good.
If you happen to play on a 2.5 then that's nothing to be ashamed of if it works for you. There's really no point in struggling to try to fit in with what your peers are doing, so do the right thing and find the best reed for yourself as it's you who is doing the playing on your clarinet - not anyone else.
As you're having trouble with the altissimo E, it sounds as if you're already playing on a reed that's too hard and you're probably biting to make it work. The altissimo should speak easily enough without having to bite, but using a slightly firmer embouchure than the upper register.
But the best thing for you to do is to find a good teacher who is a clarinettist rather than some know-nothing band director who is probably a Jack (or Jill) of all trades, but a master (or mistress) of none - they're not doing anyone any good by trying to make all the clarinet players play the same strength reed. She's not a flute player by chance? Wouldn't surprise me.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2009-06-22 14:05
Re the screw...
Press the throat A key and observe VERY closely. It should travel a tiny amount, even just 0.1 mm, before it starts lifting the throat G# key. If it does, then it is just fine. If not, turn that screw anticlockwise until there is a gap.
However the problem could be caused by ANY leak in this area though.
A common one is when the top side key is slightly bent, such that when the thumb ring key is pressed down, it slightly opens the top side key.
There are many other possibilities.
If it is neither of these, then more diagnosis info could be offered.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-06-22 15:26
As far as reed strength goes I agree it is a good idea to move up the strength until you find the ideal number but that is different for every player on every mouthpiece. First off, I've found that Mitchell Lurie reeds get soft very quickly. Also, with any good brand of reed moving from a 3 to a 3 1/2 can be very different then moving to a 4. It could also be a particular box that is harder, or softer, than the "average" box. If you're getting a good tone and control with a 3 1/2 than stick with that until you feel they are all too soft.
As far as your other problem, if it's not the A key screw opening the key slightly then it's probably a leak else where. Take a piece of pad paper and cut or tear a small sliver and place it under each key pad. Do it from a few angles on each to see if the pads a sealing. Chances are there is a leak in the upper joint someplace, they don't last forever. Then go to a repair person to get it checked out and repaired. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: MoonPatrol
Date: 2009-06-22 17:24
Some band directors try to require students to play with a hard reed to minimize flat tuning. The hard reeds tend to play sharper. For me, I would rather have a softer reed that allows holding long passages in a single breath. Hard reeds have advantages like in the altissimo range, but a reed strength should be the player's choice.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-06-22 23:50
I don't agree with MoonPatrol that hard reeds tend to play sharp. If a reed is too soft it will tend to play flat in the throat tones and the altissimo register because it is difficult to focus and support the pitch but being hard does not make a note sharp. As a matter of fact if it's too hard the student may not be able to support properly either and therefor can play flat in the altissimo register, loosing embouchure control. The ideal is a reed of the proper strength that the student can support all the registers properly, not soft but not too hard either. I've always encouraged students to play on as hard a reed as possible that gives them a good tone, good support and good comfort level. That is usually a 3 1/2 or 4 for most students depending on the reed brand, mouthpiece, embouchure strength etc. I have nothing against a 4 1/2 or a 3 if that gives them all the above. ESP
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Author: MoonPatrol
Date: 2009-06-30 05:36
I was once a teacher for real young ones and the band director made them use hard reeds which was making it hard for them to enjoy, much less get a complete sound out of the clarinet.
I had to play a lot of notes in the clarion to altissimo range for a musical, and the conductor kept pushing me back so i had to be in the pp to p range a lot of the time. My dilemna was that a hard reed would help, but it left me out of air for all the whole notes, and demanding runs. I ended up staying with my original set-up, V12 #3 and an m30 piece, and tightened it up and help the tone back. A few passages I dropped an octave just to avoid the stress.
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