 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: steve
Date: 2010-09-18 12:11
Hello,
I repadded my clarinet and now the lower register works well but the higher register is harder to play. Does anyone have any advise on this?
Thank-you,
Steve
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-09-19 00:02
Sometimes when repadding horns the key height changes. When this happens and you press 1 key another key may not be going down all of the way, causing a leak. The other issues are probably 1 or more pads aren't sealing.
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2010-09-19 00:17
Look especially closely at the sealing of the bottom 4 keys (E - G). These will often work fine in the low register but just press that speaker key and..... These keys are a common source of problems after repadding........don't ask how I know this. But Bob has a very good point there too!
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-09-19 04:08
Does the entire lower register i.e. from low E to throat Bb play ok and the entire upper register i.e. from middle B and above have problems? If not, where more specifically the problems are and what do you mean by "harder to play"? Some leaks can affect the upper register much more than the lower.
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Author: steve
Date: 2010-09-19 12:23
Thanks for your reply.
The entire lower register plays OK i.e.from low E to throat Bb. The upper register doesn't speak well from middle B to the F# immediately above it.
Thanks,
Steve
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-09-19 12:31
The bridge key is not aligned properly. Make the cork between the two keys a little thinner with some sand paper.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-09-20 06:31
You could take off all of the keys, lower and upper. Where ever there is a hole I use play-do and cover up all of the holes. Once you get a good seal with all of the keys off start adjusting just one key at a time. Then add another and keep going as long as you get a 5 second seal.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-09-20 09:36
Before doing what Bob Bernardo described, I would look into skygardener's suggestion because based on your description, it sounds very likely he is correct. I would prefer using a rigid tool and not sand paper personally, for more control. It is often a problem like this is worse for the upper register.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-09-23 05:26
>> But I would adjust it by re-aligning the linking levers. <<
Me too, with possibly changing the material there if it was relatively thick natural cork (which I guess you would too). It has more control and it's more accurate. With sanding, once too many and it's too much without going back. But I think for the OP maybe best to sand, since who knows what would happen if they bend the key...
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-09-23 07:47
Well, sanding is gradual. You can do it slowly, and it sounds like the leak is very small, so one size thinner in cork might be too much.
Sand paper is not a good suggestion, my bad. A nail file is better, or some of the sandpaper "tape" stuck to a flat stick.
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Author: Chris J
Date: 2010-09-23 08:50
Whether the solution for me is to bend metal or sand away cork depends on how much of an adjustment is required.
The ability to overcorrect, and metal wanting to return to its former position after a bend makes a tiny adjustment quicker by sanding for me.
I use a 320 grit "wet and dry" type sandpaper cut into a narrow strip the same width as the cork.
With the instrument assembled I put the sandpaper inside the linkage and draw it through with light pressure on the linkage so the link is applying the sanding pressure in a functional position with progress easily checked as you go along. 2 or 3 pulls before checking
To give an idea of the amount of cork that is being removed, the linkage usually works well with anything up to 15 strokes though.
This link has to be perfect, as overpressure or underpressure at this link means that a pad is not sealing somewhere (the auxilary pads on both joints)
Chris
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