 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: electricbird
Date: 2014-01-08 06:30
I know a throat Bb is supposed to sound airier than other notes, but my Bb also always seems to sounds significantly flatter than all of my other notes no matter what I do to my embouchure or reed adjustment. I have no trouble playing any of my other notes. Is this normal?
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2014-01-08 02:17
I don't know just how bad your Bb tone is but yes, it is probably the least pleasant note on the clarinet. There are alternate "so called resonant" fingerings that make it sound almost as good as other notes in the horn, but for me and others I know, the standard two finger Bb with the A and register key sounds like a compromised note. I'm not sure its pitch is flat but the sound is dull and too airy.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2014-01-08 02:33
If you mean that the tone quality on Bb is dull, that's a problem with nearly all clarinets. You can use resonance fingerings to improve the quality. The most common one, which works on most clarinets, is to put down the two ring fingers and the low F key for the right little finger. The easy solution is to blow harder.
If you mean too low in pitch, the clearance between the pad and the vent may be too small. You should (just) be able to slide a nickel between the vent and the pad or cork.
It's easy for a repair tech to bend the register key slightly to adjust the clearance or re-seat the pad or cork. If you increase the opening too much, however, the high notes will suffer.
The usual solution is to install a cork pad and bevel it to give more venting at the sides.
Av Galper used to make a replacement vent and register key for the Buffet R13, but it hasn't been made for several years.
A barrel one or two millimeters shorter can help.
The best Bb is the with the next-to-top trill key instead of the register key. It's a bit of a stretch, but many players use it whenever possible. Everything depends on the shape of your hands and the length and flexibility of your right index finger.
There are a number of special mechanisms that open the trill key automatically. They require additional hardware, though.
Some clarinets have that note flat whatever you do. The solution for that is to alter the metal register vent, which is specialized work. Some techs made replacement metal register vent tubes that are shorter than the standard, or which are conical, reverse-conical or wasp-waisted. The only way to find out what works is to try it on your clarinet.
Ken Shaw
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Author: gkern
Date: 2014-01-08 07:56
Ken, that is the best I have ever heard it explained. Thanks.
Gary K
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2014-01-08 09:49
Sometimes cleaning out the registure key tube helps. It means removing the key and cleaning it with a pipe cleaner.
Laurie
Laurie (he/him)
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2014-01-08 21:10
I suggest you begin with Laurie's idea to clean the register key tube. I was shocked once when I did that about what a difference it made. The resonance fingerings are also necessary to use.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-01-08 18:14
Another resonance fingering that I prefer is to use the second and third fingers of BOTH hands (along with register and "A" key of course).
This one is also slightly flat (pitch wise) but can be used going from or to almost any fingering combination and gets a nice timbre. Using the side key is somewhat a bad idea because it doesn't work under enough conditions and (for me) is not a good enough match for the other notes around it. I only use it to trill up to Bb from an A.
..................Paul Aviles
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Author: alto gether
Date: 2014-01-08 19:02
I see no reason why the appropriate trill key can't be optimized to make a good throat Bb. The register vent placement/size/shape is of course a compromise between an acceptable throat Bb and a good clarion register, but I don't see any conflict in making a really good Bb trill key. Mechanism to use it automatically? Got that, but I'm spoiled, I play contra alto.
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Author: TAS
Date: 2014-01-09 04:16
You side Bflat trill key is a useful tool. Get to know it...intimately.
If you primary Bb is out of tune, there may be a slight problem with the interior hole. Do you eat chocolate chip cookies? See a good technician and check it out.
TAS
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