 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: arahidu
Date: 2015-05-19 02:27
Hi everyone, my name is Michael, I am from Romania and this is my first topic on this forum, I admit that watching this forum have solved many problems of my instrument and I learned many useful things. My problem persists for a while and I've tried to solve believing it is because mouthpiece or reed but is not. In searching on the internet I saw that if in front of the serial number is the letter F, clarinet is pitched in 442. My mouthpiece is also European (442-444). In the lower register of the clarinet pitch is lower than normal and the upper register of the clarinet pitch is higher than normal.
Clarinet: Buffet Crampon RC-(year 2006)
Barrel (I think is original): RC B 650
Mouthpiece: Vandoren Profile 88 5JB
Reeds: Vandoren V12 or 56 number 2.5
What advice would you give me? Thank you very much and sorry for my bad english!
Buffet-Crampon RC
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-05-19 02:58
I am assuming that you mean the "short tube" notes are HIGH and the "long tube" notes are LOW.
If this is the case, it sounds as if your clarinet wants to be pitched LOWER (despite the description as an "F" higher pitched horn) and the mouthpiece you have is throwing off the short tube note tuning by making those notes too high. At least that's what the description says to me.
Are you trying to tune to A=445? It would be helpful to know what the pitch standard is for you in Hungary.
If the situation is as I am thinking, the only solution would be to find a higher pitched clarinet.
Finally: for me, the open mouthpieces make focusing pitch harder because the pitch can be varied so much more with the open facing. Of course if you are playing more folk music you may want to stick with this configuration.
.................Paul Aviles
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: arahidu
Date: 2015-05-19 05:01
No it's not like that. Imagine that you play D (c on the piano) in the middle register (in the short tube withouth the octave key pushed) and then the same position with the octave key pushed (A in the upper register or G on the piano). Hope you understand me, and again sorry for bad english!
Buffet-Crampon RC
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: harim0suprem0
Date: 2015-05-19 10:44
Hey Michael,
I've had a very similar problem to you, but after stumbling across and reading this article (https://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=HdpaVfScEsjl8AXCkYL4Ag&url=http://www.midwestclinic.org/user_files_1/pdfs/clinicianmaterials/2001/west.pdf&ved=0CCEQFjAB&usg=AFQjCNHiatTDr2PSGIyIAVu0tH6f8yxipw&sig2=2C8bHaLRoyV0-i_ksgWXiQ) I've been able to fix alot of my tuning issues. The bit you want to read is the "clarinet intonation" part.
Best of luck!!
Harim Oh
NZ
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-05-19 15:12
First off let me apologize for the geographic mis-identification. I just don't pay attention that well !!!!
You have really wide twelfths.
So let me ask further, what is the pitch difference on that "D" just under the staff to the "A" first ledger above the staff IF you DO NOT use the register key? Some technicians will open up the space between the pad and the register hole to make the "throat Bb" clearer, but that sacrifices the very tuning to which you refer. That distance between the pad and hole should be no more than 2mm.
Further, what is there pitch difference between the "A" two ledgers bellow the staff and the fourth space "E?" That relationship should be identical with or without the register key open.
Some further questions:
Did this just start happening or did this start after a repair (or change of equipment)?
Is this a new horn for you and you just found this issue?
..............Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2015-05-19 15:20)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: arahidu
Date: 2015-05-19 15:50
I tuned my tuning device in 445Hz, i play some long notes and i realize that the differences are not so big, actualy it's fine now excpet 2 notes that i think it's clarinet issue that need's to be fixed. Problem is that in my country all musicians use 440 Pitch. Can I do something with my instrument to be in 440 (Instrument serial begin with F letter, that means it's been build for 442/445 but when you buy a clarinet from Buffet-Crampon they give you 2 barrels and specify that the clarinet tunes 440/442). What do you think ? Thank you verry much!
Buffet-Crampon RC
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-05-19 22:35
I have to say that I am not familiar with the Buffet "F" designation clarinets.
I can say that going down in pitch on a clarinet can be done within reason.
The test is in whether the clarinet plays ok down to that pitch. And what happens if it can't is as I described earlier. You tune the open "G" but lower notes are too flat and the notes above the open "G" still ride high. Or you maintain relatively good pitch on the lower notes and everything else is just too high to even be close.
Usually instruments built to play A=445 cannot be adjusted down enough to play at 440. The opposite is also usually true.
.............Paul Aviles
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
