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 Playing too flat
Author: pandaclarinet 
Date:   2017-02-16 20:36

My Clarion and Altissimo are fine, but my Chalumeau register is very flat and the flattest pitch is F4, It's about 20 cents flat ! (and my throat tones have too add some keys to make them sharper.)

I thought that the problem is my instrument or my setup ,but neither I change my setup nor try my friends and my teacher clarinet, It didn't help at all. Try another clarinets are make my Chalumeau register more in tune ,but my F4 and throat tones have same problem.

So, I think the problem isn't the equipment, It's ME !
How can I solve this problem ?
I tried to sing in tune.
Played with drone in tune but, when I tried to make my throat tones (and F4) in tune. I have to bite too much. It's really hurt and it make really thin sound.

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 Re: Playing too flat
Author: kdk 2017
Date:   2017-02-16 21:27

First of all, you only mention F4 (20 cents flat). You don't give any real idea how flat the rest of the chalumeau register is. F4 is often flat (though 20 cents is unusual). What about A3, C4, Eb4? What keys are you adding to bring the throat notes up? All the throat notes or just certain ones?

How does C6 tune? Is it sharp? In tune? Also flat?

There are only a couple ways that you could be causing the flatness. Are you changing anything (if you haven't thought about it, concentrate on it next time you play) when you go below the break? If you slacken your jaw, loosen your embouchure, lower your tongue drastically - in any way make the inside of your mouth *a lot* larger when you play chalumeau notes than you do when you play up higher - it might explain flatness.

It might be a quirk in your mouthpiece - have you tried anyone else's mouthpiece on their clarinets? On yours?

See if you can notice more information to help narrow down the possibilities.

Karl

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 Re: Playing too flat
Author: pandaclarinet 
Date:   2017-02-18 21:07

Dear Karl,
Thank you very much. I just found the problem, as your said, when I played the chalumeau register, I make inside my mouth (a lot) larger, when I changed inside my mouth it seems better at pitch (and tone).
, now I notice that not only F4, but all the sound that I make by only upper joint is flat, maybe I should take my clarinet to see a doctor.

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 Re: Playing too flat
Author: kdk 2017
Date:   2017-02-18 22:38

How are the clarion twelfths with the same fingerings.

The right hand (upper section) notes will be flattened more than the left hand notes if the barrel is too long. You might try a millimeter shorter barrel if you can borrow one from someone. The shorter length will bring the upper section notes up more than the lower section. It depends a bit on how flat those notes still are.

Also, some mouthpieces play flatter - either because they're longer or, as with Vandoren Series 13 mouthpieces, the chamber is larger to "darken" the tone. If the amount of air space is made larger (longer bore, bigger bore or chamber) the pitch will drop. So you might try a few friends' mouthpieces and see if they help get the pitches up on the RH chalumeau notes.

Karl

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 Re: Playing too flat
Author: D Dow 
Date:   2017-02-23 20:26

Maybe we could get some of the measurements on the tuning here..the altissimo is fine but the low is very flat..what kind of mouthpiece reeds etc...is being used here?
Also biting is out the question at all times so maybe this is more an adjustment issue related to the instrument...please elaborate?

David Dow

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