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Re: A Clarinet troubles

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2018-09-01 06:47

You have an audition in a week, so you don't really have time to spend trying to figure this out for yourself. Certainly, check to see that the throat G# is closing. Cut a very narrow strip of thin plastic wrap, put it over the hole so the pad closes on it, and see if there's a tug or if the plastic just slides out. Test at least four points around the circumference of the pad - 12,3,6 and 9 o'clock. If there is good contact between the pad and the pad seat, then that isn't probably where the leak is. You can try the same thing to test whether other pads are seating (this is more specific than just doing a pressure or vacuum test, which will only tell you if SOMEthing is leaking or not).

But, apart from perhaps adjusting the screw in the G# key if it turns out not to be closing firmly, you'll be better off getting someone who knows what he or she is doing to fix whatever has gone wrong.

How accessible is your teacher? Is there a repair shop nearby? If you take the instrument to a repairman, ask your teacher first - it's his clarinet and he may have a preference of repair people or may want to look at it himself first. Don't spend too much time trying to figure this out for yourself. You need to practice on a functioning instrument.

Whether or not the audition judges will accept your playing it on a Bb clarinet without a penalty depends completely on the rules and the judges (obviously, they can't stop you from doing it, but they will know you're playing in the wrong key and may dock your score). If you have a way to contact someone in authority with the junior Philharmonic, you can always ask. The worst that can happen is that the answer will be "no."

Karl

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