 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: PeterD
Date: 2021-01-14 23:21
Hi thanks for the interest.
My Clarinet has started playing 'Silly Beggars', for some reason I cannot play without extreme difficulty notes above G upper register. I have a test lamp and cannot see any leak, I have two reasonable Mouthpieces VD B45 and VD 13 lyre, tried many different reeds so I am 'really stuck'.
Your thoughts and ideas will be valuable thank you.
Clarinet Backun Alpha - Fatboy Barrel
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2021-01-15 00:27
First thing I'd do is a negative pressure test. You place the far end of the upper joint against the palm of your right hand, cover holes with left hand fingers then place mouth up to top end (like you were about to play the trumpet) then suck the air out in little spurts. If adjusted correctly the joint should hold the air for at least 3 seconds (or better) tugging at your palm and fingers. You can add a positive test for good measure....listen for air leaking. Then do that for the bottom joint.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2021-01-15 02:06
You may not be able to see leaks with a light. Try using very light pressure, barely enough to hold them shut, and do it in a dark room. If the pads have deep impressions, you might not be able to see it. Most clarinet techs use feeler gauges instead of lights.
The pressure test is good too.
I suspect the problem is not your pads, but your voicing. You probably do have some leaks, but the problem sounds like voicing. If it were the pads the whole instrument would be stuffy, and the first register would probably be giving you problems as well. It would also tend to cause problems below a certain note, rather than above. IDK without seeing it, but that's what it sounds like.
When you get above second register G ( xxx|ooo ) or A ( xxo|ooo ) on some woodwinds they get weird. The register key seems to work pretty well for notes below that, but above that you have to help it out by bringing out the higher partials with your throat/palate/tongue. So, if you have a nice smooth dark sound on the lowest notes of the first register E and F ( xxx|xxx xx ) when you get up above second register "G" the horn may "grunt". It might fall down to the first register, not sound at all, or be really out of tune. Try raising your soft palate (it feels like flaring your nostrils or something like that), or changing your throat. Make the tone brighter.
You may also be biting, or accidentally bumping one of the keys open a crack (like if you are bumping the trill keys with your right hand).
On the clarinet sometimes cleaning the register tube, or changing the register key pad height helps.
- Matthew Simington
Post Edited (2021-01-15 02:13)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2021-01-15 03:35
PeterD wrote:
> My Clarinet has started playing 'Silly Beggars', for some
> reason I cannot play without extreme difficulty notes above G
> upper register.
We could probably make better guesses if you could be more specific about the meaning of "cannot play without extreme difficulty." I'm assuming you mean ![[G5]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/g5.gif) . Is G also difficult? G#? Is there a point as you keep going higher where production becomes easier again
If it's a leak, it's most likely the C#/G# pad (if G is difficult) or the one that opens for RH Eb/Bb, although leaks anywhere in the upper section would probably affect the whole clarion register. Check to make sure throat G# and A keys are *both* closing (that the adjusting screw on the A key isn't in too far and holding it open).
By all means, check for leaks. If you're not finding anything with the leak light, try using a feeler. Cut a piece of thin plastic (food wrap?) or a sliver of cigarette paper. Insert the feeler under each pad, close the pad and tug gently to see if the pad is pressing on its seat. Test this way at four points around each pad's circumference. In my experience, a feeler gauge of this kind is much more likely to find small leaks around small (LH section) pads than a light.
But, if there's no leak, an alternative is to look for a tone hole somewhere near the top of the RH section or the bottom of the LH that should be open when playing the notes above G but that's being blocked by dirt or a torn pad that's sitting in the hole when its key is open. Prime suspects would be the 3rd finger hole on the upper joint or, if G itself is wonky, the hole under the top pad on the lower joint. If G is difficult, it could be a bridge key problem - that it's misadjusted so that top RH pad isn't opening fully.
Karl
Post Edited (2021-01-15 04:26)
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Author: PeterD
Date: 2021-01-16 18:01
Well WHERE do I start? rather than reply individually to 3 EXCELLENT replies Thank you Paul, Matt and Karl.
I am a old fella 81 years but love to have a blow every now and then and always had found the Clarinet 'playable' so it came as a shock when it started to refuse to play correctly, anyway.
I am AMAZED that I had 3 replies all on the same day, so what was the problem I hear you say, it was ME !!
For a start the problem was not my G key at all, when I wrote the post I was more or less guessing with the clarinet in it's case, sorry it was the F key and the problem was the spring of the F# key weak, the pad not closing properly. The problem located by the suggestion of Paul using the pressure test, the Positive test just lifted the pad with very little pressure although the pad 'appeared' to seat with Light Test but when playing the very little 'breeze' was enough to unseat it, amazing.
I added a little tension to the spring and All's Well.
Would you believe I am a well retired ALL single reed Pro, but of course the Clari was 'every now and then' and never had a problem only recently buying the Backun however a very nice blow but it was second hand.
I had to smile at Karl's suggestion to try Cigarette papers that took me back, I NEVER went to a Gig without my Fag Papers and a few elastic bands, what GREAT days they where.
Thanks again fella's and please Stay Safe.
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