 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Vxers
Date: 2023-01-16 12:16
Hi. So I've been playing clarinet for 13 years now and i was wondering on how to fix my tuning. I play on an R13 and I use a 66 barrel and play on a Clark Fobes 10K mouthpiece with a sizing of 2L (1.04). In college I switched to this mouthpiece and it helped with tuning of my middle joint so I don't have to pull out as much. Now I need help with the tuning of the barrel. I usually pull out to where the cork barely shows to help me be in tune in a standard 440 setting. Playing on the mouthpiece by itself is in tune. So do I need a longer barrel or what should I go about fixing this? Please and thank you.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2023-01-16 12:44
Vxers, it may have something to do with the taper, or flare as we say in Euope of your barrel and how it matches your mouthpiece. I would try a Clark Fobes barrel. That should be a winning combination with your gear!
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-01-16 23:20
Boehm's whole concept for the clarinet keying system he put forth was to make the mechanics a little easier while making the tuning a bit more within the realm of our embouchures and ears. The long B (not so much the C) is purposely sharp so that the low E and F are not so flat.
The Oehler system clarinets are still made for even tuning through the middle of the horn and they leave the low F and E flat. In their professional level clarinets they have a large vent on the bell (the size of the other large tone holes at the bottom) which is opened with a thumb trigger. Some of Yamaha's and Buffet's latest horns have a small low F vent (not so good) and Yamaha has done some custom bell vents for some folks.
Personally I think the Boehms should have had a bell vent all along.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk
Date: 2023-01-16 23:22
I don't know about newer clarinets. It is, of course possible to correct those two notes by pulling the bell out a little and/or by dropping the pitch by opening the oral cavity as needed. I suppose in theory it should possible to design a clarinet that's in tune throughout the register. I've just never played on one.
It's easier to adjust the long notes downward if necessary than to get the throat notes up very much if they're flat.
It's also relatively easy to get the throat notes flatter if they're sharp while the rest of the clarinet is basically in tune.
There's more to this, though, because on most Boehm clarinets low E(3) and F are flat while their 12ths are in tune. That's an acoustical issue, I suppose with the Boehm design, that makes tuning those long notes trickier.
Karl
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Author: Vxers
Date: 2023-01-17 02:58
What I meant was that I would tune my instrument, barrel first then the middle joint. After tuning the middle joint I would normally pull out till the cork barely shows. That was when I used a more closed mouthpiece. When I switched to the current mouthpiece I use now, I don't have to pull out like an inch (over exaggerated) but I have to pull out like maybe 1/16 of an inch now. But in the case of the barrel, I still have to pull out to where the cork barely shows for me to be in tune to a concert F.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-01-17 06:40
Ok, I may be making too much of my own problems with biting but I just thought I'd pass along some issues that I had which had some of the manifestations that you describe.
Playing large intervals, particularly moving downward, was always problematic and I could never quite do them fast enough. I had to use padding in between my lower teeth and my lower lip (I still do though probably not a necessity any more). Then the worst issue was that the lowest G through B (the G sitting under the second ledger line under the staff was the worst) were untenably sharp at low dynamics. This came up during the initial clarinet solo in Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony. That low A came out and stayed far too sharp as the violins came in to expose the problem. It was an ear opening and embarrassing moment.
You mentioned tuning "just the mouthpiece." I would disregard ANY mentions of what a mouthpiece should sound like by itself. The references that I ran into in the past were quite dated and mouthpieces of the 40's and 60's had much smaller tone chambers and naturally played much higher....by themselves.
As KDK mentions the throat notes are more "pliable," so if putting too much energy into your embouchure turns out to be a problem (just a suggestion) for you, you can start to retrain by playing the open G (second line of staff) as relaxed as possible always working to bring that pitch DOWN. When things line up properly you'll be surprised how much more evenly in tune ALL the notes become up and down the horn.
..................Paul Aviles
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The Clarinet Pages
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![[B4]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/b4.gif)
(concert A 440) or your ![[C5]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/c5.gif)
(concert Bb) are in tune, how is the pitch of your ![[G4]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/g4.gif)
("throat" G)? Are you using the original barrel your R13 came with?