 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: part-time clarinetist
Date: 2023-12-28 20:50
I'm a part-time clarinetist---primarily saxophonist---and, while I played it a lot through high school and college, had really not played much for 30 years until recently. Now in my 50's, I'm fatter, and my new problem is that my fatter right middle finger keeps bumping the alt. key for low-reg. B / high-reg. F#. I can't be the only one this has happened to. Any tips / answers...besides the obvious Jenny Craig 😂 ?
Update: Thanks to so many kind and expert responses, I have several things to try now. Once I settle on the most effective solution, I'll be sure to provide another update. I'm so glad I found this terrific board!
Update 2: So, after careful consideration of all suggestions provided (& thank you all again!), I finally settled on eliminating the key altogether. It's sort of weird when I'm doing chromatic passages, but not much of a game-changer, really. I've never really had a problem alternating between finger one and two anyway...and hardly ever use the F#-alt. key on saxophone. But the 'leak' problem I was causing myself by inadvertently 'fat-fingering' that key has definitely been fixed.
Thanks again, woodwind friends!
Post Edited (2024-01-20 19:22)
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Author: smokindok
Date: 2023-12-29 00:10
This is not an uncommon problem for some people when playing Eb clarinet, which has considerably less finger room than a Bb clarinet. A variety of strategies are available to minimize the problem. These would also work on Bb clarinet:
Some clarinets have rather bulky sliver keys. If the problem is slight, sometimes careful reshaping of the key, along with careful bending, will give adequate clearance. Of course, grinding on the key is a destructive operation, so needs to be carefully planned and executed.
A simple solution is to wedge a cork under the key, so that it will not open the pad if the key is accidentally touched. This could possibly be hard on the pad and might not really be a good long term solution.
A long-term and absolutely certain way of dealing with the problem is to remove the key and plug the tone hole. This (as well as the key wedging) of course limits fingering options, but that is the trade off.
On my Eb, careful grinding to reshape the key, as well as getting it positioned properly, did the trick.
John
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2023-12-29 02:13
Please consider the issue having the potential to be multi-factorial.
That's just fancy speak for saying that while finger width may very play into cause here, and the remedies suggested prior valid, so to might the simple need, having returned to the instrument after much time off, to slow down the metronome and focus on accuracy so that you will redevelop good muscle memory and habits, particularly if you today have less margin for error/wiggle room with your middle right finger hitting its mark.
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Author: crazyclari
Date: 2023-12-29 03:08
As previously mentioned there are a number of solutions.
-A slight angling of the fingers towards the bottom of the clarinet,which opens out the space between the fingers.
-a slight bending/angling down of the naughty key
-cut the key off
-wedge it shut with a cork
-shorten the key
-reshape the key to a short triangle so that the key does not catch between your fingers. I used a cork template and shaped it until I had the best shape
There should be an attachment providing a photograph of this but it has not attached
Post Edited (2023-12-29 03:22)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2023-12-29 04:56
I believe the key Artie Shaw and a number of us can live without is the left hand sliver key. Of course these days I take advantage of ALL the alternate keys I can get my fingers on!
I like the bending of the key down SLIGHTLY as a solution. The slightly is because there is a balance between tapping the key open with your middle finger on one side, and tapping it open with your third finger from the bottom side.
I have always bent both sliver keys lower, but have to be careful not to go too far.
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2023-12-29 09:55
Most solutions were mentioned and I've done all of these for various players. One exception:
>> A simple solution is to wedge a cork under the key, so that it will not open the pad if the key is accidentally touched. This could possibly be hard on the pad and might not really be a good long term solution. <<
It can be fine long term (at least years). It's not really hard on the pad and if it is it's not a problem. Absolute worst case you replace the pad.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-12-29 16:16
It's ALWAYS better to plug up the tonehole than to wedge a key shut as the pad won't be compressed by doing that. Artie Shaw had the RH3 Eb/Bb 'sliver' key completely removed from his clarinets and the tonehole and pillar holes filled in as though the key was never even there to begin with. I also don't use that particular key, so I plugged the tonehole up with a couple of cork pads pushed into the tonehole but left the key in situ as it keeps the LH ring keys and especially the linkage raised off the deck which makes assembly easier with no risk of damaging anything (unless you're cack-handed and mash the linkage into the pillar on the lower joint socket ring). I find many players tend to catch this key and if they don't use it, then it's an easy thing to plug up the tonehole and also reverse without any compression damage done to the pad, especially if cork or synthetic pads are installed. Cork wedges under touchpieces don't last too well over time as the cork compresses, so the key can still be cracked open when the cork loses its springiness. Yes you can keep on replacing them and replacing them and replacing them and replacing them and replacing them, but plugging up the tonehole only needs to be done the once and it's easy to unplug to revert the instrument back to how it was if you decide to sell it on and the pad will still be in good condition having neither become compressed nor water damaged.
As for the RH3 B/F# 'sliver' key, your best bet is to have it cut down to a stub and filed smooth so you can still use it for chromatic passages and especially for altissimo D#/Eb which is necessary, but you won't be catching it accidentally which is always a problem for anyone with fat fingers. I've done this several years back on a Buffet Eb clarinet for a local player who has fat fingers as well as plugged up the LH3 Eb/Bb key and reshaped the throat A touch to give more room for his fingers and so far, so good as he's still having no trouble with it. The RH3 B/F# key is definitely the more important one to have fully functioning, so having it shortened and reshaped to make it both functional and less likely to catch is the way to go.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2023-12-29 17:26
Well, is there room for your finger or not? Hand angle is the first thing I'd look at. Coming back to clarinet, you may have steepened the angle, perhaps to facilitate r. pinky access to its keys. Check it with a mirror.
How much clearance does your finger have when it's normally closing the tone hole? Are you brushing the key with the side of the finger?
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Author: kdk
Date: 2023-12-30 00:27
Philip Caron wrote:
> ...you may have
> steepened the angle, perhaps to facilitate r. pinky access to
> its keys. Check it with a mirror.
This could very well be a reason because you're older and your pinkies may not easily reach as far as they once did. But if it's hand position or not, you still have the problem.
The simplest and most easily reversed solution is (as has already been suggested) to wedge a piece of cork under the sliver key. You'll know in a short time (a) if the problem of bumping into the key is solved and (b) if you actually miss having that fingering available for B3/F#5/Eb6. If you really don't miss it, you can leave the cork in place, or have the hole plugged, etc... If you find yourself wanting that fingering, you'll have to try a different way from among the other suggested solutions.
I've always found Eb/D#6 played with the middle finger oxx|oxo Eb to be flat without opening other keys to compensate. You can use
oxx|oox Eb instead, but it can be more awkward technically.
Karl
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Author: m1964
Date: 2023-12-30 06:19
Disabling the key would affect chromatic scale, as was mentioned above.
The best solution (IMO) is to find a good tech who also plays well, and seek the advice from someone you can see in person.
If you do not know anyone, I am sure posters here would suggest you a name or two if you tell us where you live.
In addition, you may consider changing the instrument to another brand or different model of the same brand, if you find one that does not present the problem. Again, it is very likely that a good tech/performer would be able to help you.
The problem with shutting the key off is that you would not be able to trill high D-Eb, middle E#-F#, etc.
Also, on my Buffet the high F is slightly flat using the traditional fingering so I use the Rt. sliver key to bring it up.
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Author: donald
Date: 2023-12-30 06:24
Yes, as said above the problem with removing this key is the altissimo D#/Eb. There are a couple of other fingerings that can be used, but none that are very suitable for scale/melodic passages...
This fingering - TR, XXX / OXO with the THROAT G# key added is quite a useful fingering (slightly sharp usually) but a bit tricky to incorporate in melodic passages
This one - TR OOO / OOO + THROAT A key is also useful here and there (opening of Ireland Fantasy Sonata for instance).
One player I know (a classical pro) with very fat/stubby fingers had this alteration...
- Chromatic F#/B key cut short to a stub, but then a little "mushroom shaped" extension soldered on, close to the hinge tube of the Right hand ring key... This way he could "curl" his 3rd finger to open the chromatic key, but most of the time (when his finger was in "normal extension") he didn't hit it by accident.
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Author: part-time clarinetist
Date: 2023-12-30 08:26
Thank you for taking the time to respond. The collective of respondents has provided me several viable options to try, and I truly appreciate you sharing your expertise!
This is a great board!
Post Edited (2023-12-30 08:28)
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Author: part-time clarinetist
Date: 2024-01-20 19:17
So, after careful consideration of all suggestions provided (& thank you all again!), I finally settled on eliminating the key altogether. It's sort of weird when I'm doing chromatic passages, but not much of a game-changer, really. I've never really had a problem alternating between finger one and two anyway...and hardly ever use the F#-alt. key on saxophone. But the 'leak' problem I was causing myself by inadvertently 'fat-fingering' that key has definitely been fixed.
Thanks again, woodwind friends!
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