one note low

revelstone

I hope this don't get me banned. looked at all the threads in B flat Clarinet. three pages, did not see this one. I have a clarinet that plays one note low. I finger E it plays D. consistent through out all notes it is always one lower. never two or three. have two mouthpieces and 3 reeds. still consistent. I even used the same tuner, (there's an app for that), on my flute and an E was an E, a D was a D. I even took a tissue paper and put it under each normally closed holes and pressed it down to hopefully get a good seal. no change all the way up the clarinet. any clues?

Signed,
Lost
 
Mojo said:
This is what a Bb instrument does. It is designed to play in the key of Bb when you finger a C scale.
Click to expand...


so the clarinet is working, it a simple case of remove and replace operator :smile:
so color me dumb. I knew that. I just forgot it. so should it be a lot harder to blow a note than on my flute? I guess we're getting into basics here, and I'm just too new. maybe I should get a how to book or a teacher.
 
revelstone said:
so the clarinet is working, it a simple case of remove and replace operator :smile:
so color me dumb. I knew that. I just forgot it. so should it be a lot harder to blow a note than on my flute? I guess we're getting into basics here, and I'm just too new. maybe I should get a how to book or a teacher.
Click to expand...
It shouldn't be harder to play than your flute, a bit more info could help.
 
revelstone said:
so the clarinet is working, it a simple case of remove and replace operator :smile:
so color me dumb. I knew that. I just forgot it. so should it be a lot harder to blow a note than on my flute? I guess we're getting into basics here, and I'm just too new. maybe I should get a how to book or a teacher.
Click to expand...

It depends what you mean by harder. The clarinet certainly has more back pressure than a flute but I think probably requires less volume of air. You may need a softer reed. You should probably get a teacher to at least show you the basics of the embouchure and to make sure the instrument is in good order.
 
As mentioned a Clarinet, trumpet, tenor sax etc is in the key of Bb
A common flute in C
An Alto, bari Sax in Eb

If you used a tuner such as this one ==> http://www.korg.com/us/products/tuners/ot_120/

It provides "Broad support for transposing instruments and historical temperamentsSo that you can conveniently tune any wind instrument, twelve types of transposing keys are provided including both sharps and flats.

Transpose Range
C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, B
"


So for instance in this photo (taken from the internet), on the far right the Tuner is set for instruments in the key of "D"
and for some reason pitch of 439
IS485972-01-01-BIG.jpg


Thus when you played notes on an instrument in D (at 439), a C would show up as a C.

I was just working with my son on improving his intonation on french horn and showing him how to use this tuner so he can get better at being in tune on the Bb and F sides of the french horn.

I'll try to take a photo of mine playing a Bb instrument at 440 for a better example.
 
revelstone said:
so the clarinet is working, it a simple case of remove and replace operator :smile:
so color me dumb. I knew that. I just forgot it. so should it be a lot harder to blow a note than on my flute? I guess we're getting into basics here, and I'm just too new. maybe I should get a how to book or a teacher.
Click to expand...

I recommend to get a teacher.
Learning the basics can be daunting. But what is more daunting is down the road when you do get a teacher ( at some point hopefully) is to undo all the stuff that you didn't learn properly in the beginning.

Playing a flute requires you to blow past the Embouchure Hole. many self-taught players blow WAY too hard and make it much more difficult than it is (and consequently get light headed a lot).
Where as a Clarinet your airstream is helping stimulate / vibrate a reed. Two different concepts entirely.
 
balloons

TrueTone said:
It shouldn't be harder to play than your flute, a bit more info could help.
Click to expand...
it's sort of like blowing up a new balloon for the first time, that hasn't been stretched out first. and it is that way for every note, one after the other.it's even a bit of surprise when the note does play. and at least now I know it is the right note. but I've been thinking about it and will work on my embouchure. It might be the problem. I've been experimenting with different amounts of clarinet in the mouth. although I am trying to line up with where the bottom teeth and lip meet with the place where the reed meets the mouth piece. also, I'm going to take it to a music store that I trust and see if it's more than remove and replace player. thanks for so many responses to what is probably just a noobe that's a little slow on the uptake.
 
revelstone said:
it's sort of like blowing up a new balloon for the first time, that hasn't been stretched out first. and it is that way for every note, one after the other.it's even a bit of surprise when the note does play. and at least now I know it is the right note. but I've been thinking about it and will work on my embouchure. It might be the problem. I've been experimenting with different amounts of clarinet in the mouth. although I am trying to line up with where the bottom teeth and lip meet with the place where the reed meets the mouth piece. also, I'm going to take it to a music store that I trust and see if it's more than remove and replace player. thanks for so many responses to what is probably just a noobe that's a little slow on the uptake.
Click to expand...

Play an open G (no fingers), put more and more mouthpiece in your mouth until it squawks horribly. Then back it out just a little. That's the right place for a clarinet mouthpiece.
 
Actually there's a little bit more to that.
When you are taking more mouthpiece in you are trying to find the "neutral zone" or just before where the reed starts separating from the mouthpiece due to the facing curve.
If you flip over the mouthpiece with a reed on it, and slide a piece of paper between the reed and mouthpiece this will give you a good idea of placement.
Here's more info about that ==> http://www.clarinetperfection.com/clmpcTypes.htm


First of all, the clarinet embouchure is not like the sax. For the sax the mouthpiece is coming more directly into the mouth from the front. Thus (basically) one raises their lower jaw to the mouthpiece.

For clarinet the mouthpiece comes up from below. So one should actually push their lower jaw out to the mouthpiece.

When one puts their lower jaw on a reed way before the neutral zone most of the time the player pinches to prevent air leakage from the lower part of the reed.
In doing so, they curve/bend the reed down the facing curve a bit, thus also reducing the tip opening.

If one player used the exact same embouchure placement on a variety of mouthpieces with different facing lengths they could essentially make them all play about the same. Whereas if they used a more versatile placement in respect to the mouthpiece design they would be able to play the mouthpiece as it was designed.

Still, if one has access to a good teacher they should consult that teacher. As, with experience, they'll be able to assist in person.
 
thanks did that like you said. actually did it with just the mouthpiece and barrel. same results. so it's me not the clarinet. good news that since it is a used clarinet carefully cleaned after receiving it. nice to know I'm broke not the instrument. just got to work on the embouchure thing and I'll get there someday.
 
from steve "When one puts their lower jaw on a reed way before the neutral zone most of the time the player pinches to prevent air leakage from the lower part of the reed. In doing so, they curve/bend the reed down the facing curve a bit, thus also reducing the tip opening."

I believe you've hit the nail on the head. I am trying to make sure no air escapes because the first times I did this I could feel and hear air escaping around the sides of the mouth piece. keep on trying till I get it right. thanks.
 
revelstone said:
thanks did that like you said. actually did it with just the mouthpiece and barrel. same results. so it's me not the clarinet. good news that since it is a used clarinet carefully cleaned after receiving it. nice to know I'm broke not the instrument. just got to work on the embouchure thing and I'll get there someday.
Click to expand...
Here's my take on a proper clarinet embouchure => http://www.clarinetperfection.com/Embouchure.htm
 
While looking around for some Rudy Weidoeft (sp?) sax music I came across these articles about the flute and how the initial air column works. Not the embouchure but I thought you may be interested in it
Click on each image for a larger view
IMG_7188.JPG
..
and the entire page
IMG_7187.JPG
 
This chart may help you understand different keys of instruments.
When you look around a band
Trumpet, Tenor Sax, clarinet are in = Bb
Flute = C
Alto Sax = Eb
Double French Horn = Bb and F

So a band director may ask the band to play a Concert Bb scale.
Each instrument has to know what their Transposed Bb scale is which is different from the Concert Bb scale being asked.

Thus for the director the Concert Bb scale (2 flats) is
Flute (in C) = Bb scale (2 flats)
Alto Sax (in Eb) = G scale (1 sharp)
Trumpet, Tenor sax, Clarinet (in Bb) = C scale (no flats, no sharps)

The top of this Chart shows you the Key Transposition
2nd section the Note Transposition
and bottom the Major Keys

Click on each image for a larger view
aIMG_7189.jpg

This is why on the tuner you need to set it for the Key the instrument is in.
Or, what I normally do with the tuner is that I know my note is relatively in-tune, and I just use a tuner (from anyone) to check certain notes for accuracy. This requires that you know about what an E, or C etc sounds like and you are used to the tuning of your instrument.
 
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