killing the clarinet's killer bee

methods of correcting color, resonance, response and flexibility problems with the clarinets bell "B".

Category:

Music

Tags:

• clarinet
• teaching
• lesson
• playing

[ShinyAndTouchable]

What kind of clarinet do you have? I does not look like wood...

[billyboy647]

@ShinyAndTouchable I am playing one of my own clarinets, a Lyrique 576BC, made of pure, natural hard rubber.

[ShinyAndTouchable]

@billyboy647 I understand that many people like to use hard rubber because it has a darker tone because it is more dense. but what about the smell? Every hard rubber mouthpeice I have ever tried started to smell really, 'rubbery' after a while, and after I clean it, it still smells. Is this only some hard rubber? I don't care for that smell but I wouldn't mind having the better tone.

[billyboy647]

@ShinyAndTouchable I have not noticed any such smell from my clarinets. I think a lot of the results are due to how you process the rubber.

Every material has some odor, including wood clarinets---but you normally have to get your nose right up to the substance to detect it. After almost a decade of selling hard rubber clarinets I've never had a complaint about oder.

[owarning27]

my B is always slightly flat. i've tried tightening at the corners, but nothing has worked. any ideas?

[billyboy647]

sorry to be slow in responding. There are a number of way to correct this. You should not have to do anything extraordinary to play the B in tune. The length of the bell is too long and/or the bore is also small. If you like the way the bell plays and sounds I would drill a small hole in the bell and tune it until it is perfect. No amount of lipping will fix this. There are other corrections to that could also work, depending on how the clarinet tests out. I can fix it, no problem.

[Titanandenceladus]

Love the shameless plug

[finzerpup101]

Thank you for sharing this trick! I've had a difficult time switching from A to bell B. I kept trying to adjust my air and force a little more air out but it just kept squeaking. I was getting upset and found this video so I'll definitely try this in band! And yes I will PRACTICE this!

[TrivettJames]

Thanks. I think this technique will help. I've been moved up to first chair in Wind Symphony and I don't want to embarrass myself as Concert Master. I can play grade six music, but I don't want to seem incapable of playing a simple tuning note for the band.

[yaoi1yummy]

you have a preety clarinet

[lsdvine]

@owarning27 my teacher suggested a similartechnique to the 'venting' idea but you only have to put down your left ring finger (c in lower chalemeau) and the throat Bb. Also when you play make a swallowing motion in your throat when you blow the Bb. This works for me, it mite work for you

[InBy9OutBy5]

Is the killer B as bad as those tarantulas outside ? Hahaha !! I like your special effects. Entertaining. What brand/model of clarinet is that ? It looks like a nice one.