How To Fix A Flat Clarinet

Clarinets - how to set up

Repair - Maintenance - First Assistance

A thousand picayune things tin happen that make playing your instrument difficult or impossible - and following Murphy's law these will happen only the moment before you step onto a phase for an important concert. At that place will be no craftsman around, and worse, there is no fourth dimension. Now you have got to do it yourself; but with some know how and practising (and calmness) you can overcome a lot of what might otherwise become a show stopper.

First and foremost you must be careful not to make things worse. If later on a craftsman will have to go lengthy and expensive ways to fix your first assistance measures, you'd improve let information technology exist. That is: First call up whether yous really can amend the state of affairs by trying to fix the musical instrument yourself. Remember of what might happen. But if you are ready (or accept no better choice) this page will give you some ideas what to do.

What problems can y'all solve on yourself? These are the typical problems:

Your musical instrument squeaks, tones just won't play - find air leaks
Keys don't work due to shaky screws tighten or fix them
Increase the bound ability or replace a jump
Re-bend keys
Fix a pad or suit a pad
Cork on keys - supercede or resize
Slack tenons - go them tight
Cork on joints worn out or damaged - supervene upon the cork
What do you do with a cleaved fundamental?
What do you lot do with a scissure in the wood?
How do you lot diagnose problems with your mouth slice?
What to do when the wiper is stuck?

What should you carry nearly in a "first aid kit"?

You will find what you can practice about not-so-perfect reeds in the reeds affiliate.

Your instrument squeaks, tones simply won't play - find air leaks

The near common problem of clarinettists (and other woods wind players, too) is the air leaking key. It results in squeaking, bug with all the tones that are lower, while the tones higher come perfectly. This is no wonder because if some air can go out at a higher tone hole that y'all willingly take opened, some part of the air column wants to sound at a college tone. There can be other reasons, only this is the number one crusade. Now how do yous detect the one (or several) untight keys and how practice you fix it?

You demand no tools, but one person helping - if possible another clarinettist. Put the upper and lower articulation together. Let the a second person shut the bore with his hands. Close all keys with your fingers with normal power (similar playing the lowest tone) and start bravado into the bore, piece of cake at showtime and then stronger. If you blow very strong, some keys fifty-fifty on a perfect instrument will bend open (usually the biggest ones far downwardly); but in your example that should happen earlier. Yous volition hear air coming out somewhere - only information technology tin exist very difficult to find out, where. A practiced way is the second person closes the keys in question by pressing on them.

Now that y'all take found the fundamental that lets air menstruation out, you accept to fix it:

There could be a lose screw in the mechanic - that is easy to ready
Sometimes y'all discover that it is a problem with combined key mechanics, and in that location you lot have fiddling screws to adjust the hight of keys/pads over the tone hole
At that place could exist a leap that has go as well week to reliably close the key. You detect a description on how to increase the bound power here, simply sometimes it is sufficient to loosen the screws that fix the hub/axis and peradventure oil them a lilliputian - at least for the hours of the concert, since manipulation of a spring is a college risk (it may pause - then the game is over).
Worst - but near common - is that the player has bent a key (or several), so the pad does non sit airplane on the tone hole. If you take leather pads, you can first try to moisten the pad (spit on it), because then the pad will expand, become soft and may - if you printing the fundamental on the pigsty - accommodate to the pigsty. This should work, if the key was bent only a little, it takes but some minutes (the pad must become soft) and there is no gamble. If you take got a little more than time and the tools, ane might, too, adjust the pad - that is take it out and fix it again as described here, so information technology will sit airplane on the tone hole. You can practice that with pads of whatsoever material (not just leather), simply y'all can replace a silicon pad with leather as first help, as well. If you have no fourth dimension and no tools and moistening the pad doesn't aid, you lot have to go the risky way and re-bend the bent key every bit described hither. Anyway if you often grease the corks of the joints, keys bug inappreciably happen.

Tighten shaky screws

There is a large number of small and very small-scale screws built into your instrument, some are hard to meet.

Many of these screws take been custom produced for your instrument. At that place are screws that go into wood and there are screws that go into a metal thread. And so y'all may find threads at the end of the hubs of the keys. The screws are usually made from steel and they are difficult. The threads, especially the thread in wood and in keys made from German silver are softer. Therefore you must non tighten these screws with force, because that may destroy the threads.

Every now and and then - like when the conductor explains a string passage once more and once more - you tin can visually or with your fingernail cheque the screws for tightness. If they are loose, yous will need a fitting screw driver. If the screw driver is to minor, information technology will destroy the slot in the screw! For a adept B flat clarinet 1 screw driver might be enough, for bass clarinets you usually demand at least two different sizes.

Don't overdo it - if yous want to exist safe, yous may rather use a screw glue (locktite - hardware stores take it) - that fixes the screw, but it is brittle, so it will break of when you lot have to the screw easily.

Over time the hard screws will swallow upwards the thread, and one twenty-four hours you lot may have to apply a little stronger screws, or the music instrument builder will cutting a new threat. That is null you should effort yourself.

If you lot should lose an important spiral, you have a problem, considering you tin can't purchase that sort in a hardware store. A music instrument builder will have lots of them in his workshop, so peradventure you get yourself some but in example and put it in your first aid kit. If you have lost a spiral just earlier the concerto you can try to break a slice of a match and printing into the thread - but that won't concur long and reliably.

Sometimes you have to pull out a long screw/axis of a turning key. Never use an ordinary tong for that because information technology will flatten or scratch the screw/axis at the indicate you take hold of it. After the key won't plough hands any more. What y'all practice is: You lot build yourself a small tool from a wire and a filing handle that you lot get at hardware stores. With that you push out your screw/axis easily.

Increment the ability of a spring / supersede a spring

Sometimes a cardinal existence closed automatically by a spring does not close properly or rapidly enough. This can be due to several reasons: First yous should check whether the hub or axis needs cleaning or oiling or whether there is a mechanical obstruction. If that is not the case, you should bank check whether the spring is bent or has lost power. In order to increase power of a spring, carefully bend the bound into the management it shall push. You find springs come as flat foliage springs (this are the ones where information technology works easier) or as needle springs. Bending only works a limited number of times. Should you break the spring, the game is normally over - sometimes you can prepare this with a rubber band over the key (not reliable!!). If y'all succeed, you should as soon every bit possible have the spring replaced past a professional, considering the first help measure won't work long.

Be careful: Needle-springs are made of needles, they are pointy and not sterile...!

Curve back aptitude keys

Depending on the quality of the keys (forged, or German language Silvery, no soldering and no previous cracks or sparse, sensitive parts) you can hands bend them back to virtually any position, but you demand to apply some power, and there always is a risk of breaking the key (and and so the game is over). With some experience that is no problem, though. The German Silver can exist bent well and the silvery plating volition stay on, too. Rather bend a little, check and and then bend a little over again - don't overdo it so you have to bend back! Small steps profoundly decrease the risk of breaking. Before bending a central brand sure y'all fully understand what you are doing; maybe commencement y'all want to remove the fundamental from the instrument in society to preclude breaking wooden sockets!

Carefully look at the part that y'all want to curve, wait for fine cracks and places, where parts were soldered together (these don't bend well). Check whether there are more than ane pad that this fundamental operates and think in advance, what bending will mean for that other pad. It is ever improve to supervene upon pads and corks than to unnecessarily curve a central!

Supplant a pad

Padding or replacing a pad is a fragile job, but in one case you have done information technology a couple of times, it is simple and holds no risks. Yous tin try it and do information technology again and once again until you take mastered the steps. The necessary cloth can exist found easily (you tin mail-order it, too) and is inexpensive. And then there are many good reasons to acquire to do information technology yourself.

Once a pad does not shut perfectly any more and this pad is from leather, y'all can try to moisten it and it will go soft - and shortly may fit perfectly once more. But this process can not repeated forever once again and again. 1 day a leather pad will become breakable - that depends on the position on the clarinet, which translates into how much humidity it will have to stand. The higher upwards, the sooner you accept to change pads (every one to tow years is good for an apprentice) merely bass clarinet pads for the lowest keys may last similar five to 10 years or longer, considering they may stay dry forever.

The traditional method is glueing the pad into the key with sealing wax. Sealing wax becomes fluid, when you lot heat it over a flame. Yous drip it into the hot key loving cup, where yous want the pad to sit, and then yous put in the pad. Since the sealing wax becomes solid slowly, yous take a infinitesimal or then to correct the pad'southward position. Of grade you improve remove the key from the clarinet when heating it because of the heat of the flame would endanger the clarinet (although professionals do that - but they take plenty experience). When the wax has cooled a flake it will agree the pad in the key, at that place still is time to put the central dorsum into the instrument, and y'all can withal adapt the pad to fit exactly onto the tone hole. At to the lowest degree that is possible for the simpler cases, maybe you lot have to remove it later on to get all keys back in right guild.

As you can see on the film you hold the key a couple of centimeters over the flame and not into the flame equally that would burn down the silverish plating.

Today people (most professionals do) use hot-melt glue, which has like backdrop as sealing wax (except that it may cool down a little faster, depending on the glue). You lot need the melting pistol and the mucilage sticks, simply since you can buy them in most hardware stores and yous will find them in many households already, there is no reason why you lot shouldn't effort them. In my outset assistance kit I still accept the sealing wax, since information technology needs less infinite.

There are new types of pads - for example silicon - which are useful in moist places and do never change at all, but this comes at a cost: Since they don't modify their shape, the pull a fast one on with moistening them won't assist if they don't close perfectly. And if a silicone pad falls out simply special glues (silicone) will help. Only that shouldn't worry united states of america, since we can always replace a fallen-out silicon pad with a leather pad in case of emergency.

Replace or adjust corks on keys

Many keys have little pads for fine adjustment within the mechanics and to preclude noise. The thickness of the pad is crucial for tuning. Traditionally the fabric to do this with is cork (the same that is used for expert wine or champagne bottles - simply you hardly find natural cork in that location any more, rather a blended textile, which doesn't assistance the states much). Natural cork is easily cut (using a scalpell - y'all get it in a pharmacy), easily sanded and easily glued (use contact glue).

The music shop will supply you with little sheets in different strengths. What we need is a couple of sheets:

one of 0,five mm,
one of one mm
one of ii mm

You cutting the cork in the necessary mensurate, only leave it a fiddling stronger than you think and glue it on the key (reading the contact glue's instructions helps). Then you carefully sand it to the correct size. You detect a perfect tool for this in the dazzler section of drug stores: Nail sanding sticks are just the right size for this job, they may even work when the key is fastened to the clarinet (careful then, better use unmarried-sided ones!!!). Don't underestimate the pregnant of the this petty cork in tuning: if it limits the altitude of the pad to the tone pigsty, making the cork thinner will considerably make the tone lower!

Shaky joints - become them fit chop-chop

If the corks in the tenons become slack (this doesn't happen often and information technology hardly e'er should come up as a surprise), you can lay moist paper around the cork until it fits again (yous do this when trying out mouthpieces that are also narrow, too). Be conscientious not to overdo it, because that is a very sensitive indicate of the clarinet and if yous utilise force to push the tenon into the bore, this may crack your instrument (which is why some older instruments have a solid metallic rings where you put the upper and lower joints together.

Supervene upon the cork on joints

This is a delicate operation but nonetheless one you can exercise yourself, even without experience. Exist aware about the risk: If the cork is too potent (too thick) and you use force to push the corked role (the tenon) into the bore of the joint, this may force the joint to cleft!!!

For this job you will need the post-obit material:

The most difficult to get material is the piece of a canvas cork - well-nigh i to 1,v mm potent. Check the size and force of the sometime cork, it could be 1 or 2 mm strong or anything in betwixt. You want the new cork to be a piddling bit stronger. The size you need for the tenon itself should exist well-nigh 1 cm past 8 cm, that translates into half an inch by iii inch. You get cork sheets at music instrument workshops, music dealers and sometimes at artist'due south shops. In Germany we become sheets like 10cm * 25cm, that is somewhat like a standard envelope, in strengths starting from 0,2 mm. Cyberspace music supplies shops may have it in stock, as well.
You lot need a contact glue (like the German "Pattex" or "Grenit" gum, there are different local brands all over the globe). It is the blazon of glue that is used for elastic material, and will be applied on *both sides*. It volition say something similar "can exist used for safe, textiles, leather and other elastic fabric, but non for Styropor or other foams". You discover glue in drug stores or hardware stores.
A sharp pocketknife (skalpell from a medical shop or a small carpeting knife is excellent, shouldn't bend)
A ruler with a steel edge to cut forth
A fresh sail of sand paper, not likewise fine
a modest, flat board like the one people use to cut their bread on with a direct border, if you haven't got i, a tabular array with a straight edge will practice, too
Some cork grease and a pencil

This is what you do (without much experience it may accept about an hour)

First you remove the old cork from its bed completely, in ane piece if you can. Advisedly mensurate the exact length, width and forcefulness of that old slice.
You lot and so utilise the pencil to mark the verbal size of the cork you need on the new sheet. If the old cork is more or less destroyed, just cut the new office a scrap bigger in the showtime, you can always cut it to size afterward. If y'all are the exact type, use a piece of paper to determine the exact length of the piece past winding information technology around the mouthpiece. When you cut the cork make certain y'all hold the skalpell or knife with it'south blade vertically so the edge of the cork is vertical in the finish. The new cork should fit into the bed that the sometime cork was glued into. Because cork is elastic, it will stretch a bit if it has to. Check that you got it right BEFORE applying the mucilage. Make sure the edges that are glued together in the finish are vertically cut (90 degrees to surface). The length and width of the piece should be near to perfect at present, and since cork is elastic, it won't be a problem, if it is half a mm too brusque, because you lot can stretch information technology a lilliputian.
At present you need to get it to the right strength (thickness). If it was too thin, information technology would be bad, because and so the mouthpiece will not be held in place and you have to start again. If it is too strong, the slice wouldn't fit and - in worst case - crack the bore if you utilize force. And then you lot volition now very likely have to sand away some excess cork. That is much easier as long every bit the piece is laying apartment on your desk than information technology will exist afterward the cork was glued onto the mouthpiece, which means it will be round then. Yous volition have to to the finishing bear upon and so, but effort to make it as perfect equally possible before glueing. If you take got an electric sander, use it to make the sheet of cork evenly flatter. A little scrap of glue will proceed the cork on a board where you tin can sand it.
Now when you are convinced it is close to perfect, and then glue it in. Don't forget to glue the both ends of the cork together, also! (apply the glue there, before placing it into the bed, besides)
Now the cork is in information technology'due south place, but it is probably still a tiny bit too strong.
You have to sand off the excessive cork. When sanding bank check that y'all sand the cork off concentrically, so that the mouthpiece nevertheless sits exactly centred in the upper joint. Be careful non to sand off the tenon, and be fifty-fifty more careful not to sand over the lay of the mouthpiece (yous meliorate prepare an old reed on that or wrap something around it just in case!). Check that the tenon fits well, don't go too far and make it loose, but don't leave it as well strong either.
Employ cork grease later you are done, because once yous have practical the grease, sanding becomes very difficult (and ugly). While the cork is new, it should expand a little due to the humidity, but then, besides, it will exist exist compressed due to the pressure in the tenon.

If you can't get a cork canvas in the right strength, yous can improvise with the thinnest slice that shops may sell yous (usually 0,2 mm, nearly as thin equally paper): You lot cut information technology into a long strip of the width of the cork bed. Then you can wrap it around several times, until it reaches the correct strength. You apply the glue to the bed and to one side of the cork strip starting time. You lot allow it dry before you lot use the glue to the other side or you will have a mess... Then, very carefully, wrap the cork strip around until you lot take the correct force. Make sure there is no backlog of glue coming out anywhere, otherwise try to wipe it off with a newspaper towel. When y'all are washed, wait at lease some fifteen minutes or and then to let the glue dry at to the lowest degree that far it volition not be pressed out when you button the mouthpiece in. Then carefully put the mouthpiece into the upper joint's tenon and leave information technology in at that place for 2-three hours, so the glue volition dry fully. It volition be sufficient for a performance, information technology may fifty-fifty hold for a year, but the glue will harden and it may deteriorate one day, the elastic quality of this cork wrapper is less than optimal and one day it may let you down when you can beget it the to the lowest degree ;-)

What do you lot practice when a key is broken?

Somebody has to solder the key (you employ hard silver solder - nothing you lot want to do yourself if y'all are non really experienced in it). If it is five minutes before the concert of your lifetime and you can't find a replacement instrument, a less stressed key could be fixed with cyanacrylat (super glue) or a ii-component-glue for metal. Just that volition brand the inevitable performance (the soldering) that has to be washed afterward anyhow more hard for the professional. Sometimes yous can close a hardly used cardinal with a condom ring and not play the notes in question (if you play like a third clarinet), but that is a challenge in itself (keeping in mind which notes will *not* piece of work).

What can you practice with cracks in the forest?

Nothing - you shouldn't try yourself; that is a job for the professional person, too. They apply special super glue that will sink in deep into the crack and really holds while endmost the open gaps and cracks with strength merely without hurting the joint. If you use some super glue yourself, you lot have the risk that it will dry also rapidly to close the crevice or too slowly and perchance the crack will open once again. Then the open up, once raw wood on the sides within the crack will already be covered with your hardened glue, all the pores will be closed and the professional person glue will not concur as good as information technology could without. So: let it exist - go to the professional right away.

Place problems with the mouth piece

If at that place are even the smallest scratches on the lay, where the reed is stock-still, this may have a serious impact: Squeaking, bug in the balance of tones etc. Y'all tin can identify this using this simple exam - all you need is a piece of glass: Mouthpiece test

The mouthpiece is a very fragile role of your instrument, here a hundredth millimeter counts. There is not much y'all tin exercise yourself here without causing foreseeable trouble. What yous tin do is put the mouthpiece into an anti-calcium-solution once a year. Y'all find that in drug stores, people with faux teeth use it. Ane night in such a solution and a lot of what remains on the inner walls of the mouthpiece is washed away.

In society to prevent trouble y'all should transport you mouthpiece wrapped in a textile or with a reed fastened - both will forestall the lay from being scratched.

If the wiper sticks in the instrument?

NEVER try to get it out with hard, pointy objects similar pliers or scissors, metallic tubes or what ever - these are the natural enemies of the bore! Every scratch in the diameter is bad for the sound, here water drops will collect - all this will impact the musical instrument's acoustics. Pulling is amend than pushing, only if nothing else works, yous tin take a round woods bar of soft wood. Careful: In the upper joint (backside the B key) you ofttimes find a little tube going into the bore. This is commonly the reason why the wiper got stuck. Any strength into the same management will not assistance much...

In the "five-minutes-before-the-concert" situation: a drape runway will have the correct size and can oft be found in back-stage rooms. You can cut a slice from a leather wiper, tie information technology to the top of the rail then y'all may push advisedly - don't forget to pray earlier.

What I have got in my first help kit:

A replacement cord to fix the reed on the mouthpiece (fifty-fifty if you apply a ligature - a cord will always work, just and so you take to know how). If you are the "ligature only"-type, become a spare one of those.
A box with pads of all necessary sizes, I did carry around sealing wax, matches and a candle; but today I have got a very modest hot glue applier that I got very inexpensive in a hardware shop.
The necessary set of screw drivers
A modest box with replacement screws
A sanding tool (a spatula with fine sandpaper, oft you lot will notice one-mode nail sanders in hotel bathrooms)
Cork sheets 0,1mm, 1mm, 2 mm, a Skalpell, a small-scale pack contact glue (Pattex)
Some safety bands