My clarinet started smelling today (Probably happened over the weekend) and it seems to be only the mouthpiece. I have a wooden instrument and I do swab it every time I play. How should I clean it? Any suggestions?

Anyone know what this is from?

The arrows indicate the problem areas. The blue arrow screw was too tight, causing the KEY to be sluggish. The yellow arrows point to the spring and the area of the pad key that the spring was conflicting with, none of which could be seen until I assembled that key with only the rod, leaving off the finger key section of that assembly.

https://preview.redd.it/2r8t5r2vyxge1.jpg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9bbef949d315d43d4d3737cf0065f2ea8f831df0

Welcome to the space to self-promote to your heart's content. If you're a teacher looking to attract students, a craftsman looking to sell their products, etc., this is the thread for you!

Apparently my lesson teacher said barely anyone plays crusell concerto no2 op5 fminor. Is that true? In my opinion I kind of agree because almost everyone at my school is playing Mozart, stamitz, or like Weber and all that typical stuff. Crusell is fun no?

I just picked up the bass clarinet and I am finding myself struggling with stretching my fingers enough to reach the keys. I am an adult woman but my hands are on the small side. My fingers end up hurting when I play for awhile. Is this a newbie problem? Any tips?

Hey folks! I just started playing clarinet again after a 5 year hiatus. I got an associates in music before switching to a different major in college, played with a local orchestra, then stopped during the pandemic, got busy with life, and am just now getting back to it. So for the first time in my life, I get to just play the clarinet for fun, not to prepare for an upcoming performance. Does anyone have any recommendations for pieces that are just plain fun to play?

ETA: I didn't mention my level of playing, I'd say I'm intermediate-advanced, or at least was before I stopped. Some of the last pieces I had performance worthy were a Heiden sonata, 6 songs for cello (transcribed) by RVW, if that helps.

intermediate bass clarinet player here, doing solo and ensemble this April but I cant seem to find a good solo for it, I'm looking for something that's not like crazy hard, but still has a challenge to it. any recommendations ?

I am really, still, struggling with crossing the break. It's getting better. But 7/10 as I transition from a throat note to a B or C on the register I get this little pause before the note comes out. Meaning I can't slur them. I think it may be my "air support"(Sometimes the fingering too), but what does "air support" even mean?

I was looking through solos for a scholarship audition and came across this weird mark in one of them. I asked my boyfriend who's a music major and he had no clue, also tried image searching it and found nothing, does anyone know?

I feel like I already have a generally okay tone on lower altissimo up to G#, and without much biting. But once I get to A#/Bb, I can’t exactly tell where I’m supposed to place my tongue, and if I do reach the note, it’s really squeaky and quickly falls back to some other undertone.

Any tips on embouchure and tongue placement for upper altissimo, specifically up to high high C?

I hope someone can help me. I've just started learning the clarinet and I was putting it together, when one of the little rubber wedges fell off my clarinet and I don't know under what key it is supposed to be wedged under! 🤷‍♂️ Can someone help please? I've dismantled it as seen in the picture. The said wedge is the loose one. 🤔

I’m playing on a Bb clarinet BD5 m13 series vandoren and really like it, I wanna get one for my Eb clarinet but they only have it in traditional. Will it affect how I play when I switch in between clarinets?

I picked up a new Yamaha 650, and while looking it over I noticed the silver ring on the top of the barrel pops off. The silver ring on the end of the bell also spins. This happened for both of the ones that were in stock so I was told it’s just how they are built.

I don’t really care so much about the bell ring spinning, but is there something I can do to seal up the barrel ring? I’m worried it’s going to slip off and I’ll lose it.

Left brand new reed vs possibly moldy reed.

I’m currently trying to find a solo (or two) for a music school audition. I play bass clarinet mainly but need to play clarinet for a fairly upcoming audition, I need about 10-15 minutes of solo rep. I was wondering if anyone knows a solo that isn’t too easy but is feasible to learn in two months while not being great at Bb. Could be one or two movements from a piece or two from two different pieces doesn’t really matter. (Also I will not have accompaniment so preferably not a piece that relies on an accompaniment)

I was playing perfectly fine without power chains but ever since I got them it’s been impossible to play. I have a playing test soon for a grade idk if I can do it. How can I fix this

Was looking to play a duet with my friend on clarinet but couldn't find an audio of what it sounds like: Juan Ignacio Lopez Carbonero - Un día en el parque

Hi, I am a clarinet player (3yrs), I am studying a non originally for winds piece, I am struggling in slow practice because of the breathing needs: Bach piece with long phrases of 16th notes, that forces me to slightly accelerate time for getting a breath, and so keeps me stumbling on errors, defying slow practice goals. Is it a good way to slow practice just little chunks (a beat, max two) hoping to be able to assemble everything later? Slow means half intended speed, so I set metronome on original quarter time but play reading 8th. (Sorry English is not my first language I hope 16th and 8th make sense, I forgot the correct term)

Hi guys! I'm not much of a reddit poster so apologies if this isn't exactly the right subreddit. Anywho, I'm going to be playing a LeBlanc contra alto clarinet part-time for my concert band, and there's a couple issues I'm currently facing (I'll separate them by paragraph):

• The ligature keeps popping up no matter how much I tighten it or how low I put it
• No clue what model it is

For the ligature, that's about it. It will literally not stay in place, no matter what I do. I'll loosen it as much as I physically can and put it all the way at the bottom, tighten it, and it pops up. My band director can't even figure it out. Maybe it has to do with the reed? Leading into the next issue...

I don't know what exact model it is. I know it's a LeBlanc, and those typically use full contrabass reeds from what I've heard, but I may have a slight exception. The school included a bari sax reed with it and it fits, for whatever reason. It completely covers the hole, and it plays well if I hold it in place with my hand. But like I said above, the ligature doesn't keep it in place, and it wiggles around while I play it.

Thanks for any tips!! :)