How to Repair a Clarinet with Leaking Keys
Why is your clarinet no longer on a
song? It may be an air leak that is producing all those disconcerting (no pun intended) squeaks or simpler
problems like a string that needs to be replaced or slack tenons. If you can
detect the cause of a snag, you can yourself easily fix these, that is, if you
know how to and are armed with the requisite clarinet supplies. So,
here are a few handy troubleshooting pointers to spare
you the trouble of scouting for specialized clarinet repair service men,
besides giving you the satisfaction of completing a do-it-yourself project
successfully.
A
Simple Action
Leaks are the most common problems that
may sprout in wood wind instruments like clarinets. In a clarinet, a leak is
the most likely suspect when there is squeaking and the lower tones do not come
out perfectly. If you suspect a leaking key, then the hardest thing is actually
to spot it. Try by blowing into the bore, first gently and then in powerful
gusts, with all your fingers closing the keys as when playing lower tones.
Blowing very strongly into the bore will let air out of the leak and you should
hear it escaping.
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| Clarinet Key Oil used with Repairing Clarinet Keys |
Trial
and Error
A leaky key can be due to several
reasons—a loose screw, maladjusted heights of keys or the pads over the tone
hole, or a spring with inadequate power that cannot close the key properly.
While it is easy to poke and probe around the works of the clarinet to tighten
a loose screw or adjust the height of the keys or the pad, you will need to work
a little harder and exercise more caution to fix a weakened spring. But if the
clarinet has played the spoilsport just at the most inopportune moment when you
do not have the time to sound the distress call to a repair specialist, you can
check if the problem with the clarinet can be fixed by loosening the screws
that join the hub or the axis and oiling them. If it works, then you have saved
the day! Springs are the one of the most fragile of all clarinet parts and it is best to leave the work of increasing the
power of spring to a specialist.
Straightening
the Key
A clarinet key can also leak if it is
bent and thus prevents the pad from sitting properly on the tone hole. If your
clarinet has leather pads, you can try and fix the problem by moistening it and
pressing the key firmly on the hole. This should work if the key had bent only
a little. Else, you will need to re-bend the bent key, which is a tricky task
and left best to a specialist.
Proper
Maintenance
You
now know how to repair a clarinet with leaky keys but you should also keep in mind that a stitch in time saves
nine! So, remember to oil the corks of the clarinet joints regularly. 