Clarinet makes fuzzy noise?

Question:My clarinet sometimes makes a fuzzy spitty noise when I play it (it's not all clogged up with spit, I always clean it before I play) and it really annoys me.
My reed (#2) is always wet before I play it, and I have a pretty good embouchure. I want to produce a deeper clear sound instead of a fuzzy airy one... is there anything that i'm not doing right? anything I need to do? am I not blowing hard enough?

thanks

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: My clarinet sometimes makes a fuzzy spitty noise when I play it (it's not all clogged up with spit, I always clean it before I play) and it really annoys me.
My reed (#2) is always wet before I play it, and I have a pretty good embouchure. I want to produce a deeper clear sound instead of a fuzzy airy one... is there anything that i'm not doing right? anything I need to do? am I not blowing hard enough?

thanks

Ok This fuzzy noise is probably several things! Firstly it could be the reed. Reeds have to be lightly wet before playing not fully wet. The excess wetness of the reed can make it more 'heavy' then usual and hence excess salvia goes into your clarinet and its keys. This is a common mistake! Dont wet your reed too much in your mouth. The reed also maybe a bit too hard or soft. Ask your Clarinet teacher what they think about this! I cant tell much about your clarinet playing from your writing :) You may need to go up a reed size or just simply break in a new reed! Reeds change alot when you play them and need constant adjusting!

Secondly it could be your breath support! If the fuzzy happens only when going higher up then you need to learn to support your air as well as blow! This is called breath support and esserntially if the higher notes arent supported then they dont play! They either squeak or make a fuzzy 'note not coming out yet' sound! Its really hard to explain in writing If you think this is the case google breath support and I am sure you will get some excercises to help you!

Thirldly It could be your clarinet. Alot of times air escapes throught the clarinet keys. Make sure all your pads are leak free! To do this take the two main pieces , close all the holes (including the ones with the silver keys) and blow through the top! If you hear air escaping it is time to take it to the repair shop! During playing split can also come into the holes. If it is just one note! Then that means that you just have a bubble in the keys! Blow some air through the hole to get rid of it!

Good luck with your Clarinet. Its a beautiful instrument when you get past the frustrations. I would also check with your Clarinet teacher! They can SEE your playing and things that might be causing this sound!

you may not be blowing hard enough OR something may be wrong with the keys/pads...OR your reed may be damaged or cracked..trust me, i know..go to the music store and see what happens

yes u might want to blow harder

I'm not sure what you mean by fuzzy, but there are a couple of things you should do.

First go to a music store and have them check the keys/pads.

Also have an experienced player use his/her own mouthpiece and play the instrument to see if it makes the same sounds.

Check you reed. It may be cracked or split. Sometimes the reeds are just not well made and it may need replacing (especially if it is a rico). Try a different reed.

You may not be blowing enough air, but you may also be over blowing the reed. If you blow too hard, try a harder reed.

See if any of these help. Good luck

If it is fuzzy chances are you need to have your padding checked. It usually means that you are loosing air from somewhere. I would take it to a store, and ask them to look at your pads. Depending on how old the instrument is or at least the pads themselves, they may need replaced.

Try a harder reed; sounds like you are ready for that. Harder reeds will give you a darker sound.

take it 2 the repair shop

try a 2 1/2 reed and a 3. time to upgrade your chops