Why does my clarinet squeak? Causes and fixes

Every clarinet player squeaks, even professionals. A squeak happens when the clarinet suddenly jumps up to a much higher note than the one you're fingering. Something lets it "flip" up: a small air leak, too much mouthpiece, a damaged reed, or air that isn't steady. The good news is that the causes are easy to check, one at a time.

Find the cause fast

Start by noticing when it squeaks. That usually narrows it down to one or two causes.

Fingers not covering the holes

This is the most common cause. Clarinet tone holes are open, so your fingers have to seal them completely. Even a tiny gap makes a squeak, and the lower the note, the more holes have to be sealed at once.

• Use the flat pad of your finger, not the tip. You should see a small ring printed on your fingers after you play.
• Check the thumb hole. The left thumb sits at an angle and slides off easily, especially when it also works the register key.
• Watch the right ring finger. It's the weakest finger and often covers the hole only partway.
• Press gently. Squeezing doesn't seal better. It tenses your hand and pulls fingers off center.
• Test it. Play open G, then add one finger at a time down to low E. The note where the squeak starts tells you which finger is leaking.

Bumping keys by accident

The side keys open extra holes. If you touch one by accident, the note squeaks or changes even when every finger is down.

• Right hand side keys. The side of your right index finger can rest on the trill keys. Curve your fingers so only the pads touch the holes.
• The A key. Your left index finger can brush it from below. Keep that finger relaxed and off the key unless you're playing A or B♭.
• The register key. A thumb that drifts up onto it makes low notes jump a twelfth. Keep the thumb on the hole, with the register key just above it.

Reed problems

If it squeaks on every note, check the reed before anything else. Reeds wear out, and one tiny chip is enough.

• Chipped or cracked. Hold it up to the light. Any chip or crack in the thin tip means it's time for a new reed.
• Warped. A wavy tip won't seal against the mouthpiece. Store reeds flat in a reed guard, not on the mouthpiece.
• Dry. Wet it in your mouth or in water for a minute before you play.
• Crooked or too high. The reed tip should line up with the mouthpiece tip, centered side to side.
• Too soft. A worn-out or too-soft reed closes up on high notes and sounds buzzy and flat. Try the next strength up.
• Too hard. A hard reed is airy and hard to start, so players bite to control it, which causes more squeaks.

Keep three or four reeds and switch between them each day. They last longer, and you'll always have a backup when one chips.

Too much or too little mouthpiece

With too much mouthpiece in your mouth, the reed vibrates too freely and jumps to high notes. With too little, the sound is thin and the low notes won't start. Your top teeth go about where the reed separates from the mouthpiece.

Biting and embouchure

Biting means pressing the reed too hard with your bottom jaw. The reed can't vibrate evenly, so the sound gets pinched and then squeaks, especially when you play louder or higher.

• The lip is a cushion. Keep a little of your bottom lip over your teeth and let the reed rest on it.
• Corners in, not jaw up. Seal the mouthpiece with the corners of your mouth, like a drawstring.
• Flat, pointed chin. A bunched chin pushes the lip into the reed.
• Check the angle. Hold the clarinet about 30 to 40 degrees from your body. Too far out changes how the reed sits on your lip.

Air support

The clarinet needs fast, steady air. When the air gets weak, most players bite to keep the sound going, and the note squeaks. This happens most above the break, where the notes need even faster air.

• Breathe low. Fill your belly and sides, not your shoulders.
• Think "hee." Keep your tongue high in your mouth, as if saying "hee." It speeds up the air.
• Keep the air steady. Even when you tongue each note, the air keeps flowing; the tongue stops the reed, not the air. This matters most across the break.
• Long tones. Hold open G, then the C below the staff, for 8 slow counts each. The sound should stay the same from start to finish.

If your squeaks happen crossing from the low register to the high one, see the clarinet register key and crossing the break.

Tonguing

A squeak right at the start of a note usually comes from the tongue. Put the tip of your tongue lightly on the tip of the reed, blow so the air presses against it, then let go as if saying "tee." Hitting the reed too hard, or tonguing lower down on it, knocks it off balance.

Mechanical problems

If you've checked your reed, your fingers, and your mouthpiece and it still squeaks, the clarinet may have a leak.

• Bridge key out of line. If the two halves of the bridge key between the joints don't line up, the low notes squeak or won't play. Press the rings on the upper joint and twist the joints until they match.
• Leaky pads. A torn or dry pad doesn't seal its hole. Low notes are the first to go.
• Bent keys. A key bent from a fall or from assembling the clarinet the wrong way may not close all the way.
• Loose or dried-out corks. Air can leak where the pieces fit together.
• Loose ligature. If the reed shifts while you play, tighten the screws until it's snug.

When to see a repair tech

Show it to your director first. They can play it, or do a quick leak test: cover the holes of one joint, seal the bottom with a palm, and draw air out of the top. A clarinet with no leaks holds the suction. Take it for repair if:

• Someone else plays it with a good reed and it still squeaks on the same notes.
• A pad looks torn, wrinkled, or loose.
• A key is bent, sticks, or doesn't spring back.
• The clarinet was dropped or has a crack.

Once it's fixed, try Play the Note in Woodwind Trainer. It listens to each note you play, so you can quickly find out which notes still squeak.