There is a phrase, sometimes used in musical realms to denote playing a wrong note, or even the right note played badly -- it's called hitting a clam.
I've wondered about that, and now, thanks to the internet, I have found what sounds like a reasonable explanation. It might not be remotely true, but I like it. Have a look at the Word Detective's thought on the matter:
I had always figured it was related to "catching a crab" (getting an oar in the water at the wrong time while rowing), but I like your explanation better.
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