Klarinet Archive - Posting 000030.txt from 1995/09

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: E & F# above the staff
Date: Sun, 3 Sep 1995 00:05:41 -0400

>Coming home last night after re-reading my own and others comments on how
>to deal with high notes, I rediscovered another important principal, which
>I think is consistent with other advice given: supporting the breath from
>the stomach (or diaghram as some like to say).
>
>For me, if I think in terms of starting the note from my lower abdomen and
>using the stomach muscles to initiate and hold each note (rather than the
>tongue, or jaw, ) seems to work wonders for smooth dynamics and a legato
>flow. I don't mean this in contradiction to anything else that has been
>said, but in conjunction.
>
>The importance of the abdomen for breath control is so obvious and so basic
>whether we are singers, or wind players, its easy to forget!
>
>=====================================================================
>Tom Ascher Internet: u15310@-----.edu
>University of Illinois at Chicago Phone: (312) 413-3665

These comments about support are very important, but I would add an
addendum. As a basic principal, clearly the *concept* of continual even
support is critical and it provides the mental basis for staying relaxed
and playing evenly.

In fact, however, the air column must be modified on a fairly constant
basis while playing. Because the back pressure (impedance for other
physicists out there), or natural resistance, of the horn changes from note
to note, it only follows that if we want to produce a constant sound we
must modify our air pressure in to the instrument (in other words, we must
match the natural impedance of the instrument).

In general, short-tube fingerings have less resistance than long-tube
fingerings, so, for example, it requires much less air pressure to play an
open G than it does to play a low E. Therefore, if you want to make a
seemless (i.e. same dynamic, and no bumps) slur from a low E to an open G,
you must instantaneously *reduce* the pressure of the air column (i.e. not
continuous support) when you change your fingers from the E to the G.

The other complicating factor is that higher notes are perceived as louder
than lower notes played at the same amplitude. Therefore, if you are going
from a lower longer-fingering note to a higher-shorter fingering note, you
must reduce the air pressure even more to produce the even slur.

The reason we don't normally think about this constantly changing pressure
in the air column (and instead think of "constant support") is that when
one plays adjacent notes or notes close by (like scales or thirds) the
resistance of the two notes changes very little, so it is better to think
of a constant pressure.

But when we start to move between notes of widely varying (generally a
fourth or more) resistance and widely varying range, this change in playing
pressure becomes critical to maintaining an even, smooth sound.

One way to practice this is to play the lower note, allow the air to stop
very briefly, then play the higher note with no tongue attack (just restart
the air in your throat). Be carefulto start the higher note so that it
matches the lower note in dynamic. Do this over and over again gradually
making the space between the lower and higher note smaller and smaller, but
always being careful to match dynamics. Eventually you will get to the
point where there is no space, and you have a perfect slur, and you have
discovered the exact right amount to modify your support for that
particular slur. This method also helps you to prepare and coordinate your
finger change, and any necessary embouchure, tongue or throat change as
well.

Jonathan Cohler
cohler@-----.net