Klarinet Archive - Posting 000113.txt from 1996/03

From: Richard Faria <faria@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Intonation
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 1996 09:32:25 -0500

>Nancy,
> There are generally three reasons for being flat on the clarinet:
>1) Too soft reed/insufficiently firm embouchure
>2) Unusually flat mouthpiece
>3) Unusually flat instrument

snip

>Fred Jacobowitz
>Clarinet, Sax instructor, Peabody Preparatory
>
>On Thu, 29 Feb 1996, Nancy Barlar (MUSIC) wrote:
>
>> I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me with an intonation
>> problem I've been having. It seems that no matter how long I have
>> played, I am very flat. I have gone up a strength in reeds from a V12
>> 3and a half to a 4. This reed type has seemed to get me the best tone.
>> I have checked my instrument and it doesn't seem to have any leaks or
>> anything. As far as I can tell and the others I play with regularly I
>> don't seem to have changed my embouchure. Has anyone else ever had this
>> problem? I've played 3 or 4 hour rehearsals and just barely gotten up to
>> pitch. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
>>

I would add a fourth reason for being flat to Freds' list of three: very
low tongue position. I was working with a student the other day who was
exasperated: he had tried the above mentioned ideas for fixing flatness,
but was still flat. I asked him where his tongue was in his mouth, and he
said low, as if he was saying "ahhhh". I told him to place his tongue as if
he was whistling a very high note (try it!), and then play. (If you can't
whistle, just place your tongue as if you were saying "eeee"). It brought
the pitch up, and helped to focus the tone as well. In doing this, one must
be careful to still keep the back of the tongue low and the throat open and
relaxed. I feel that voicing is a very important part of the clarinet
pedagogy, which is often overlooked.

Cheers.