Klarinet Archive - Posting 000477.txt from 1996/06

From: "Scott D. Morrow" <SDM@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Please help!!!ASAP!
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 1996 16:26:26 -0400

>To anyone who can help,
> I recently started playing in a friends band, and for the
>purpose of music i need to "growl" on my clarinet, and my part in the
>also requires a lot of improv. For the last seven years i have been
>playing strictly classical and this year i've been playing in
>orchrestras, so you can see how this is a stretch for me. I'm
>open to any suggestions on growling and improv...and quick, i
>have to play with them on Sunday also!!!
>
>Rpayes....rpayes@-----.edu

For the "growl", try this (all you real classical players out there may
want to look the other way; this might not be a pretty sight!):

1) Take the clarinet out of your mouth.
2) Make a guttural growl in the back of your throat - sort of like
gargling. Make sure you're actually making the noise to go along with it!
3) Put the clarinet back in your mouth, but keep your embouchure (if we
can still call it an embouchure at this point!) in the same gargling
position.
4) You should get an awful sound that is probably just right! (I would
think this would work best in the throat tones.)

As for improvising, I'm not sure what type of music you're playing, but
some "tricks" that usually work for me are:

1) Make sure you know what key you're playing in.
2) You can usually play practically any notes you want in fast runs as long
as you end up on a note in the chord that everyone else is playing!
3) Play something that sounds neat until you FIND that note!
4) You don't ALWAYS have to play an exposed part. Fiddle around in the
low registers (and even bass lines!) sometimes!
5) When in doubt, stop playing, tap your foot, and pretend that you're
supposed to be resting at that part!

It'll come with practice!
Good luck!

-Scott

Scott D. Morrow
Department of Biochemistry
School of Hygiene and Public Health
Johns Hopkins University
(410)-955-3631

SDM@-----.edu

   
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