Klarinet Archive - Posting 000087.txt from 1996/10

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: odd comment (acoustics)
Date: Fri, 4 Oct 1996 12:20:59 -0400

Dan,

If I understand you correctly, you are saying that unless you use a heavy
setup so that you can waste a substantial amount of air quickly, then you
have too much CO2 content left in the left over air that is inside of you.

This doesn't sound correct to me.

I believe that we all use up oxygen and generate CO2 at very similar rates
(barring Olympic athletes from the equation). Let's quantify a few things
first:

(1) Can you play the entire opening phrase (up to the first rest)
of the Messiaen 3rd movement solo in one breath at the marked
tempo of 44 to the eighth note?

(2) Can you play the entire opening phrase of the Brahms Trio 2nd
movement at eighth note = around 88 (up to the first rest) in
one breath?

(3) Or how about the whole first solo of the 2nd movement of
Schubert's Unfinished Symphony in one breath?

The amount of time required is not so great that CO2 content should
overwhelm you. The only reason for not getting to the end of those phrases
would be inefficient use of the air that you have.

I don't believe that I have incredible lung capacity. I would guess that
my lung capacity is fairly average or slightly above average. Furthermore,
I have small bronchial passages and often have mild problems with asthma
(due to colds, cats and dogs).

Nonetheless, with a good efficient setup I have no problem accomplishing
all of the excercises mentioned above.

----------------
Jonathan Cohler
cohler@-----.net

P.S. With those heavy reeds, you are also wasting a lot of energy on
sustaining your embouchure muscles, and you have very little flexibility in
terms of pitch and dynamic as I mentioned in previous messages.

At 4:49 PM 10/3/96, Daniel A. Paprocki wrote:
>Jonathan,
> What about lung capasity and breathing strength vs reed/mouthpiece
>resistance? I know I play on a very "heavy" setup - Pyne & Regal,Queen 4
>1/2 - but I have a huge lung capasity. If I play on a light setup, I end
>up with too much residual air left in my lungs - dead air. I build in the
>resistance to the reed/mouthpiece, but have never gotten an airy sound in
>soft playing.
>
>Dan
>
>******************************************************************************
>
> Daniel A. Paprocki
> Instructor of Clarinet
> Malone College
> dap@-----.us
>
>******************************************************************************