Klarinet Archive - Posting 000501.txt from 1997/05

From: Elizabeth Leehey <emlpml@-----.net>
Subj: RE: Tuning and reeds
Date: Sun, 18 May 1997 18:55:06 -0400

I think that you get the f# with the mouthpiece AND barrel.

-----Original Message-----
From: ELYONS <ELYONS@-----.net>
Subject: Re: Tuning and reeds

I'm confused.

In Pino's, The Clarinet and Clarinet Playing, he describes the sound
produced by just blowing the reed and mouthpiece. He states: "You
should be able to produce a tone that sounds about the same as the
second F-sharp above "middle C" on the piano.

Admittedly, this instruction is for beginners. But since his point is
to attempt to indicate how to produce a proper tone, I don't believe
this explains the difference between him saying that the tone produced
should be a piano F#5, while the discussions in the previous messages
indicate that the tone should be a piano (i.e., concert?) C or Bb.

When I tried this a while ago, I though I got an F#.

I must have missed something. Please correct me.

Lorne G. Buick wrote:
>
> I use this too, and I use concert B flat. I've heard others say it should
> be B natural, but not as high as C. I've had students produce anywhere from
> G to D the first time they try this... 8-}
>
> > Here's a test I learned a while back:
> > Try playing just your mouthpiece and reed (no barrel or
> > clarinet). Play with normal embouchure and support. Ideally, the pitch
> > produced should be a C (concert). If what you hear from just this part
> > of the instrument is sharp, then the problem is probably in the reed /
> > mpiece / lig setup. This doesn't mean that any one of these, or the
> > combination of them, is necessarily BAD, just perhaps wrong for the way
> > you are playing this week / month / year. Incidentally, I'm not positive
> > that the note is supposed to be a CONCERT C. It could be a WRITTEN C (on
> > the B-flat instrument--that's the instrument I was playing on when I was
> > shown this technique years ago), but you'll be able to tell which is
> > correct. If you are a little sharp or flat of where you should be, it
> > won't be by anything approaching a whole step.
> >
> > Best of luck,
> >
> > Nathaniel Johnson
> > Conductor / Clarinettist
> > All-Around Good Guy
> > University of Northern Colorado
> > clarinat@-----.com
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> LGB Lorne G Buick St. John's
> lgbuick@-----.net Newfoundland
> Canada