Klarinet Archive - Posting 000476.txt from 1997/10

From: "Craig E. G. Countryman" <cegc@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Am I sharp? (Reed Strength)
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 15:41:09 -0400

I think that one of the best things about my playing is my tone, and I
use a Vandoren 3.5. Of course, reed strength is relative to the
mouthpiece you use, I have a B-45, but I really don't see the need to up
my strength.

Do you have a good tone? If so, I would probably, thinking at where I
was when I was a freshman, focus on cleaning up articulation. For some
reason, a great tone just came to me, but my articulation was a mess!
Articulation can be very frustrating, and I think that I would stay at
3.5 for now if this is a problem. Another friend of mine was born
single-tounging at m.m. 150 (16ths), so for her this would be no
problem.

Look at the overall picture and decide which you need more at this
moment, articulation or tone. I would say that articulation is more
important at this stage of the game, because even if you have gorgeous
tone, you aren't going to be able to execute much of anything without
clean articulation.

This point of view is from someone where tone came more easily. You
should take which ever comes harder, tone or articulation, and focus on
that accordingly. To work on tone an increase in reed strength might
help, but this isn't the only answer. Embouchure is also key. I am not
an expert on intontation, so I'm not going to respon directly to the
sharpness issue, but this sharpness says to me, don't adjust the size of
the instrument, adjust the embouchure. Not every note is going to be in
tune, even if middle C is perfectly in tune. If, however, need to work
on articulation, stay on a 3.5 for now.

Good luck! You may want to post your mouthpiece, ligature, and brand
reed also, so we get a better gauge of which reed strength might be
best.

--
Craig Countryman
cegc@-----.net
Junior, Charlotte High School

Quote of the Day:

"His heart is a suspended lute... as one
touches it, it resounds."
-Epigraph to the Fall of the House of Usher,
by Edgar Allan Poe