Klarinet Archive - Posting 001171.txt from 1997/10

From: HatNYC62@-----.com
Subj: long tones
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997 16:45:24 -0500

<<The reason is that the embouchure is a set of muscles. Like
any other muscle, they will deteriorate without regular training
exercises. Also if one does not regularly play these long tones as a
method of checking themselves, bad habits can develop and get pretty
serious before the player discovers that there even is a problem.>>

Now wait a minute. You make it sound like it is impossible to listen to your
own sound without playing long tones. Ideally, you should be observing your
tone quality at all times.

I write all this because I have never played long tones and never had a
teacher who espoused them. My main teacher was against it. He always felt
that scales were the true studies for tone and embochure development, because
those were basically what you would have to play as a clarinetist, not
sustained tones. He used to say that the true clarinet tone was contained in
the c major scale and that you had to practice it until you found it.

I think you'd agree that Marcellus had a pretty decent tone quality. But the
true beauty in his sound is in evidence most when he plays an interval! It's
the quality of his slurring and his articulation that make his concept
pleasing. These qualities are not addressed in long tones and, in fact can be
overlooked when playing long tones. Marcellus always said if you were out of
shape or were in a slump, play an extra half hour of Baermann III every day.
It works without fail.