Klarinet Archive - Posting 001098.txt from 1998/04

From: "Gene Nibbelin" <gnibbelin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: What is a "darker" clarinet tone?
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 14:19:29 -0400

Apparently this question was also lost in Klarinet's problems this weekend.

----------
> From: Gene Nibbelin <gnibbelin@-----.com>
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Subject: What is a "darker" clarinet tone?
> Date: Friday, April 17, 1998 11:25 PM
>
> Looking for information -
>
> I've learned a lot and caught up on a lot of clarinet information in the
6
> months or so that I have been on the list and have seen a lot of subjects
> discussed, but I don't believe that I have seen a definition or much
> discussion of what a "dark" tone is.
>
> Along with become accustomed to my Leblanc Concertos and a new
mouthpiece,
> my current goal is to develop a darker tone. What has happened is that
> I've made a bit too much of a good thing of the Leblancs easier playing
> characteristics, which are great. In short, my tone has become somewhat
> strident - maybe great for a Tchaikowsky fortissimo but not for the
Mozart,
> Beethoven, Brahms and Schubert on our next concert.
>
> By going from V-12 2 1/2's to 3's, firming up my embouchure, tone
voicing
> and (don't laugh) applying a bit of "Dr. Harold Hill's 76 Trombones"
> "think" technique - In other words, "thinking darker tone". I really
don't
> know which of these have worked, but I think that I have "darkened" my
> tone at least somewhat.
>
> However, it is a bit difficult to know exactly how much I have
accomplished
> without having a better idea of a definition for a "dark" tone.
>
> The thought has occurred to me that there may not be a real definition
for
> a "dark tone", but that it is like a Supreme Court Justice's definition
of
> pornography - "He couldn't define it, but he knew what it was when he saw
> it."
>
> I remember someone's posting about the orchestra that is still shaking
its
> collective heads over their conductor's asking for a more "orange" sound.

>
> Thanks for any guidance and suggestions.
>
> Gene Nibbelin