Klarinet Archive - Posting 001047.txt from 1999/03

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Beginners Squeek!
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 1999 02:22:02 -0500

On Thu, 18 Mar 1999, Larry Zaidan wrote:
> I have a question for you: I have a fourth grade beginning clarinet student
> who is having difficulty getting a tone. She can't seem to get anything
> but a squeek. Things that I've already told her are: Not to "bite" on the
> reed too much. I had her play on just a mouthpiece, to get the feeling of
> how to blow the notes. With the mouthpiece on the instrument, tested a try
> to play the bottom-line E, figuring that it is a fairly easy note to start
> on. I checked the reed, and it seemed good. I have also mentioned to her
> about making sure use lots of air.
>
> Is there any strategy that you have used successfully in the past to help
> beginners get past this annoying stage?

My father started me on a mouthpiece - checking my embouchure, air,
etc......but he didn't realize that I was hearing the high C and my tongue
position was immediately set for that register. It took 30 minutes on the
instrument before I got anything out other than a high D on open G.

Young students need to be urged to take a little less mouthpiece, think
"ah" or "ooo" and get the back of the tongue out of the way so that the
air gets to the reed and allows it to vibrate. After they pretty good at
that, you can experiment with slightly harder reeds and taking more
mouthpiece - but the main idea is to get a big, fat, loud, in tune tone in
the low register via less mouthpiece, correct tongue position (in the back
of the throat) and correct air pressure supported by the correct
embouchure.

Your best strategy is to play it for her and have her immitate what she
sees in your physical approach and what she hears in your sound and air
use. Give her a lower note to start on - say a C and see if the upper G
or high E comes out. If it does, it is a classic tongue position problem
or too much mouthpiece or both. If it is shrill and chirpy, it is a
mouthpiece, reed, embouchure, biting, air thing that you will have to
trouble shoot further.

So many variables - mail order clarinet lessons!

Roger Garrett
Professor of Clarinet
Director - Concert Band, Symphonic Winds & Titan Band
Advisor - Recording Studio
Illinois Wesleyan University

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