Klarinet Archive - Posting 000075.txt from 1999/07

From: "MARY A. VINQUIST" <kenshaw@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] sax trouble
Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1999 22:13:17 -0400

On getting out low notes on saxophone, Kevin Fay wrote:

>To assist you in getting these notes out, you should explore a technique=

>known as "spanking." In order to assist the generation of vibration in
the
>air column, you slap a pad down at the instant of attack. For a low C,
for
>example, you would "spank" the low C key at the same time as you release=

the
>reed with your tongue. This lightens the "load" of the reed in creating=

>vibrations in the air column, making the response exactly that much
easier.
>Sax, flute & oboe players regularly use this technique; I don't know why=

>clarinetists in general do not.

Mostly because it's unnecessary. The low notes on clarinet, unlike
those on sax, flute and oboe, begin easily and without any tendency
to crack or go to the second register.

On flute, the "spank" key is usually the left ring finger, since it close=
s
two =

pads. A friend who studied flute with Kinkaid says his spank was
deafening.

I've tried spanking on clarinet and found that it didn't do very much, ev=
en
on the large keys at the bottom. Possible reasons:

-- on sax and flute, the tone holes are large in comparison with the bore=
.
-- sax and flute pads are seated on metal rims, which close with a "pop"
-- sax and flute tone holes are very close to the inside of the bore and =

thus a spank has a more direct effect on the air in the bore
-- clarinet tone holes are deep and often undercut, thus muting any
effect of spanking on the air in the bore
-- sax, flute and oboe keys are mainly plateau style, and pads have a
harder surface than skin, resulting in more resonance from a spank

Finally, the metal bodies of sax and flute may vibrate from a vigorous
spank. Perhaps this is one time when the material does make a difference=
.

OK. Firproof suit time.

Ken Shaw

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