Klarinet Archive - Posting 000725.txt from 1999/07

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Vibrato
Date: Wed, 21 Jul 1999 23:41:36 -0400

At 07:31 PM 7/21/1999 -0700, Don Van Doornik wrote:
> Hello all! I'm curious as to the way vibrato is produced on a
>clarinet. Is it produced by wavering the pitch or by pulsating the
>airstream?
>
> I've been a harmonica player for many years, and on that instrument,
>for the notes you exhale on, you produce a vibrato (technically I guess it's
>a tremolo) by pulsating the airstream. On the inhaled notes it's a true
>vibrato, wavering the pitch up and down.
>
> Since I've started playing the clarinet again, I naturally try to
>produce a vibrato by pulsating. What is the preferred method, and how is it
>accomplished?
>
*WHOOSH of vacuum-packed worm can opening*

As I have heard (and as I DO) the jaw vibrato, similar to that most
commonly used on the saxophone, is preferred for clarinet. You are doing
more of a diaphragm vibrato, the standard method for flute, which IS
possible on single-reed instruments, but less common. The jaw vibrato
produces more of a frequency-modulating vibrato than an intensity vibrato,
although intensity IS affected to a degree also. In reference to saxophone,
Dr. Frederick Hemke describes the technique as follows:

"Although the vibrato will ultimately be controlled by the lip, jaw
movement is used also in the beginning to effect the pitch change...To
begin, then, the student forms the proper embouchure and plays some easily
produced tone, such as second line G. Then he allows his jaw to relax
almost completely while the air supply remains constant. Since this is
only a beginning technique, do not be alarmed at the degree of pitch
change. Its purpose rests in demonstrating to the student, in an
exaggerated way, how the vibrato is actually produced. As soon as the jaw
is relaxed, it is brought back to normal and the correct pitch is regained."

Speed and intensity are ultimately determined by the music itself and your
own personal taste.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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