Klarinet Archive - Posting 000819.txt from 1999/12

From: klara <klahall@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Tschaikovsky No. 6, 1st clarinet - Responses
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 00:44:34 -0500

On Thu, 23 Dec 1999 17:55:42 GMT Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay) writes:
>On Thu, 23 Dec 1999 12:04:50 EST, GrabnerWG@-----.com said:
>
>> On very quick "light" articulation passages, especially in the upper
>> registers, I move my tongue to the right corner of the reed. This
>> seems to help me achieve a quicker, cleaner response. What is your
>> comment on this technique?
>
>I'm in favour of doing anything that works, and what you describe is one
>way of reducing the area of contact, so it connects with the general
>principle I was referring to: that a smaller, faster-moving object is
>best controlled by a smaller, more precisely applied force.
>
>I've said this before, but I really do think that the most helpful thing
>to do on this list is to identify and then try to make clear the general
>principles that govern playing.
>
>Then further, we can do what you just did -- ie, suggest a way or ways
>to embody one or other of these general principles, always in a
>non-dogmatic and experimental frame of mind.
>
>Because people have different ways of approaching these general
>problems.
>
>But it helps to understand them first.
>
>Tony

To all the excellent information, i would like to add....

finally (at age 40) i have a fast staccato tongue style that i am happy
with. Getting this to work has involved practice routines that work both
legato and staccato.
First step was to refine legato--eliminate any extra sound , thuds,
grunts or ghosts in clarion and altissimo.
Then i practice slow motion legato; half speed or quarter tempo, then
immediately play at/near tempo. many passages sound good with this
because at faster tempo the interruptions are in proportion longer and
sound more staccato.
practice at tempo in short sections to be sure of keeping the light
flexible motion. When this is accurate, string longer groups together,
in various patterns.

Some players get the same result by working from prepared fingering
routine--stop note with *light* tongue, move fingers to next note,
release reed for note to sound.
This is not as helpful for me, but if done with light efficient tongue
contact will lead to same result. the common ground between the two
different approaches is the slow accurate ease and consistency.

The principal involved is that a good staccato is based on a good legato.
( This principal also applies to string instruments and voice.)
Repeated motion tends in increase tension. Practicing slow-
accurate-short segments, and fast-accurate-short segments with the focus
on keeping light and flexible counteracts the tendency to tension.
When the physical motions are light flexible(relaxed) then the
mind/ear/concept will bring forth the desired sound.

Expectations and attitude have an effect too...
i got much better at repeated notes on clarinet after learning viola-- so
easy and idiomatic on string instrument. on the other hand, i didn't
find flats a bug-a-boo on viola because i was very comfortable from
clarinet.

annhall
who has not played T6, but has performed 4,5, 1812 overture and
Nutcracker ballet.

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