Klarinet Archive - Posting 000814.txt from 2000/11

From: Knaphet@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Article: Breathing and Support
Date: Sun, 26 Nov 2000 02:07:54 -0500

>I don't know, because I don't know of Keith Underwood or his
>experiments. Could you fill us all in on both him and his experiments?

Keith Underwood is a flutist and breathing teacher based in NYC who has a
strong reputation in the US for coaching singers and wind players. He has
worked with many of the finest musicians in the States; his ideas in general
are an extension of what Arnold Jacobs did. More about him later if needed.

I agree that a musician's perceptions need to be good enough to be able to
discern subtleties of dynamics. I think I can make my point and get my
question answered if I approach it differently. The first basic question:
how do we control dynamics? It is a product of how we use those two muscle
groups, but I do think more specifics would help me. Can we assume that the
abdominals will work about the same amount all the time, and most dynamics
come from how quickly we let the diaphragm relax? Or is it some other way,
some more subtle combination? I was theorizing that my problem is that I
could probably play with more dynamic freedom if I think of the diaphragm as
moving freely and overpressurize the air less with my abdomen. Putting
aside the issues of timbral changes and players' perceptions, I want to focus
on the issue of how to think about the muscles in order to use them in the
most efficient and natural way.

I think a few of my comments were unnecessary tangents. What I can say for
sure is that something about the discussions in the last few days, whether
from Mr. Underwood or the Klarinet list, something has helped my playing and
understanding of how the instrument works. I think you are right in the way
you describe the way we move the air to make a sound. I think I am
interested to know more about how we change the usage of those muscle groups
for different situations, and hope I am expressing myself clearly.

--Anthony Taylor

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