Klarinet Archive - Posting 000266.txt from 2001/02

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] FW: Unstable altissimo notes - a call for help
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 13:38:58 -0500

I`m not sure which Tony you mean Jim, But here`s <my> 2 penny`s worth. You
will already have seen Lacy`s 4 penny`s worth re-shown, and emphasised here.

Don`t bite too hard as already stated - in fact your top lip <does> need to
be <very> firm, but bottom lip does not need to be any different than lower
notes. Embouchure and breath support steady, as stated, and blow, (I don`t
like that word) breath the air thru` a little more gently, (you don`t need
an enormous amount of air up top) taking care to support the M/P inside
mouth with R.H. thumb, (yet not inserting too much). I wonder if you are
enjoying yourself too much with the klezmer, causing you to overblow
generally?!

Make sure your reed is not suspect, and that you haven`t chosen it
exclusively for it`s klezmer roll.

Long tone practise cures every blight on Earth.

Have a good show.
Best Wishes,
Tony W.

> Normally when one of my students has a problem with overblowing altissimo
> notes, I almost always observe that they are either tensing up, biting way
> too hard, have an unsteady airflow, and/or their tongue position is not
> right. Plus, make sure you keep your embochure and breath support very
> steady.
>
> I hope that helps!
>
> Lacy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim McGlinchey [mailto:jam62@-----.edu]
> Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2001 9:40 AM
> To: KLARINET LISTSERV
> Subject: [kl] FW: Unstable altissimo notes - a call for help
>
>
> Subject: Unstable altissimo notes - a call for help
>
> I'm working on the 2nd reed book for 'Fiddler on the Roof'. It's all
> clarinet, and
> a goodly portion of the book is in the altissimo register. I find that I'm
> overblowing
> a lot of the notes as I practice, especially when I'm playing a long
> sequence of altissimo
> notes, either articulated or slurred. Single altissimo notes don't seem to
> be a problem.
>
> I'm using a VanDoren M13Lyre mouthpiece on my Selmer 10S, with either
> Mitchell Lurie 3.5
> or VanDoren V12 3.5 reeds, and an inverted Bonade ligature. Would a
> different set-up be
> more reliable in getting the altissimo notes to stabilize?
>
> I know about first-finger-half-holing techniques and have used Tom
> Ridenour's alternate
> fingerings. Even when I use them, I have the stability problem.
>
> Incidentally, I'm having a lot of fun with the klezmer-style licks and
> glissandos. It's
> a gas of a part to play.

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