Klarinet Archive - Posting 000267.txt from 2001/03

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] 1) D3 to D2 grace note 2) Ellington
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 15:06:37 -0500

----- Original Message -----
From: "Neil Leupold" <leupold_1@-----.com>
Subject: Re: [kl] D3 to D2 grace note

> --- Dave Gilbert <dgilbert@-----.com> wrote:
>
> > I have a student who came to me seeking a better way to play a D3 grace
> > note entrance that leads to a D2. Having tried a few alt fingerings the
> > best still seems to be the standard high D ,although the jump is by no
> > means clean with this fingering. Any suggestions for this?
>
> The leap, using standard fingerings, can be made crytsal clear and clean
> through slow practice. The issue is primarily one of crisp-but-relaxed
> finger action, well-coordinated, combined with facilitation of the con-
> nection via the air. The embouchure should be firm as usual, but relaxed.
> Let the air do the work. The air stream needs to be well-focused and sup-
> ported, dropping the jaw away from the reed to allow the reed to vibrate
> consistently, without sacrificing pitch integrity. The back of the tongue
> needs to be high in the mouth in an "ee" configuration, the tip of the
> tongue level with the tip of the reed. This, in combination with clean
> finger action, makes the D3 to D2 leap possible and graceful (no pun in-
> tended)
>
> An exercise to address the whole thing at once: a surefire way to ensure
> that the air stream is focused is to breathe deeply, place the tip of the
> tongue on the tip of the reed, and then slowly play single, separated
notes
> in succession, each one being started and stopped via the air and the
tongue.
> The embouchure should remain intact throughout, i.e., don't take the
mouth-
> piece out of your mouth. Do this on D3 a few times. Getting the note to
> sound is not enough. It must be produced cleanly, in tune, at a stable
dy-
> namic level, and without undertones or sputtering. If a player's air or
> embouchure are not sufficiently developed, it will become evident during
> this exercise. That evidence should also inform the player immediately,
> by physical sensation alone, what they need to work on in their basic
> technique in order to produce the note to proper effect.
>
> The next step: after sounding the single D3 a dozen times or more in
> succession -- ensuring that the air is doing the work, that the tip of
> the tongue makes contact with the tip of the reed in exactly the same
> place each time -- repeat the exercise, but alternate between octaves.
> (1) Sound a clear, distortion-free D3 (2) Stop it with the tongue,
> while maintaining air support from the diaphragm (3) In a single
> not-hurried motion, change the fingers to a D2 (4) Release the tongue
> again, sounding a clean, in-tune, sputter-free D2 (5) Keeping the
> jaw dropped but the embouchure firm, stop the D2 with the tip of the
> tongue, refinger the D3, and allow that note to speak and be stopped
> again via the air and tongue.
>
> Having alternated several times between D2 and D3 via the above ex-
> ercise, the embouchure and air support mechanism will have received
> a small workout. The next and final step is to remove the tongue
> from the equation, without allowing any of the other physical sensa-
> tions to lapse. Start the D3 with the tongue and, maintaining the
> air support and focus, make the now-practiced finger switch to D2.
> It should become evident that the challenge is less with the fingers
> than it is with keeping the jaw from biting and the air stream con-
> sistent and focused while changing notes. Return to the stopped-note
> exercise and alternate between it and the uninterrupted version until
> the needed adjustments become intuitive. The less developed the play-
> er's air support technique, air focus technique, and ability to main-
> tain embouchure firmness while dropping the jaw, the longer it will
> take before the D3 to D2 connection is clean. But it will happen.
> It may, however, require supplemental exercises to address each of
> the technical components separately, i.e.; long tones, legato artic-
> ulation exercises, etc.

1) What a wonderfully explicit and comprehensive thesis this is. Please
forgive me for reproducing it in full. I`ve been waiting all year for gems
such as this to appear, (even tho` this two D movement is not a common
occurrence in clarinet playing). I shall have to have my `puter switched on
tomorrow when I finish my scales and arps to spend 20 minutes with this work
out. Incidentally, it`s not all that different from the Weber 2 extract,
when the 3rd movt. tune leaps from C2 up to D3 - C2, C2, C#2, C2, C2, D3,
C3, C3. Practising <this> extract, prior to the D3 to D2, might prove to be
the "very exercise", to help in the build up to what Neil has outlined, even
tho` it`s slurring up and not down. Learning to slur up with complete
control is always advised first and foremost, (see part of what Neil
advises) <before> one starts to learn to control the slur down.
Keep `em coming Neil - - - - -

2) I used to have an Ellington LP with Jimmy Hamilton, (clarinet) playing a
solo called ?"La Virgin de la Macarena"? My memory and spelling could be
quite wayward. But if anyone can recall such a tune, or should I say mini
jazz concerto, I would be pleased to hear if there is a printed copy which I
might be able to procure. Can someone direct me to where the Ellington
catalogue is housed, preferably a web site where I could browse and then
contact via e-mail.
TIA.
I haven`t heard many Jimmy Hamilton "solo" clarinet pieces. I have heard and
seen him perform live twice, back in the `60`s in the U.K. and was most
impressed with his "classical" approach to playing jazz. Full yet liquid
tone, even finger movement, which made his approach, I suspect somewhat at
odds with the jazz purists`, But then I`ve never been able to admire <any>
jazz "great" who has not had good command of his instrument in addition to
his jazz creativity. But that`s another story - - - - - -
Best, and thanks again,
Tony W.

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