Klarinet Archive - Posting 000271.txt from 2001/09

From: rgarrett@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] Long tone discussion again
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2001 17:43:57 -0400

At 05:18 PM 09/07/2001 -0400, you wrote:
>To me, the purpose of long tones or slow tones is to work on the placement
>of the sound, the mechanics of the air, position of the tongue, and to
>take a few min. focusing on the sound.
>Tom Puwalski, Author of The Clarinetist Guide to Learning Klezmer Former
>principle clarinetist with the U. S Army Field Band

Tom,

I really like your statement above. I also like what Sean wrote. I see
David Hattner's point - and it has merit too.

The article at http://www.ocr.sneezy.org/articles/garrett3.htm at the
Online Clarinet Resource Articles Page puts a long tone study to use in
much the same way you mention above - only with a bit more detail.

Long tones can be boring - but I used to find them extremely interesting -
especially as I noticed what they did for my playing - including the
helping of scales (my long tones positively affected my scale
practice). That was as a college student. I still find them helpful today
- especially when I begin to focus on a particular instrument such as the
basset horn or the bass clarinet - they are immensely helpful when I have
been playing more clarinet than either of the latter two.

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett

Clarinet Professor
Director, Symphonic Winds
Illinois Wesleyan University
School of Music
Bloomington, IL 61702-2900
Phone: (309) 556-3268
Fax: (309) 556-3121

"If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me,
this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very
best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until
the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't
amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, 10 angels swearing I
was right would make no difference."
-Abraham Lincoln

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