Klarinet Archive - Posting 000479.txt from 2002/11

From: Ed Wojtowicz <ewoj@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] bright/dark
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 23:55:07 -0500

> From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
>
> Personally, in my own internal thinking about tonal color, and in my dealings
> with students, colleagues, and clients, I never use the word DARK.
>
> Like Dan, I don't know what it means, and it annoys me. I have observed many
> aspiring clarinetists deaden and dull their tone quality in search of the
> elusive "dark" sound.

I agree with what Walter says here. I think dark/bright are overused. Most
players I know seem to want to "darken" their tones. I don't know what that
means. I do encounter many people who develop a dead or dull tone as Walter
describes and think it is dark. It seems that there are many different ideas
on what it means, but it is what everyone wants and nobody know what it is
or how to get it.

As I have stated in discussions here in the past, the only true way of
achieving a dark tone is by drinking Guinness.

Ed

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