Klarinet Archive - Posting 000651.txt from 2002/11

From: "Benjamin Maas" <benmaas@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Light Fingers...
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 23:57:59 -0500

This is something that I've worked on extensively with two of my former
teachers- Peter Hadcock and Kenneth Grant. Both of whom were former
students of Stanley Hasty.

One of the things that Hasty was known for was an unbelievable legato in
playing. To work on this, both Hadcock and Grant had me working on passages
one note at a time, very slowly. First, we'd do scales (up and down) where
we'd return to the root note between every note. By the time you got to an
octave, you'd really need to watch your fingers for precision and for a lack
of slamming on the keys.

The finger movement that I was taught was almost a "circular" movement of
the finger to the keys of the instrument. I was taught not to bring the
finger straight into the instrument. One of the descriptions that seemed to
work for me was thinking about the instrument as if it was made of cotton.
Once the technique was mastered slowly, it was easy to use it with faster
passages.

Another teacher (actually one of my piano teachers) taught me to play with a
lighter touch by having me hold a nerf ball so lightly that it would
eventually fall out... Adapted for clarinet, how lightly do you have to
hold a key so that you still have the note seal? That combined with the
above exercise seemed to help me a lot.

Of course all that being said, Mitchell Lurie taught me that everything
related to the air supply and a steady, but not biting embouchure... If
there isn't the air to support the sound properly (and it seemed like it was
never enough with me <G>), the notes won't come out properly.

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Freelance Clarinetist and Recording Engineer
Los Angeles, CA
benmaas@-----.com
http://www.fifthcircle.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keith Pemberton [mailto:gatep5@-----.net]
>
>
> My instructors have always complanined that I have heavy fingers
> and slam my
> fingers down on the keys. I have tried my best to "ligthen" them up but I
> just don't seem to get the concept. When I try my keywork becomes very
> sloppy and doing chromatics I tend to miss notes. Can anyone give some
> insight as to what I can to help this problem. I want to be
> fluid and fast,
> but a little less hard on the keys. Thanks!
>
> Keith

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