Klarinet Archive - Posting 001086.txt from 2002/11

From: "Forest E. Aten Jr." <forestaten@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Tonguing --- Jack Brymer and Keith Stein
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2002 13:41:28 -0500

Bill,

I am reading between the lines. Stein means, in my opinion, to keep the air
supported at all time when he talks about air flow. He never talks about
"blocking the air flow"....

Air flow, air pressure, support of the air column.....all words that are
quite often used and misused...or simply misinterpreted.

Air moving across the reed and into the instrument is certainly primary for
the clarinet. Controlling this flow is also very, very important. Playing
with a beautiful tone on a long tone is wonderful. It tells me that the
player has good control of the air flow and that the player probably has a
good embouchure....and that proper attention to the reed has been addressed.
What I hear way too often is a complete misunderstanding of technical issues
regarding use of the tongue when articulating. As soon as many of these same
players with the beautiful sound use their tongue....all is lost.

(Many years ago) I found a survey that C. Gold did in the middle 60's
confirm what I hear so often. He sent surveys to (if my memory serves me)
just over 600 professional players that were known to be teachers and
college and university professors of clarinet. (I don't remember how many
responded) One of his questions asked what was the number one problem that
these educators noted when they take on a new student??? A huge percentage
of those surveyed identified tonguing as the number one problem. It was by
far the number one answer. I'll have to dig up that survey....and look at
the percentages.

Also....with regard to tonguing the 1/2 inch from the tip of the tongue that
someone mentioned...
Was that below the tip of the tongue, or above? I know many players that
have very clean tonguing when using the portion of the tongue just below the
tip....I don't know any players (that's not to say that they don't exist)
that have a "clean" sound when using the top part of the tongue. (I do know
several players that do use the top of their tongue)

Regards,

Forest

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Wright" <Bi6W@-----.net>
Subject: Re: [kl] Tonguing --- Jack Brymer and Keith Stein

<><> Forest Aten wrote:
Bill, I read and interpret both to be saying the same things.

I don't understand?

Brymer talks about pushing the reed towards the rails and blocking the
air passage between reed and mouthpiece with his tongue, whereas Stein
talks about not blocking the air flow.

In what way are they the same?

Regards,
Bill

---------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------