Klarinet Archive - Posting 000080.txt from 2003/02

From: "Kaitlin Costello" <kecostello@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] question replies
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 2003 09:19:09 -0500

Rigel,
Your entusiam is nice thing to see in up and coming clarinet players.
However, why rush now , as you are building on the foundations that will
support your abilities? Take your time, and enjoy the "baby" steps that we
all had to take. I didn't become the performer I am now in a year. I'm still
learning new things-- six years into the cake! I am glad that you have a
teacher ( I went many many many years without and am still undoing the
damage done) and hope that you will get the chance to work with her on a
regular bases fairly soon.

#2 reeds are, in my experienc are make or break it kinda things. I cannot
tell you which brand has the soundest and most reliable reeds because each
reed is unique in its composition. However, this is a small list of reeds
you might consider dabbling in in the future: B-12's (I use them right now
for my symphony work) Rico Plasticovers, Rene de Culd (these are hand made
reeds from France-- I've had major success using them on bass and Eb
clarinet)and of course, Gaia reeds which are on a middle ground of price Vs
usability ( you must buy the whole box-- you cannot pick and choose your
reeds:(

The above list is by no way complete, but simply a begining note. As to reed
strengths, that is totally personal. Also, reed strength can mean nothing if
you do not break your reeds in correctly. So was the sad death of many of my
reeds...

Overall, enjoy your music and if you need help the members of this list will
do thier best to give you advice or references to those who can :)

Kaitlin,
Mesa State College

>From: Rigel Keffer <rbkeffer@-----.net>
>Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>Subject: [kl] question replies
>Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2003 00:56:36 -0600
>
>Thank you to everyone who has replied with so much useful information!!! I
>have archived your responses and will be referring to them repeatedly. I
>look forward to hearing the insights of others as well.
>Some points that may need clarifying:
>Amy is a friend who is a gifted clarinet player. She's really serious about
>her playing. She has never given lessons before, but she is trying to help
>me get started. I have bartered babysitting for lessons (her son and my son
>are friends). Our get togethers are irregular due to our husbands working
>rotating shifts.
>I have another friend who has played clarinet for more than 30 years, but
>her clarinet is currently in need of major restoration which she cannot
>afford to have done until on into the summer (she homeschools *5*
>children...wow). Once she is back to playing, she has offered me lessons as
>well.
>I do not bite my reeds. I am certain of that. However, there are not so
>rare times when I cannot make a note come out because I am compressing the
>reed too hard with my mouth. That's why Amy suggested that the tensing up
>when really concentrating on something difficult may be what's causing me
>to splinter/crack reeds at a sad rate. But, I am 100% positive that I do
>not bite my reeds.
>I, too, have come to the clarinet later in life ... when I turned 30
>*gulp!* I feel this sort of frantic need to make up for lost time.... like
>why haven't I been playing this fabulous instrument for years?!!??! Oh the
>wasted time! I must practice, practice, practice.
>I have the coming down the register screechy squeak problem when doing
>scales or when playing a song that has had a few/several measures in the
>upper register and then dips down briefly into the lower register for a few
>notes. I don't transition well coming down, however I have no problems
>climbing. When I do the staccatto tongue thingie between notes, it helps,
>but when I'm flowing, the problem occurs often enough to make me disgusted
>with myself.
>I use #3 reeds because that's what Amy had when I started playing on her
>clarinet, and that's all I know. I tried backing up to a 2 but despised
>it....this thin, wiggly, overvibrating thing going half crazy on my
>lip...ugh! So aggravatingly easy to over compress!!! I'm firmly a #3 girl!
>I have been trying to ease off on breathing so hard because when I started
>trying to acquire some of the higher notes, I started seeing glitter lights
>and realized that couldn't be right.
>Whenever I can't get something, I have a little checklist I go through: Is
>it a fingers thing? Is it a mouth thing? Is it a posture/breathing thing?
>The fingers things are quickly enough fixed. The mouth things are
>reasonably fixable early - mid practice but become more difficult to manage
>the longer I practice (my bottom lip starts to swell and go a wee bit
>numb). The posture/breathing things....well, I can take care of the
>posture, but I'm still trying to get the feel of the breathing thing. I can
>get every note to sound. I can play about 4 measures between breaths. But,
>my control and ability to vary as needed for register shifts, etc. are
>hopeless... I am so inept. I just cannot get the feel for the changes. I
>get a good thing and hold onto it, but ask me to vary and my mouth and
>breath fall apart.
>Love and hugs,
>Rigel
>
>
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