Klarinet Archive - Posting 000572.txt from 2003/08

From: ormondtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya)
Subj: Re: [kl] Articulation Problems
Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 03:45:31 -0400

Howard, my qualifications are minimal, and apparently your teacher has
already given you the usual "tip-of-tongue gently on tip-of-the-reed"
advice; but the answers that you've received so far are mostly about
choosing a syllable. Here are some 'non-syllabic' suggestions:

(1) When you watch yourself in a mirror, do you see throat or chin
movement? You shouldn't.

(2) If you do see movement, do you think that you are moving your tongue
vertically or horizontally in order to touch the reed and stop its
vibration? Vertical is the usual recommendation.

(3) Do you think that you're raising your entire tongue or just the tip?
Just the tip is the usual recommendation, partly because the tip can
move faster than the back of the tongue, and partly because moving the
back of the tongue affects the note's sound character (tone).

(4) Can you play a long tone and then slowly 'dull' it by raising the
tip of your tongue to the tip of the reed (perhaps causing a tickling
sensation on the tip of your tongue) without actually interrupting the
flow of air? In other words, without forcing the reed closed?

(5) How far below the reed do you think you lower your tongue as you
start a note? Can you lower it less, thereby needing less motion and
energy to get back to the reed? Suggestion (4) may help.

So much for my amateur suggestions. I can't get to sleep tonight (saw
Prairie Home Companion live, great fun!) and I felt like saying
something. It's just that there's more to it than choosing a
particular syllable, I think.

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