Klarinet Archive - Posting 000422.txt from 2004/10

From: Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Stopping the air (was: Anticipation)
Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 13:34:57 -0400

I feared bringing up this subject might devolve into such a strenuous
discussion. My interest is in tracing back the history of the technique to
better understand it, not in getting into an argument about which way is
better. Most especially not in claiming my way is correct merely because it
was taught by a famous clarinet teacher.

I have my opinion and people I have the highest respect for disagree with
me. This used to bother me when I lived in a black and white world, I like
to think I see greys now.

-Adam

At 09:31 AM 10/15/2004 -0700, Ormondtoby Montoya wrote:
>The list had a strenuous discussion about this a year or so ago, I
>believe that I participated. My memory is (I don't have time to search
>the archives this morning) that the majority of people 'who ought to
>know' posted that the air does stop. Otherwise you'd hear hissing
>between notes. When people such as Keith Stein wrote about continuous
>air flow, Stein (allegedly) did not mean that air movement actually
>continues. He only meant (allegedly) that good technique maintains
>constant breath support, despite changes in flow, in order that air
>begins to flow at full velocity immediately after the tongue releases
>the reed from the mouthpiece --- and this is best accomplished by
>*imagining* continuous air flow even though it doesn't actually happen.
>
>To say it another way, the reed is (allegedly) always so close to
>closing against the mouthpiece that the slightest touch of the tongue
>causes it to close completely, and it's the reed (not the tongue) that
>actually stops the air flow.
>
>It occurs to me that truly skilled musicians may be able to *choose*
>whether or not to close the reed completely as they also stop the reed's
>vibration? After the discussion ended, I tried to 'feel' what happens
>inside my mouth when I tongue. At any reasonable tempo, I was unable
>to reach a decision. I can't imagine that I'm sufficiently skilled to
>control my own tongue well enough to make such a conscious choice.
>When I was at the dentist last week, the poor fellow was truly
>aggravated that I wouldn't (couldn't) put my tongue where he asked me to
>put it.
>
>The most recent issue of Clarinet (ICA's magazine) has an article with
>high speed photography of the reed, but I haven't read it yet and I
>don't know if it says anything about this topic?
>
>
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