Klarinet Archive - Posting 000524.txt from 2004/10

From: Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Different sounds
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 09:08:20 -0400

Walter,

Eventually, perhaps a dissertation and then perhaps a book.

I am hoping to develop a physical model which explains the advantages and
disadvantages of all major schools of playing for brass, woodwind and
percussion instruments (ie the instruments in the band). In effect, a model
which describes cause and effect (if you do this, you will get this).
Furthermore, I am trying to develop a model which emphasizes the
similarities in techniques among musical instruments.

It has to be a model simple enough to be understood by someone who has not
had collegiate physics (no Bernoulli, for example). I can't talk about
overdriven oscillations and second order differential equations (blah blah
blah). Forest and I have talked about this privately, it would be great if
future teachers were required to have some background in physics, but the
reality is this probably won't happen in any of our lifetimes. Where I come
from you can become a credentialed band director only taking (I kid you
not) "The Nature of Math".

Methods classes for band directors, as they stand, tend to be a loosely
collected set of anecdotal opinions (some quite good, others quite
bizarre). Imagine trying to learn Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Oboe,
Bassoon, Trumpet, Trombone, Baritone, Tuba, Violin, Cello, String Bass,
Voice, and Percussion with all these anecdotes and what seems like no
interrelation among playing techniques. Now add all the academic classes as
well as the required performance studies in 4 (sometimes 5) years and it is
no wonder that a large percentage of band directors don't even understand
when to tell a student to play on a harder reed or how to evaluate a
mouthpiece beyond trusting so-so from this or that famous band or orchestra.

Often very fine musicians, these teachers can get quite frustrated when
their clarinet section cannot play tune in the higher registers. The sad
reality is the clarinet players could practice for a lifetime and never be
able to play with a characteristic sound in the higher registers on their 1
1/2 or 2 Rico reed. "What? You can buy harder reeds?" "Really? There are
different *brands* of reeds?". This, of course, is just the beginning of
the many clarinet problems in band most directors don't know how to solve.
To be clear, I don't blame them. Who could possibly remember all those
isolated facts (some of which might even cause more harm than good) and be
able to diagnose a student's problem on a split seconds notice. Those of
you who teach private know it can take 30 minutes (or much longer) to
figure out a student's problem. In school band, you may get 30 seconds. And
this assumes you understand cause and effect to fix the problem in the
first place!

Simply put, I'm fighting for the last chair third clarinet player. There is
no reason this student can't have a fundamental ability to play the
clarinet (characteristic sound, in time, in tune). As it stands, the last
chair third clarinet player has because almost a cliche'. We pretty much
expect this student to not be able to play. And we band directors pretty
much think the only solution is private lessons. Now imagine the schools
areas where there are no (and I mean absolutely no) private teachers. Is
this an excuse to let these students fail? Would this be acceptable in
English or Math? (Yes, sadly, it might be, but the majority of the public
would, hopefully, be offended by such acceptance).

To be honest, I've worked with enough bands now to not even be surprised
when a student in the third clarinet section doesn't even have a reed on
the clarinet!

The greatest instrumental teachers in history saw no boundaries when it
came to learning techniques. The greatest players saw no boundaries when it
came to who they would study with. If a clarinet player could help a flute
player, great. If an oboe player could help a clarinet player, great. If a
tuba player could help a flute player, great. I have been lucky to study
with many teachers who teach why as well as how. I hope to spread these
methods beyond the private teaching world and into the band directing world.

The truly unique advantage of this list is if I am even the slightest bit
incorrect, I will be nailed. The people I studied with learned from the
musicians they worked with, studied with, and occasionally sought out
experts in other fields. This list provides more than one expert in almost
every conceivable subject (especially the clarinet). I couldn't ask for a
better place to hash out the details. I may have no ego left at the end,
but that is probably a good thing.

I'll end my rant with what seems to have become my catchphrase:

There is a very good reason we have *schools* of playing and *laws* of physics.

-Adam

At 11:33 PM 10/18/2004 -0400, GrabnerWG@-----.com wrote:
>Adam -
>
>Are you writing an article?
>
>Walter Grabner
>www.clarinetXpress.com
>World-class clarinet mouthpieces

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