Klarinet Archive - Posting 000504.txt from 2004/11

From: "Karl Krelove" <karlkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Embrouchure/reed-strength/clarinet question.
Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2004 14:35:36 -0500

Dan, depending on what the problem is, any of the solutions below may help.
But you need to guard against the confusion of trying to change too much at
once.

A student level instrument won't in itself cause the tone problem you're
describing, but one that's mechanically in poor condition absolutely can -
having this checked and corrected if needed should be your first move before
changing anything. There's no doubt that a better instrument makes it
*easier* for a player to achieve a greater level of refinement, but it isn't
a magic charm to a beautiful or clear sound.

You've already tried reeds and found an effect, but not necessarily a
solution. Assuming a properly working clarinet, the next easiest thing to
try changing is the mouthpiece. It is more or less axiomatic here that
different players play best on different mouthpieces, that "one-size
(brand/facing curve/tip opening/etc.)-fits-all" is wrongheaded. And it is,
beyond a certain playing level. If your teacher's recommendation (the C85 -
very open tip by modern symphonic standards, which is why you need very
light reeds - is that the mouthpiece he plays on?) didn't solve the problem
but improved it, a similar but less open-tipped mouthpiece might turn out
better, like a C** or even a C* or an equivalent in the Vandoren line
(5RVLyre, 5RV, 2RV, etc.), just as a series of experiments. It's a lot less
expensive if you can find a nearby supplier who will let you try mouthpieces
before you buy, but many of the web-based and mail-order catalog places will
let you try mouthpieces "on approval" sometimes with a re-stocking fee for
returns and sometimes without.

Practicing double-lip or making any other embouchure changes might certainly
help if there's anything about what you're currently doing that is
contributing to the problem. But you have to be careful about major
changes - changing too many details at once, especially trying separately to
manipulate lips, tongue, oral cavity, facial muscles as though they are
unrelated to each other, can be frustrating and unproductive. They are
separate, but still they're part of the whole tone production process, along
with breathing and the tonal concept itself. Your private teacher (if he can
broaden his focus beyond a new clarinet) can be a good source of outside
observation coupled with his experience - whatever he's discovered from
working with other students or even his own problems as a player. If you're
doing something that's obvious and easy to see from the outside to cause the
fuzziness you're describing, your teacher may be able to spot it more easily
than you. But be wary of changing first this, then that, then something
else, all of which can lead to contortion and tension, sometimes one change
nullifying or confounding the effects of another, with a net effect of
encouraging a strong desire to throw the clarinet out the nearest window and
take up computer solitaire instead.

Before you do anything more, have your clarinet checked. A single pad near
the top of the instrument - a throat G# or A key that's not covering well,
or any other pad that isn't doing its whole job but is covering well enough
not to entirely disable the whole instrument - could easily be at the root
of the problem you're describing.

Karl Krelove

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Daniel Fairhead [mailto:madprof@-----.net]
>
> <snip>
> My question is, am I not ever going to get rid of this hissy
> fluffy sound on this clarinet, or might learning double-lip, or
> re-learning my embrouchure help? Or is it likely the mouthpiece?
> Or must I stick to No.2 reeds? And, if I do buy a new clarinet,
> will it 'magically' sound good, or how much time should I expect
> to spend until I get it sounding good?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dan
>

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