Klarinet Archive - Posting 000029.txt from 2005/05
From: X-MailScanner-tom.henson@-----.com
Subj: RE: [kl] C#G# prob and "2 person clarinet"
Date: Mon, 02 May 2005 13:03:08 -0400
I wanted to follow up on what Tony said about "change nothing".
While studying with Jeffrey Lerner last year we went over this very subject.
He also talked about being very aware of the air stream, especially to not
stop the air stream in any way. He also said that you need to make sure that
you are not changing anything in your mouth or throat in anticipation of the
next note. He said this is especially true when playing intervals. He
suggested playing 12th as a good way to practice this. This also makes a
good warm up exercise.
As a test, he had me start on a low E in the lower register with my eyes
closed. He asked that I hold the note as steady and unchanging as I could.
Instead of using the 2 person clarinet, which has been described quite well
previously, he simply reached around and pushed on the register key when I
was not expecting it. He would then release it, again when I was not
expecting it. Bonade had taught this to him.
The purpose of this exercise was to show me that in addition to not stopping
the air stream in any way, I also needed to be aware not to change anything
in my mouth or throat either. I found through this little exercise that
playing a 12th above the fundamental was very easy and I could do it without
any break at all in the sound. No sub-tone would result when doing it this
way.
The real eye opener however, was when he released the register key. The real
test of if I was not changing anything in my mouth or throat was when the
register key was released, the clarinet after a second or two would then go
back to playing the bottom fundamental note, also without any break. This,
he said, was the real test. You learn to do this by going up, and then test
yourself by going down. When you release the register key you should go
right back down to the low note if you are not changing anything.
Now this may not work well for all of the notes in the lower register, say
from low E to first line E. I did found that it worked very well for most,
but not all. Then again, it could be that I am still moving something. Some
of this may depend on your clarinet as well. But this will help you feel
what needs to (NOT) happen when playing legato, and when you are doing it
right. I will also say that if releasing the register key does not result in
a very quick return to the low note, that you will be tempted to move
something in your mouth or throat to try and make it work. This is defeating
the purpose of the exercise and shows you what you should not be doing. You
must practice not moving anything for it to work properly. This exercise
also proves just how accustomed many of us are to doing the very thing that
is keeping us from obtaining very smooth legato. Some of us might even have
been taught to move your mouth and throat when changing notes.
To follow up on something that I have described on this list in the past,
but probably did not describe as eloquently as Tony, you have to get to the
place where your finger motion is completely disconnected from your breath
support (air stream). This is something that you must be able to imagine
mentally in order for you to be able to practice it. The 2 person clarinet
is a perfect example of this concept. Your fingers must be disconnected
mentally from affecting the air stream, mouth position, and throat while you
are playing. And yet, they have to work together with this.
Another thing to practice is arpeggios. The clarinet solo in Capriccio
Espanol is perfect for this where you start on the low A and then play
arpeggios in thirds up and then down.
Start on any low note in the lower register. Play the low (fundamental) note
until you have it really fixed in your mind. Play this one note and
concentrate on a steady, unbroken air stream. Imagine that you are signing
this note. Now, without mentally moving from this fixed note, slowly play
the arpeggio in thirds up one octave and then back down. The entire time you
must have the bottom note fixed in your mind. You must be hearing it in your
mind the entire time you are moving your fingers. If you are able to imagine
this and then do it, you will find that your legato has improved markedly.
Now, take this concept and start on the same low note, this time, just go up
one note. Make sure that in your mind you are hearing only the bottom note.
Then go up one note and back down. Do this as slowly as it takes to get this
concept.
You will find that practicing this for 10 minutes a day will do wonders to
help you play very smooth and unbroken legato.
Tom Henson
<< Tony stated: It's difficult to tell without hearing you. Do you find
your legato unsatisfactory in general, or is it just over particular
intervals?
The '2-person clarinet' is designed to help get across the idea -- or
rather, the experience -- that, to a first approximation, the most important
thing about playing legato between two notes is that you 'change nothing'.
(And the most important part of that 'changing nothing' is of course that
you continue to blow.) People can get into the habit of interrupting the
airstream right at the end of the first note, without knowing that they do
it. >>
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