Klarinet Archive - Posting 000181.txt from 2005/09

From: "Bruce M" <bmcgar@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] CLARINET TECHNIQUE FROM THE BEGINNING - interesting for clarinet
Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2005 14:34:32 -0400

>From: "sarah elbaz" <sarah@-----.com>
>I wonder what teachers think about such early staccato teaching.

I'm with you, Sarah.

I won't try introducing staccato until students' embouchures are stable and
they aren't "reaching for" notes, i. e., moving the throat, jaw, and lips,
or changing the breath air flow significantly to get articulated notes to
speak. I don't introduce articulation at all until the student is in the
habit of not changing these things from note to note and register to
register, and until proper breath support become habitual. Articulation,
especially staccato, "encourages" students to tense up and fight against the
instrument--to try to force the notes to speak--whereas it's a stable
embouchure, consistent breath support, and relaxation that's needed.

Most of the intermediate and advanced middle and high school kids who have
come to me for lessons over the years, though they may be technically
proficient and have nice sounds when playing legato, seize up, pinch, and
use their tongues, lips, jaws, and breath to bully the notes out when they
try to play staccato. It's back to the drawing board for them, with long
tones with register changes and legato articulation (just brushing the reed
with the tip of their tongues). Only when their legato articulation is
smooth throughout the registers will I work with them on staccato.

(See Tony Pay's section on articulation in The Cambridge Companion to the
Clarinet, pp. 114-117.)

To my mind, teaching staccato at the beginning stages is irresponsible, and
can create major problems that are really difficult to remedy later on.

Cheers.

Bruce

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