Klarinet Archive - Posting 000000.txt from 2008/01

From: Jay Shenk <jay.shenk@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: Legato Finger Motion
Date: Tue, 01 Jan 2008 05:42:15 -0500

There is an excellent series of videos on YouTube regarding legato
playing done by David Hattner:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6hpiTbLKVg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1Wb4EiHM94

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEnDpjYBXAM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgapALwgmCc

While I think finger motion is just one factor in legato playing, I do
think it is an important one. If a hole or key is pressed or closed in
an abrupt, mechanical manner the change in notes will sound
correspondingly abrupt. However when the hole or key is closed or
pressed with a relaxed, more gradual motion the change in notes will be
heard as correspondingly more gradual--more like the way a singer would
change notes. You can experiment with this on your own by exaggerating
this point--if you close or open a hole extremely slowly you'll get a
glissando effect--just as a singer or string player would when they
slide between notes. A slightly faster motion will remove the glissando
but retain the legato feel. Try it! In contrast, you can try closing
and opening holes with a stiff, mechanical, fast motion. Notice the
difference in sound.

Happy New Year,
Jay Shenk

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