Klarinet Archive - Posting 000364.txt from 2010/08

From: "Steve Hartman" <sdh902@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] LH Thumb Placement
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:05:21 -0400

Cathryn:

You're certainly on the right track by practicing the passage slowly. If
you don't have a teacher or a professional in your area, the next best thing
would be to be your own teacher by taking a look in a mirror. Is your left
elbow moving? Is your wrist moving? How high on the A key does your left
index finger rest? How far from the A-flat key does your left index finger
"hover?"

If you establish a position that requires a minimum of excess movement and
practice it VERY slowly, you may be able to make this passage playable. If
it's any comfort to you, that IS a tricky passage.

Steve Hartman
NYC

>All the notes in the sequence are in the 'throat tones' with the sequence
>being
bb, f, bb, ab, Eb. (upper end of chalumeau) so this causing my fingers to
fumble
over one another.

The problems that I have is from getting between these notes with having it
sounding messy and clumpsy (specailly between Bb and Ab and then again
between
Ab and Eb). The piece is particullary fast and the notes tend to come out in
a
blur of sound. All the notes have to be slurred together and I have tried to
practice it slowly with different articulation to try and fix the problems
but
it doesnt seem to have helped much.

Thank you to everyone for thier comments. It has been interesting to hear
everyone's opinions.

Cath,
South Africa

________________________________
From: Jennifer Jones <helen.jennifer@-----.com>
To: The Klarinet Mailing List <klarinet@-----.com>
Sent: Mon, August 23, 2010 7:59:52 PM
Subject: Re: [kl] LH Thumb Placement

Dear Cath,

I have some questions:

What specifically is your fingering problem? Are you having trouble
covering holes? Are you in pain? Are you having trouble with playing
evenly (notes all the same length, notes all the same volume, notes
all in tune)? Are you having trouble with squeaking? Are you having
trouble with altissimo/high clarion notes?

Regardless of which register these are in, they are a tangle. I tried:
Bb, F, Bb, Ab, Eb (all low chalumeau = lowest octave possible)
bb, f, bb, ab, Eb (all upper end of chalumeau)
b'b, f'', b'b, a'b, eb (all clarion)
b'b, f'", b'b, a"b, e"b (highest notes standardly possible)

Would you also please specify the octave each note lies in? There is
a system for specifying octaves at
http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/clarinet/, if you don't already have a
system.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Jones

_______________________________________________
Klarinet mailing list
Klarinet@-----.com
To do darn near anything to your subscription, go to:
http://klarinet-list.serve-music.com

_______________________________________________
Klarinet mailing list
Klarinet@-----.com
To do darn near anything to your subscription, go to:
http://klarinet-list.serve-music.com