 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Mike S
Date: 2006-02-17 12:08
Help!!!
I'm an adult returner (although as a youngster, I made nothing of my instrument). My teacher has moved me in the month I've been with her on to the Prelude of the Finzi Bagatelles. I'm facing many problems, but my number 1 is when I jump from chalameau E to middle line B. The B comes out but there is often a significant delay in the production of the note. I can't see where the problem is and my teacher is off cruising in the Far East for the next month. I can't wait that long to solve this problem.
Could some of you experts out there give me tips on the sorts of things I should look for?
I'm really enjoying discovering the instrument and I'm really pleased with the progress I'm making, but I can't seem to get over this particular hurdle.
Many thanks
Mike
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: redwine
Date: 2006-02-17 12:41
Hello,
The problem is that you're going from very little resistance (e) to a lot of resistance (b). My guess is that you're changing your embouchure and air stream flow between these two notes. Your goal should be to not have embouchure change between these notes or any other notes, for that matter. I don't subscribe to this completely myself, but there should be minimal embouchure differences between different notes, if any. You should practice playing that e chromatically up to the b, trying to make your embouchure and air pressure be constant.
Also, it's easier to go from the b to the e, so try your passage backwards several times, then try it forward.
Good luck and congratulations on your new endeavor!
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2006-02-17 14:22
My teacher has me doing an exercise alternating chalumeau - clarion register and back again going up chromatically E.g. E(ch)-B(cl)-F-C-F#-C# etc., slurred, going as far as possible in one breath. A variation on this is octaves, but the principle is the same. What you are aiming for is as smooth a transition as possible. The trick is in air support, pushing from the stomach and diaphragm muscles, keeping an open throat, all the other breathing techniques that have been discussed on this board at extreme length. Since doing these exercise, my ability to make large jumps has improved drastically.
Keep working on Finzi - these are good pieces. The prelude was (and possibly still is) a UK Associated Board grade 6 exam piece. ( For non-brits, grade 1 = beginner, grade 8 = advanced).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-02-17 15:21
Mike S,
Are you putting your right hand little fingers down in preparation for the B?
I'd hold the B key down, and it's a case of putting the other fingers down as cleanly as possible after playing the E. (I haven't got the music at hand to see where it goes from here)
Wherever possible, always try to think ahead and have your fingers ready, but as was previously mentioned, the clarinet B has a higher resistance than the chalumeau E(4), so be prepared for the increased pressure needed - though you don't want the B to stick out against the E or other notes, so work out the best way to get the volume even and the phrase smooth.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-02-17 19:59
Mike,
I've just dug out my copy - I assume you mean the E up to B in the 6th bar after figure 7 - the phrase starts in the bar before, all legato and crescendo from mp up to the E-B-E (which should be around mf-f in volume).
As I mentioned, keep your RH little finger on the B key (as it's an isolated B), but only put down the other fingers for the B.
Keep repeating E-B-E-B legato, starting slowly to get the tone and response even, and gradually build up to speed.
Having full Boehms myself, I can do the G-Ab trill before the Tempo 1 (before figure 7) easily with the RH trill key that's fitted on these. Only other way around this on a standard Boehm is the G# key extension Stephen Fox makes, it's locked onto the G# key arm by a grub screw, and performs exactly the same role as the permanent one seen on German and Oehler systems which are part of the G# touchpiece casting.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Neil
Date: 2006-02-17 21:59
An air leak could also cause this problem. This time of year is tough on wooden horns because the low humidity causes the wood to shrink. I don't mean that you should ignore the advice given above but try a wrap of teflon tape around the center tenon and see if it makes a difference. By the way, I 'm a "retread" as well, also not having done too well in my youth; there's quite a few of us on this board.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-02-17 22:33
"Retread"! I like it!
So does this mean at high speed (ie. staccato tongued semiquaver passages) we could fall apart easily?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Neil
Date: 2006-02-18 01:08
For real high speed runs I think of myself as the spare; ready to be used, but only in an emergency.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Peacham
Date: 2006-02-18 10:47
Chris P wrote: "Only other way around this on a standard Boehm is the G# key extension Stephen Fox makes, it's locked onto the G# key arm by a grub screw, and performs exactly the same role as the permanent one seen on German and Oehler systems which are part of the G# touchpiece casting."
It isn't *quite* the only other way. In this particular passage, there is enough time to move the right hand so as to operate the G# key with R1. No extension is required.
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mike S
Date: 2006-02-18 16:42
Many thanks all for your varied and helpful comments. I'm off to see what works.
Mike
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ginny
Date: 2006-02-18 16:55
Check that the long B key on each side takes equally little pressure to play the note. It's out of adjustment if one side takes more than another.
You can do a quick check for an air leak by taking the lower section of the clarintet and covering the holes and opening the bell goes on then sucking on the upper bit. It should seal and create a nice vacuum. If that's difficult you have an air leak to be sure.
Also having excellent breath support and not changing you embouchere is important, if it's technique rather than the horn. I find the reed won't speak quickly if my lips pressing to much near the rails - that issue should be discussed by one of the top flight players here though.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2006-02-18 21:07
An extremely common cause of B being hesitant is that the F/C and/or E/B pads need too much pressure to seal.
Diagnosis: Get a narrow strip of cellophane, say 2.5 mm wide at one end, and any width (for holding) at the other. Slip this 'feeler' between the pad and the tone hole, close these keys VERY lightly, using the 'touch-pieces' you would normally use for playing B (Not the key cups themselves), and see how much drag is needed to pull the feeler out. I'll wager that the drag is quite high at the back (i.e. hinge side) of these pads, while there is no drag at the front.
A possible cause is sloppy pivots or insecure posts, especially if the problem is greater for the left finger fingering.
But the most likely cause is pads that need re-aligning with the tone holes. Thanks to skimping by manufacturers, misalignment here is pretty well standard on almost all new clarinets.
If this area of a clarinet is correctly adjusted, then there would be no necessity or advantage in pushing down the B key prior to arriving at this note in the music, as somebody suggested above.
This is probably the most critical area of a clarinet to adjust correctly, so a good technician is probably indispensable.
Post Edited (2006-02-18 23:24)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
