 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Laura
Date: 2001-04-18 15:42
Hello, I'm delurking to post this query. I've started playing clarinet in my local community band after a 10 or so years hiatus, and am slowly regaining some skill. However, we play a lot of fast paced pieces, and one of my biggest frustrations is keeping my tonguing and changes of the notes in sync. I tend to have a fraction of an "inbetween note" as I go from note to note. It is really obvious when I practice scales. I'm sure it takes time to build up to speed, but I certainly can't ask the band to slow down for me! I'd like to know if there are any good exercises that someone might recommend to address this problem.
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Author: jan
Date: 2001-04-18 16:01
i have trouble keeping up sometimes too. my lesson teacher diagnosed at least part of the problem. my middle right finger collapses when i depress the key so instead of 1 motion to lift the finger up or down, it takes 2..one to lift the collapse and another to lift the finger. its very subtle and i had no idea i was doing this. this one small thing slowed me down just a little bit. he gave me finger exercises to do very slowly and also when i played my scales i payed very close attention to where my fingers were. in one case my lefft pinky should have been over the c# key ready to go but was somewhat off to the side. it would have saved time if it was ready. also, when playing F with thumb, C thumb and reg. key and open G my fingers were moving too far off the keys or tone holes so it would take longer to get to the next note. not by a whole lot but it makes a difference. so i would suggest to pay attention to finger position. it could help speed things up just a bit.
jan
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2001-04-18 16:05
Speaking as one that had/has the same problem and returned to playing the clarinet after a many year hiatus - maybe my solution to the problem may help. At the end of every practice session I do my "push ups" as I call them. This consists of just going through a C Major scale from the bottom to the top first starting with octuplets as fast as I can tongue them, then quintuplets, then sextuplets, etc. down to singlets. I try to concentrate on getting the notes even, tonguing as fast as possible and going from note to note as quickly and evenly as possible. I try to build up as much speed as I can muster yet keeping everything even. Just a suggestion that helped me. I am sure that the qualified teachers in the audiance will have suggestions to help.
The Doctor
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-18 16:40
1. Fingers should lift no higher than necessary.
2. Fingers should remain directly above their hole or key when not on the hole or key.
3. Practice slowly at first gradually increasing speed.
4. Fingers should lead the tongue. Pay special attention to this during your slow speed practice.
5. In high speed practice, set the tongue in motion and forget it. Focus on getting the fingers to move at the correct tempo. Subconsciously we slow the fingers down when tonguing fast as the subconscious tends to incorrectly believe that the tongue is the slow point. That little "in-between note" means that your fingers are arriving late. So focus on moving your fingers at the proper tempo.
In the band situation, especially if site reading, item 5 will be the biggest help in getting through with the least difficulty until you have time to really sit down and work on items 1 through 4.
If you can get hold of Daniel Bonade's "Clarinet Compendium," it gives some excellent ideas for working on synchronization.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2001-04-18 16:41
The key is to practice SLOW and blow air put the tip of the tongue on the reed (just touching it is sufficient to stop the sound) move your finger(s) and then release the tongue from the reed.
Your finger gets in position before the sound is produced. It anticipates the tongue motion.
This is very effective, once you master this at very slow pace try going a bit faster.
It seems odd but usualyy the tongue goes faster than the fingers creating that unwanted "2" notes in one.
Ideally you want your fingers to be in place before the reed start to vibrate again.
It is a very boring and frustrating exercise but very effective.
Good luck!
-Sylvain
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Author: Mike Irish
Date: 2001-04-18 17:45
speaking of tounging, and quarter, eighth, sixteenth, thirtysecond note....
what are teh colleges actually looking for as far a speed and such...
I know acuracy it prabably over the speed, and the speed will come with solid practice and experience.....
Mike
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Author: beejay
Date: 2001-04-18 18:20
I asked this question myself a few weeks ago, and got some good replies, as usual, from the bulletin board. My teacher advises 1. play scales staccato as evenly as possible against a metronome 2. use the entire strength of the fingers rather than just the finger tips, and put the fingers down very firmly while keeping them as close as possible to the holes -- in other words, as Dee said, allow the fingers to lead the tongue. The result should be a a crisp; "ping" on the staccato, something with a little bounce in it, rather than mushy detached notes.
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Author: Jodi
Date: 2001-04-18 18:52
My teacher taught me an exercise called the 'finger cue'. Play a scale or the passage you are playing SLOWLY. What you need to do is tongue the note, stop the playing, lift your finger, repeat. You end up with Tongue, Lift, Tongue, Lift. Speed it up. This helps the fingers learn to move a little before the tongue, so your fingers won't be slow. (99% of the time, your fingers are slow- not your tongue.)
I hope that I made this clear enough. It worked for me and I went almost NINE years tonguing incorrectly.
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Author: David Kinder
Date: 2001-04-18 20:01
I've got a little bit different advice than was posted earlier. For me, the clarinet resting on my thumb was hindering the movement of my right hand. I got a neckstrap from woodwind and brasswind and it helped there.
I have also used a Gripmaster thingy to help me strengthen my fingers. When I'm done using it, my fingers feel like they're flying over the instrument.
Once you've got your fingers doing what you want them to do, I'd suggest finding some good scale books (Baerman methods, or my favorite H. Klose) and go through your scales. I think I read once in a windplayer masterclass that if you can play through Baerman method 3 in less than an hour (the whole book), you'd have perfect articulation, etc. Don't know if there's much to that, but it's certainly a challenge to think about!:)
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-04-19 02:55
My opinion based on my own experience:
1)Tonguing: Do not tongue the reed tip. It changes the shape of reed and it needs a little time to get back to straight shape and causes tongue/finger mismatched movement. Tongue should touch the reed at a place about 1 cm from the tip.
2)Upper/lower teeth position: if upper teeth and lower lip placed nearly the same distance from the tip, reed cannot vibrate naturally since lower lip closes the reed/mouthpiece clearance and may lead to abnormal response.
3)Biting brings the same situation.
As to fingering, I found pros' opinions seem quite different from what I had thought for long. Followings are translations from Charles Neidich's book:
1)Fingers should be moved from 3rd joint.(not 1st or 2nd)
2)When right fingers are not used, do not place them near the keys. They should be placed rather high to enable their quick response.
3)Move fingers rather in a large fashion. If you try to move them in small fashion, you cannot avoid unnecessary stress at fingers and lists.(This is quite different from what most people think.)
4)Keep the right index finger off the key when not used and get ready to place it high.
5)Always relax fingers in a curved shape whether they are closing tone holes or not.
p.s. IMHO
1)One of my CD's cover picture shows Reginald Kell places his right index finger very high. I saw a picture Benny Goodman does the same thing. For long I thought they try to show themselves groovy. That was wrong.
2)A Louis Moyse( I play flute too) book writes not to place every fingers at a same distance from the tone holes as many players erroneously try since every finger has different weight, power, and inertia.
3)Kalmen Opperman's books give a systematic finger exiersises.
4)Percussionist finger exersise books are also very good not only for clarinet fingerings but also for keeping our (right-side) brains active.
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Author: Laura
Date: 2001-04-19 12:57
Thanks for the help. You've given me a lot to work with. I know it has been said many times before, but this board is a truly precious resource!
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-04-19 13:54
1. Slow, slow, slow, and very gradually speed up. Every time it is played with blemish the brain is conditioned to play it wrong, an it will have to be played ten times right to undo the conditioning damage.
2. I have benefitted from playing uneven (dotted) notes (dah, dit dah, dit dah, dit dah.... & dit dah, ditdah, dit dah......) before the even notes.
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