 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2001-08-07 22:51
As a newly "regenerated" student. I have been trying to build up my "chops." They are no where near what they used to be. Today I practiced on my Bass, my Alto and my Bb Soprano. The Bass came easy (or seemingly so as it is my new love). The Alto also seemed to give me no problems, but my Bb Soprano is a real struggle. Self taught, no teacher (too old and mean to learn?) I am getting frustrated. I really don't have enough "feel" of the sound to know if what I am producing is a good tone or not. As I also wear hearing aids I am not sure of the EXACT sound I am producing. My good lady wife say's my Bass is "whooshy"---Me, I kinda like it. Should I continue to practice all three, or just concentrate on one per practice session? All comments appreciated (except "Quit").
Bob A
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Author: ~jerry
Date: 2001-08-08 01:49
Bob, I'm sure you have more time (to practice) than I do but for me, I cannot find more than 20-45 minutes a day to practice. Since I have upgraded to a Vandoren #3, my "chops" too, tire easily -- within 20 minutes of practice.
I cannot decide to continue all my practicing with the #3 and let the chops tire (and build endurance) or to do a little time-sharing -- a few minutes with #3's for endurance building and a few more with #2 1/2 for practicing the "music".
Oh well, we shall continue the struggle with the #3 for awhile longer and see how long it takes to build a little muscle.
Godd luck, Bob.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2001-08-08 02:26
Well,
For one, playing both bass clarinet and Bb while trying to get a good embouchure is not a good thing to do.
They are actually quite different and if the Bb needs much more all around pressure than the Bass.
My feeling is that once you have a firm and well set embouchure for the soprano you can always loosen it up for the bass, the opposite does not work well.
My advice is start practicing using the Bb, then when your chops are tired have a little fun with the bass. Spend more time on the Bb than on the bass.
I hate to say this, but if you need a teacher for one thing it is for the embouchure. It is extremely difficult to give good advice without seeing you play. But here is one anyways: I assume you have a few good books on embouchure, with picture, drawings. If it is the case, use a mirror and try to match your lips position/shape with the drawings/pictures. have it handy and surprise yourself looking in the mirror to see if something has change. Is the jaw moving while you tongue? while moving up and down registers?, etc....
Hope this helps, have fun practising!
-S
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-08-08 09:12
I play sop sax, (soprano) clarinet, and alto sax. I found it nearly impossible to play clarinet after playing sop sax for say an hour but I can play sop sax after playing clarinet. This may come from the fact that lip pressure is bigger on a smaller mouthpiece with the same jaw force.(a smaller bore horn has a higher inside pressure but this is related to exhaling not chops).
Before I newly picked up sop and alto saxes, I did not play clarinet for several years concentrating on flute. When I switched back to clarinet, I needed almost three(3) months to get my embouchure strength judged by my sound.
Although my experiences do not include alto and bass clarinets, these may suggest a practice option for a come back player: practice first a few months mainly sop clarinet to get back old days chops.and after that practice all three evenly. During each practice session, it would be more effective to play in the order of bass, alto, and sop clarinets, i.e. tiresome one later. IMHO.
You recognize your sop clarinet sound problem induced by chops correctly. A recording machine may ascertain it.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-08-08 15:05
Sylvain wrote:
> Well,
> For one, playing both bass clarinet and Bb while trying to get a good
> embouchure is not a good thing to do.
> They are actually quite different and if the Bb needs much more all around
> pressure than the Bass.
I'm guessing my flute, clarinet, contralto clarinet, alto sax, bari sax, and low brass combination is a very bad idea? (Too late now... At least the clarinet is one of my most fluent.)
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Author: beejay
Date: 2001-08-08 16:43
Bob,
You strike a chord. I have been looking forward to my new basset horn for months. But the only sounds I can get out of it resemble a kind of distant fog horn. Where am I going wrong? It is all very depressing.
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