The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Fandy
Date: 2004-09-21 16:27
I would like to ask that how to play a sound more far away?
It seems that I play the sound so soft and sometimes in the performance, the audiance cannot hear what I play!!!
What should I do to improve it?
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-09-21 19:43
Playing "far away" does not necessarily mean softly. If the composer/arranger wanted that, "pp" would do the job.
A "far away" sound should seem somewhat hollow, *not* "projected" with a strong, immediate sound.
MOO. You will no doubt see other opinions on this topic which has been discussed previously.
Regards,
John
PS: You could always just walk off the stage and play from the Green Room. Best to check with the conductor first.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-09-21 21:04
Mysterioso might also describe a "far away" sound. Haunting.......as if coming from afar and waifting gently on the ear........
I would say medium soft would suffice for volume. It's really more the character or feeling you put into your tambre. It's hard to describe via cyberspace. Perhaps some others can do a better job--these are just my thoughts (from far away). Good luck.
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Author: donald
Date: 2004-09-21 21:15
i think that Fandy is asking us how can he/she project the sound out so that it can be heard better from "far away".... not how to play so that it sounds like it is comming from far away (my ESL radar has been activated, sorry Fandy if you come from Texas!)
how to play soft but still have "presence"/projection= not an easy thing to describe over the internet. go for it guys....
donald
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-09-21 21:30
Fandy -
Here's what I wrote a year ago:
Playing louder involves two things -- actual volume, and getting more energy in your sound.
More volume is actually not difficult. Here's an exercise that appeared in the Leblanc Bell magazine, which I've recommended several times, and best of all it costs nothing.
Stuff a balled-up cotton swab or handkerchief up the bell, finger middle B and blow hard. You'll get a dreadful sounding middle Eb (approximately). Work on it, dropping your jaw and blowing harder and harder untill you get an almost normal tone.
Then find the higher overtones and practice bugle calls.
Finally, pull out the swab. You'll get about twice as much volume as before. It takes some practice to learn to let enough air go through without using the swab first, but it's definitely doable.
Making a more energetic sound is a longer term proposition. It involves getting enough air, and then voicing the sound with your tongue and soft palate and finding a "ping" of high frequency. See http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=43807&t=43777 .
Then, combine the two. Get the recordings of Pablo Casals playing the Bach Solo Celllo Suites. Play the first 5 seconds of one, and then match his emotional and tonal intensity. Do the same thing with John McCormack and other great singers.
There's more at http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=59103&t=58998 . In particular, you should to to the links to Arnold Jacobs materials.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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