 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: luca1
Date: 2011-08-21 23:06
My Jack Russell has been showing a new behaviour pattern. He has always liked curling up on the sofa whilst I practice, and usually falls asleep quite contentedly. Recently however, whenever a tongue a passage rather than slur it he begins to cry or whine. I have tested this by playing the exact thing alternating with and without articulation. He only is upset by the tongued passages...obviously it is not the pitch that upsets him. Has anyone else noticed this with their pet?
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2011-08-21 23:51
Our old, uhm, hybrid started to howl when I played the harmonica. And it wasn't the "man with the harmonica" theme, the dawg made no difference between Beethoven or folk tunes. Sat down and started howling.
Might not be the tune or base frequence as is, but rather some overtone we humans don't even hear. Not impossible that staccato produces attack overtones that make canine nerves tingle as well.
--
Ben
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2011-08-22 03:06
Our dog does the same thing when I play the John Cage Sonata or most anything on Eb Clarinet (especially Symphonie Fantastique). Ben's assumption could be hitting it dead on though. Sounds like someone should do a study
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2011-08-22 12:48
When I was a child, my brother's runt Cocker Spaniel used to "sing along" with both the clarinet and the piano. Mostly she gave out long, soulful howls, with her eyes half-closed. I had the impression she was indeed singing, the way wolves in a pack sing together, because she would pitch her voice in dissonant harmony with the clarinet. When I played staccato, though, sometimes instead of howling she'd chirp!
Shadow Cat reacted to the clarinet by leaving. Jane Feline loves it and sometimes even sticks her head up the bell. FYI, a cat head up the bell lowers the clarinet's pitch half a tone.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Chetclarinet
Date: 2011-08-22 13:17
I think that dogs are bothered by the harmonic partials of the clarinet, which differ from other instruments, sounds, etc. These partials are odd numbered and produce very high pitch harmonics that dogs can hear. We clarinetists use these harmonics as a basis of our technique, but dogs can hear the super high ones easily. In short, the more focused the clarinet sound, the more harmonics are being produced and the dog howls!
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2011-08-22 13:40
As Beecham would say- the dog is a music critic.
richard smith
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Author: TianL
Date: 2011-08-22 14:40
i've always hoped that my turtle would do something as i play but too bad she has no reaction to any type of music whatsoever.
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Author: ThatPerfectReed
Date: 2011-08-22 15:02
I could be entirely wrong; moreover it would be hard to prove I'm right, but I'd like to approach this from the instinctive behavior of the animal.
Likely, in your dog's mind, you are higher ranking--if not the alpha dog in your pup's pack. Your clarinet playing may seem like nothing more to your pooch than its pack leader vocalizing its presence for territorial/mating reasons; no differently than the howling of wolves, from which dogs share common lineage.
Some breed of dogs instictively join in the singing, others do not.
It's certainly possible that harmonics could be bothering your dog's ears--but you report it happens only on the staccato. Maybe your staccato is seen by the animal as the mental equivalent in its mind of you-wait for it....becoming hoarse/weak/sick--which upsets your pooch, (Jack Russell's are known for their sensitivity) and its instictive concern for survival of the pack and pack leader, joining in the territorial cry to compensate for the pack leader's perceived inadequacy (staccato being the equivalent of your howl being broken up by a weak voice) or even challenge the pack leaders position--a notion your dog hasn't considered with you prior.
See if exerting your dominion over the pooch (without physical punishment), letting it know that you're "top dog" gets this behavior to stop.
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2011-08-22 15:48
I attended a lecture by Professor Pyne at Ohio State earlier this year, and although the details are little fuzzy, I believe he said that he did on study on "attacks" and found that every time we attack a note, the higher harmonics are apparent at the beginning of the attack. I'm not sure if that is exactly what he said (I guess I should've paid more attention :P), but that's just what I remember.
Maybe your dog is hearing these higher harmonics every time you tongue a note and doesn't like hearing them?
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2011-08-22 15:53
lol. This is awesome. I actually recorded video of my dogs' reactions to when I FIRST played my clarinet around them (it was about three days after adopting them). I'll put it up on youtube at some point.
Mine only start to whine with the higher notes (altissimo E and up), not the articulation. If you want it to stop you can either keep doing it and they'll eventually realize that whining will NOT stop the action and they'll either accept it or move to another room, or you can use the classic conditioning. Have someone feed or drop treats on the ground while playing staccato so they associate the staccato with treats and start looking FORWARD to it.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-08-22 18:31
That's not so bad, my wife and colleagues do the same thing when I play staccato. LOL. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-08-22 20:43
The Beecham story, which is too good not to repeat, comes from a performance of Aida, in which the Triumphal March included a small elephant. Of course, it dropped an enormous "elephant pie" on the stage, bring the performance to a halt. Beecham turned to the audience and said, "A distressing incident, ladies and gentlemen, but GAD what a critic!"
More seriously, Jack Russells are famously sensitive and excitable, and yours may be telling you something important -- that you're "attacking" your staccatos with a heavy tongue stroke and a puff of air. Play a mezzo forte note (say clarion G) put your right hand on your belly and tongue staccatos. Any belly pulsation, and any extra, non-tone sound when the sound starts, is a problem.
Play the note and stop the reed vibration with just the tip of your tongue, maintaining full breath pressure. Then move your tongue tip away from the reed, letting the tone start again without any extra transient noise. Think of "releasing" the pent-up tone that's already there, rather than starting it. The dog will let you know when you're doing it right.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Leanne E.
Date: 2011-08-22 23:21
To my female cat's dismay, I have recently extended my range to perform a Woody Herman solo. She hates the clarinet in general, staccato, slurred, low, high...why am I making such horrendous noise when I could be doing something important, like feeding her?
The male cat, however only reacts to the altissimo range. When I play some of the higher notes, he stands near me, wide eyed and searching as if to say, "I hear you, darlin'! Where are you?"
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-08-23 17:28
I've had many Jack Russells in the past. They have strong opinions on most topics, including musical instrument playing.
My current cats prefer legato playing, but they are not terribly picky about it. They do tend to find another room to hang out in whenever I'm playing something.
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Author: Dileep Gangolli
Date: 2011-08-23 18:27
May I suggest that you slur everything.
Dog's happy, wife's happy, you're happy.
Post Edited (2011-08-23 18:28)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-08-23 19:07
Better yet, switch to theremin, where staccato is impossible and everything is a gliss. ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
Ken Shaw
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Author: spage
Date: 2011-08-24 07:32
In general I'm with the harmonics thoughts. If it's recent I'd also wonder if there's something changing in the dog's hearing. It was easier with my cats - I knew they were losing their hearing when they no longer left the house (even in winter) if I got the Eb out!
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Author: dtiegs
Date: 2011-08-24 11:07
I think that the clarinet has somewhat ruined our lives.
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Author: Jwinn
Date: 2011-08-24 12:26
Huh....interesting...my daughter and husband cry and whine when *I* play staccato. Come to think of it, sometimes *I* cry and whine when I hear myself play staccato.
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Author: luca1
Date: 2011-08-24 15:06
Thank you for all the interesting answers. I think the dog's reaction is either as Ken Shaw has hinted at, an improper "attack" on my part creating some tension which he senses, or harmonics generated by the reed when restricted by the tongue.
I'd like to note that our other Jack Russell, when he still had hearing (he's 16 now) used to howl to just one recording: Dusty Springfield's version of Look of Love. ... any other artist covering the same song did not elicit a response, and none of Dusty's other tracks made the slightest impression on him. Curious creatures!!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2011-08-25 11:26
The dog has been watching the "Frasier" reruns and wants more respect.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2011-08-25 18:57
>>Better yet, switch to theremin, where staccato is impossible and everything is a gliss. >>
Nope. I've had a chance to try a theremin twice, once at a science fiction convention and once in somebody's home. In the home, that instrument set off every dog in the neighborhood! Never heard such barkification. I think the theremin must've been singing some très rude lyrics in Low Canine.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: senior
Date: 2011-08-26 22:27
I have 2 dogs. When I play guitar, they both curl up and go to sleep. When I play clarinet, one dog stays and the other moves to the far end of the room and both go to sleep. When I play sax, they both leave the room before I play the first note. Maybe it's the sound or maybe it's their opinion of my playing.
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Author: RyanD
Date: 2011-09-01 00:29
Cute stories. My puppies are about 5 and 3 and neither of them whine from my playing however they do interupt my studies when they have to go potty
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Author: MSK
Date: 2011-09-02 02:02
The shelty we owned when I was high school age howled whenever I played high notes on either the clarinet or the violin, but wasn't bothered by the same notes on the piano.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2011-09-02 04:08
Our cat will tolerate the clarinet and sax but leaves to room at high velocity at the sound of a flute.
Tony F.
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