 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-07 03:30
My oldest son had the pleasure of performing for Andrew Marriner today in a masterclass and the main comment he gave my son was to "relax your neck muscles". Tension in those muscles adversely affects your tone. Time to use the mirror again!
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Author: SWTClarinet
Date: 2002-03-07 03:46
Heh, Dr. Pino has been telling me that since I started school at SWT with him as a lessons teacher. He's right, it tends to choke off and thin out your tone, as well as affects the speakability of certain notes, especially the altissimo. He finally told me that my tone was sounding really great today when I played the "Polacca" from Weber's 2nd Con. for a lot of my music major peers. Apparently one of my colleagues in the studio didn't feel the same because a source told me this one person was cutting (or trying to) my performance to shreds. I didn't quite understand why he was doing this, perhaps he is nervous about competing with me in the Concerto Competition. He's playing the Copland (slow movement) decently, and I only say this because having focussed my playing on diaphragm support, I feel he is poorly lacking any. Sorry about the rant Mark, just that I was perturbed by this incident when I was the only person from the entire studio who even volunteered and offered to play for any of the distinguished student recitals. Anyways, I'll step down hehe!
My two-hundreths of a dollar's worth
Joey
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Author: Jim
Date: 2002-03-07 09:19
I saw Larry Teal do this woth a small toned saxophone student and it worked for me for all my teaching years. Stand in back of the player, lightly place your fingers at the sides of the neck and have the student play. Skip the long tones at first try. This lets you know the pressure of the mucscles in the throat. I told the player "relax" and it seemed to work. The mirror trick never seemed to work for me. Guess I was to ugly to look carefully.
Just a suggestion. Jim(M)
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Author: jez
Date: 2002-03-07 10:10
The study of Alexander technique goes into this problem in great detail, concentrating on relaxation and posture. It was originally devised to help actors and singers to project their voices but I guess it can't be bad for wind players too.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-03-07 12:03
My head is perched, at the best of times in unstable equilibvrium, upon my spine.
It is my neck muscles that keep it there in a stable position.
If I relax them all, my head flops down to my chest and either my soft palate is impaled on the mouthpiece or I undergo a tonsilectomy.
Ouch! And I don't need that blood as bore oil! Hehe!
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-07 15:00
Cute, Gordon ...
I think that while Gordon exaggerates the "relaxation" just a bit ;^), those of you with that particular problem will understand.
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2002-03-07 15:39
Gordon said, in part: "My head is perched, at the best of times in unstable equilibvrium, upon my spine." And therin lies the problem--especially for those who wear bi-focals and play Bass. I have noticed if I am not careful with my stand placement I find my head canted backwards in order to see past the neck. Boy, does this tighten your neck muscles quickily, to the point of fatigue. Sit correctly, focus properly (with "special" glasses if necessary,) but don't let your head hang backwards.
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Author: SWTClarinet
Date: 2002-03-07 17:46
Hey Mark,
Yeah we must be "stately" neighboors. What part of the Austin/San Marcos area are you from?
I do like Gordon's explaination of how it's impossible to completely relax the neck muscles. What I've learned/discovered in my 4 semesters of college is that you have to think of the internal relaxation rather than total relaxation.
I try to psychologically tell myself to relax the inside of my muscles, through various forms (some of which include simulating a yawning position), while still supporting my over-working (and sometimes oversized hehe) head.
My two hundreths of a dollar's worth
Joey
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-03-07 18:02
I work at the IBM Austin Tech Center on Braker, and live near the corner of 620 and 2222 when I'm in Texas.
I live near the corner of Taft and 9 Mile in Novi, Michigan when I'm home ...
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Author: Jim S.
Date: 2002-03-07 18:41
Another opinion re the throat: In the James Gholson interview in "Australian Clarinet and Saxophone", Robert Marcellus said in response to Gholson's question, "What misconceptions do you feel exist in the teaching of the clarinet?": "Mostly horrible sound!" Gholson: "Yes, you talked about a wide, open throat." Marcellus: "Well, that's death to a beautiful sound."
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Author: willie
Date: 2002-03-08 06:46
Maybe the acute relaxation of Gordon's neck muscles the result of too much of that Kiwi beer? Willie (running and hiding)
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-03-08 11:59
LOL. Didn't somebody ask for more humour in the forum?
I barely touch the stuff. That's why I con't have a pot belly and still leap about like a teenager.
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Author: richfong
Date: 2002-03-09 14:24
Shoulder!
Mr. Andrew Simon always told me, "shoulder down" or "relax your shoulder".......
Same effect, I think.
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