 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Paula Purpura
Date: 2003-01-17 16:28
hi all!
this is my first post to this group, but it seems like some very knowlegeable people hang around here. in any case, i'm hoping somebody can offer some help on a playing problem.
i am a member of the placentia community band and we have begun rehearsing 2 new pieces that have some very difficult trills. the first trill is from Bb (throat) to D and requires crossing the break. the second is from B to C# (on the staff) and requires alternating pinkies.
does anybody know any alternate fingerings or other tricks that might help us play these well?
thanks in advance,
paula
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Author: Nick
Date: 2003-01-17 16:57
The Bb to D tremolo is indeed very awkward writing for the clarinet. The only thing I could suggest on that is holding your rh fingers down while playing the Bb. The B to C# isn't hard at all (by comparison). Just hold down the B with your rh pinky and trill to B# with your left hand pinky. Hope this helps..... Nick
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Author: Mitch K.
Date: 2003-01-17 17:12
I can offer you some tips, but they're not pretty.
For the tremolo from Bb to D I suggest this: Leave the fingers of your right had down (as if fingering the D) even while playing the Bb. The timbre and intonation of the Bb will be altered slightly, but it's rarely good to begin with.
For the trill from B to C# I suggest this: Always leave your left pinkie down. The C# will still speak even though, again, the pitch and timbre are not as good as usual.
The tremolo will need to be practiced like everything else: slowly, to make sure that both notes speak when you want them to, and so that the fingers are precisely coordinated.
Best of luck,
Mitch King
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Author: William
Date: 2003-01-17 20:49
That Bb to D tremolo is a result of an arranger/orchestrator not being very knowlegable regarding clarinet technique. I would think about re-editing it further by: 1) playing it down an octave (still awkward but ma non troppo) 2) start the tremolo on 4th line D upward to another note within the harmony of the moment; 3) if the conductor insists on the written notes, play it as 16th notes (or 8th notes if need be) 4) make it into a trill--Bb/C (top rh side trill key) or 5) do as my old college band director would often say, "Transpose it up an octave and leave it out."
(I probably would opt for solution #3--as fast and evenly as I could play Bb/D--sign the green sheet and forget about it)
In any case, Good Luck!!! (some arrangers should go back to instrumental techniques 101)
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Author: Paula Purpura
Date: 2003-01-17 23:49
my thanks to those who have responded. i'll be trying your suggestions as i practice this weekend.
paula
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Author: John Scorgie
Date: 2003-01-18 05:31
If this is an exposed passage and the director insists that it be played as written, you could borrow an A clarinet which will make the tremolos easy B-D# and C-D.
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2003-01-18 07:51
William wrote: "still awkward but ma non troppo"
Just thought I'd point out that but = ma in Italian!
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