 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinetplayer
Date: 2003-03-02 03:14
Hi, I'm am in 8th grade an I play the clarinet. I moved to different state after 7th grade. This school year we tune every day in band and I am almost always flat! We almost never tuned at my old school so I don't know if I have always been playing flat. When I try something else with my emboshure, I'm in tune when tuned for a few day, but hen I'm flat again. My band director told me to get a higher strength reed earlier in the school year, so I did. I was in tune for a day olr two, then I was flat again! Again, I went up i/2 a size(now at a 3 reed) and I was in tune for a few days, then I went flat. My band director told me to go to a 3 1/2, but am I going to go flat after few days again? I'm pretty sure my embosure is correct an my air stream. I got my instrument new at the beginning of the school year(being August). I wish we were tuned everday at my old school. After looking at websites, I think maybe a ned a shorter barrel. But why am I sometimes in tune, and sometimes flat throughout rehearsals? I think I sound in tune when I practice at home most of th time hough. We have band practice at 9:15 a.m. everyday. At our band concert while warming up, we played our tuning notes( C ,open G, over the break C)and I was in tune. Thanks for everyone's help!!!
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2003-03-02 03:49
Invest in an inexpensive tuner and work with it. (The tuner will show the concert pitch note, if you play a C, it will show B flat.) The Korg CA-30 is often sold mail order for around $20.
A shorter barrel will help if all of the joints are pushed together and you are still flat.
Your pitch will change as the instrument warms up, especially on these cold winter days.
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Author: PJ
Date: 2003-03-02 06:03
Going to a stronger reed will only make you bite down harder, which will cause problems when you begin to learn how to play higer notes. Have you noticed that you "squeak" more when you start playing on the harder reeds?
Some things to focus on:
1) Make sure your pointing your chin to the floor.
2) Try to make an "O" with the corners of your mouth.
3) Try tightening your upper lip.
These things should help and will keep you from biting down on the reed making you squeak. The instrument you are playing 'should' be in tune, so I'm not so sure a shorter barrel will help you improve as I'm thinking the problem lies within your embouchure. Invest in an inexpensive tuner and make sure you practice with it at home. Try looking at www.wwbw.com or www.muncywinds.com as these sites carry the inexpensive ones.
Good luck!
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2003-03-02 07:58
I suggest warming up a bit more before you try and tune. When you warm up you will find that the horn raises a little in pitch. Get to class and start blowing right away instead of visiting with friends before class. That may be enough to get you to where you can lip it up.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2003-03-02 14:27
Perhaps the band you were in before always played a bit flat so that's how you learned to hear the notes. Thus your ear takes you back to what you were used to and that may be why the change only works for a little while.
If this is the case, you will need to work diligently to train your ear and brain to hear it at the proper pitch by working diligently with a tuner.
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Author: clarinetplayer
Date: 2003-03-02 15:28
Well, everyday at the stat of class,we do long tones, tonging, and 7 scales. Usually, almost al of the other clarinet players are in tune. Dee, it never occured to me that the band at my old school could have been a bit flat and that's how I hear he notes! P.J, I have squeaked a bit more when going to a harder reed. But what I also notice, is that I can get really high notes to come out wth a 3 reed, when I couldn't with a 2 1/2. I still have a 21/2 in my clarinet case and I eem to sound more flat on the2 1/2 then on 3's. The other clarinet players in our band play on 2 1/2. The person thatsits next was kind of surprised when the band director said to try a 3 1/2. Maybe I should experiement with the 2 1/2 reed. I should get a tuner too. Tahnks for everyone's help!! .....clarinetplayer
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Author: clarinetplayer
Date: 2003-03-02 15:29
Well, everyday at the start of class,we do long tones, tonging, and 7 scales. Usually, almost al of the other clarinet players are in tune. Dee, it never occured to me that the band at my old school could have been a bit flat and that's how I hear he notes! P.J, I have squeaked a bit more when going to a harder reed. But what I also notice, is that I can get really high notes to come out wth a 3 reed, when I couldn't with a 2 1/2. I still have a 21/2 in my clarinet case and I eem to sound more flat on the2 1/2 then on 3's. The other clarinet players in our band play on 2 1/2. The person thatsits next was kind of surprised when the band director said to try a 3 1/2. Maybe I should experiement with the 2 1/2 reed. I should get a tuner too. Thanks for everyone's help!! .....clarinetplayer
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Author: Stephanie
Date: 2003-03-02 21:02
Well, I say that it is your embouchure. If were you, I wouldn't go to a 3 1/2. adjust your embouchure,like how P.J. said. Do get a tuner. Goodluck ![[happy]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley12.gif) ....~Stephanie~a.k.a. Angel![[right]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie8.gif)
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Author: Jerry
Date: 2003-03-02 22:07
Every clarinet student/player should have a tuner...and devote part of their practice session to using it. A Seiko ST757 costs around $30 and you can set it for a B flat clarinet...it shows the exact note you are playing...you don't have to transpose. It also tunes in C, E flat, and F. You can look up places that sell it on the internet by typing the make and model in Google.
When you use the tuner, you will notice that when you play loud, you will play flatter than when you play soft. When you are tuning up with the band are you playing the "C" somewhat loud? Practicing long tones with a tuner, from soft to loud to soft again is a great thing to to. You will eventually be able to sense when you need to tighten your embrouchure a bit when you play louder so that you are not as flat, and to loosen it a little(or a lot) when you play softer so you will not be sharp, all to stay as nearly perfectly in tune as possible throughout your dynamic range.
Does anyone out there have a benchmark of how closely in tune (number of cents, plus or minus) would be a good goal for a first, second, third year student? I know the goal is perfection, but what is a reasonable target? What do you teachers say would be "ok for now?"
Jerry
The Villages, FL
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Author: Beer Can
Date: 2003-03-03 00:01
You should find a private teacher and probably could use a decent mouthpiece. working with a tuner is a good idea but you will be able to change pitch if you watch tuner while playing. someone else should ideally monitor the tuner and help you along.
Dan
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Author: Jerry
Date: 2003-03-03 00:33
Looking at and understanding the readings on a good tuner is not rocket science. The most immediate feedback occurs between the student and the tuner, not with the intervention of a third party. It is similar to biofeedback. The brain and embrouchure instinctively and immediately make adjustments in response to the needle or lights on the meter. Pretty soon, the brain goes away (figuratively speaking, of course) - instead of "thinking" that "the meter says I'm sharp, I better loosen my enbrouchure", the response to the meter becomes automatic and immediate. With enough (months/years?) of 5 minutes of practice time with the meter per practice session, the ear and our memory will be better trained to make adjustments even without the meter.
Someone else interpreting the tuner's readings for a student just delays the perception and response of the student adjusting to the correct pitch - even if that person is a good teacher. At the same time, a teacher can help the student with the initial use of the meter and how to play sharper or flatter with the use of the embrouchure - plus understand and help the student adjust to the "bad news" that many notes on the clarinet are naturally sharper or flatter than others, and need more or less adjustment by the player. But most of the time spent with the meter should be during private practice sessions.
Jerry
The Villages, FL
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Author: PJ
Date: 2003-03-03 00:42
Here's a thought to ponder, you might possibly want to try pulling the horn inward toward your stomach a bit. I've had students in the past the felt like they had to hold their horn just like Benny Goodman. I'll be willing to bet that holding your horn at a closer angle to your body will improve your pitch as well (even if it is by a small amount).
When talking about amount of "cents" to shoot for as a goal on the tuner, If perfection can't be acheived, try to shoot for at least 5 cents. If you get there and find that you just can't get any closer no matter how hard you try, then I would be willing to bet that pulling out at the barrel by 1mm or so will make it come in tune. Also, a good mouthpiece is a worthwhile investment. I like the Fobes Debut for my beginners.
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Author: clarinetplayer
Date: 2003-03-03 02:39
I think bringing the horn toward me more might help! I do sometimes catch myself with it away from me too much. Maybe part of the reason I'm in tune, when I actually am, is probably becuase I have my horn more toward me. I'll definatly need to get a tuner and I probably hould get a better mouth piece. I probably wouldn't be so flat al the time if we tuned everyday in 5-7 grade, o at least if my band teacher would have told me I sounded flat. But, this could be a reason.... I have a new instrument this school year( a different brand) and I buy a different kind of reeds. So maybe I was in tune the years before. Well, thanks fr everyon's help!!! It's much apreciated! ...clarinetplayer
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Author: poob
Date: 2003-03-03 22:28
this will definetily solve your problem with your clarinet, and all of the advice that you have been given are useless.
1. place clarinet on solid table, with 2 inches of the horn off the edge.
2. use a saw (any type works) and carefully saw off the two ****ing inches
3. solved
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Author: clarinetplayer
Date: 2003-03-04 01:03
ummm. sorry poob, but I'm not going to take that advice. I don't want to saw off any bit of my horn! Actually, everyone else's advice IS usefull. ...Calrinetplayer
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2003-03-04 14:36
Have you tried borrowing one of your classmates clarinets? Stick your
mouthpiece on it and see what happens. Or just try borrowing one of their
barrels and see what happens.
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