The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-10-11 01:15
Okay folks, here's a stumper where even my fancy 18 key clarinet won't help.
Page 36 of Hite's Baermann III book has a second ending of a drill (the C Sharp Minor drill) with the following sequence. Chalemeau C# to low chalemeau E to low chalemeau G# to chalemeau C#. Trying the 18th key here just makes the sliding maneuver worse. Hite recommends the left pinky finger for the low E, but how can I quickly and effectively slide from the C# left pinky position to the low chalemeau E position with the same finger in a fast slur? It's the only choice for 17 key horns and it's apparently the best way to fetch the fingerings on the 18 key horn, but how is the sequence done, especially smoothly and quickly?
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Author: Ray Swing
Date: 1999-10-11 02:45
I don't know the particular drill you refer to but if I had to play the sequence you specify, I would do it as follows:
C# to E(Right Pinky finger, then immediately shift to E using the left pinky finger, then to G#(Right Pinky, then to C#(Left Pinky). Practice this a bit and you will see how fast and smooth the transition becomes.
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-10-11 05:07
You mean instead of sliding, I should do a quick finger transfer? I tried it a few times, and boy was it tricky. But, that's what the drill is all about, along with countless other drills in this book. Broken arpeggios are great for bringing out the devil in the horn. Guess I'll have to work on this one very slowly to build up smoothness in the eventually quick finger transfer technique.
And I thought that sleight of hand only belonged to magicians...
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Author: John
Date: 1999-10-12 02:35
Some clarinets will produce a C# with the right first two fingers added to the D fingering. Using this for the first C# works on paper. Unfortunately, it's very stuffy on my clarinet.
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-10-13 21:46
John may have a good point here. I'm sure it will be hotly debated, but the concept on paper looks plausible. From what my pro tutor has shown me, there are lots of rarely tested alternate fingerings that can help a player out in a fast pinch. The trick is to spend the time to find them and then make them work for your horn and for your conditions. You won't find these fingerings in the standard fingering charts. You just have to experiment and jot down what seems to have a chance and what doesn't. That's why I like the Ridenour Fingering Book. He had several blank pages with the clarinet key diagram so each player can add some fingerings of their own invention to their copy of the book. Now, that's a fine example of foresight into the art of the clarinet.
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