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Re: Playing LOUDER!!

Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-05-01 21:50

Red -

Playing louder involves two things -- actual volume, and getting more energy in your sound.

More volume is actually not difficult. Here's an exercise that appeared in the Leblanc Bell magazine, which I've recommended several times, and best of all it costs nothing.

Stuff a balled-up cotton swab or handkerchief up the bell, finger middle B and blow hard. You'll get a dreadful sounding middle Eb (approximately). Work on it, dropping your jaw and blowing harder and harder untill you get an almost normal tone.

Then find the higher overtones and practice bugle calls.

Finally, pull out the swab. You'll get about twice as much volume as before. It takes some practice to learn to let enough air go through without using the swab first, but it's definitely doable.

Making a more energetic sound is a longer term proposition. It involves getting enough air, and then voicing the sound with your tongue and soft palate and finding a "ping" of high frequency. See http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=43807&t=43777 .

Then, combine the two. Get the recordings of Pablo Casals playing the Bach Solo Celllo Suites. Play the first 5 seconds of one, and then match his emotional and tonal intensity. Do the same thing with John McCormack and other great singers.

There's more at http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=59103&t=58998 . In particular, you should to to the links to Arnold Jacobs materials.

Best regards.

Ken Shaw

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Playing LOUDER!! new

Redhedclrnetist

2003-05-01 20:49