 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Becky
Date: 1999-10-20 16:35
Hi I'm playing Schumann's Fantasy-pieces and in the 1st mvmt. there is a very long passage where I can only breath in certain places. I am having a very hard time playing thru the whole passage without gasping for air. My teacher will not compromise. Any suggestions of how to strngthen your lung capacity and/or get thru that passage? ( mvmt.1, measures 27-36)Thanks alot.
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Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-10-20 19:33
Practice long tones. Every day. Lots of them.
You hit on the solution when you used the word "strengthen". By playing long tones you will be "working out" the muscles required to control your air flow (diaphram and stomach muscles). Practice using every available ounce of air in your lungs by trying this:
Take a deep breath and exhale it completely. Now play a note on your clarinet (with emptied lungs). Believe it or not, there's actuall some air still left in there (but not much). If you try, you can actually use that little bit of are to get the air column in your clarinet vibrating.
Now, did you feel your stomach muscles straining to push out that extra bit of air? That's how much "push" (support) you should be giving all the time. You'll find with time (practicing long tones) you will be more efficient with how use utilize your air. You may still occasionally have to take a huge breath to get though a phrase, but at least you will know how to control it and conserve it.
If you want more information on how long tones should be practiced, email me for some suggestions. Or post to the group.
Kevin Bowman
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Author: Connie
Date: 1999-10-21 00:10
OK, I'll bite (Just kidding!) Everyone talks about practicing long tones, but I'm not sure whether any old notes held for a long time will do, or if there is a more specific procedure. I need to improve my breath stamina, and I'd like a fuller tone, especially on the pianissimo passages. Any specific advice?
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Author: Rick2
Date: 1999-10-21 04:16
If you are having trouble with runs of sixteenth notes, you can sometimes turn the last four sixteenth notes into a quintuplet and take a quick breath on the last fifth of the beat without sounding bad. I'm not familiar with the piece so I don't know if you can get away with it there, but it's something for your bag of tricks.
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-10-21 04:55
Connie wrote:
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OK, I'll bite (Just kidding!) Everyone talks about practicing long tones, but I'm not sure whether any old notes held for a long time will do, or if there is a more specific procedure. I need to improve my breath stamina, and I'd like a fuller tone, especially on the pianissimo passages. Any specific advice?
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I like to take a scale and work my way up and down as many octaves as I am capable of playing. Hold each note as long as possible and really listen to the tone.
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Author: Kevin Bowman
Date: 1999-10-21 14:46
There is a book by a guy named Stubbins (why can't I remember his first name?). I think he used to teach at the University of Michigan. I think the title is something like "Daily Exercises for Clarinet" or "Daily Warmup ...". I've used it so much I have most of it memorized. Anyway, the long tone exercises are simple:
1) Pick a scale (I play a new scale every day, working up chromatically).
2) At a ridiculously slow speed (quarter = 48 or slower), play whole notes. Play the first note of the scale (the root) then the second, and return to the root, hold the final note out. Then play root, 3rd, root - root 4th root, etc. For two octaves.
3) repeat the whole thing an octave higher. This covers most of the range of the instrument.
As Stubbins points out, you can play all these mf, pp, ff, or cres/dim.
Next, on the same scale, play intervals, slowly (whole notes for each note).
1) play root, 12th, 15ma, 12th, root. example: Chalemeau E, Clarion B, clarion E than back down.
2) play all the 5ths and octaves. E-B-E'-B'-E"-B" etc.
That should give you a good start. There are so many things that can be done with long tones. If all else fails, buy the book (or another one with long tone exercises).
In the Movie "Wild Man Blues" - a documentary about Wooday Allen playing dixiland clarinet on tour in europe - there is a scene showing Woody playing long tones in the back of his limo. He ascends along a chromatic scale, spending time on each note to listen for intonation, tone, and vibrato (yes, you can use long tones to practice vibrato, too).
Hope this helps.
Kevin Bowman
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Author: John
Date: 1999-10-21 15:07
From my "intermission" as an oboe player, I learned that letting air out is just as important as getting air in for a long passage. If you watch oboe players, they will often push air out (a reverse breath) in the measure prior to taking a big breath. It works, and keeps your brain from fading, too.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-10-21 16:12
Kevin Bowman wrote:
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There is a book by a guy named Stubbins (why can't I remember his first name?). I think he used to teach at the University of Michigan.
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William Stubbins, who taught at U of Mich. for quite a long time. Invented a mechanism for the Bb clarinet similar to the Mazzeo mechanism.
Piansano Press of Troy, MI (who generously gave me permission to use those little "clarinet people" that decorate many of the pages here on Sneezy) publish Stubbins' books.
Piansano Press
5546 Falmouth
Troy, MI 48098
(810) 879-6346
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Author: Simone
Date: 1999-10-21 18:00
When I played this piece I took a breath in measure 27 after the G, a short one at the end of measure 33 (shorten the last eight)and one after the high C in measure 35. Hope the numbers are right.
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Author: Meri
Date: 1999-10-21 23:23
Yes, Becky, I know this piece; love it.
I assume you are talking about the string of eighths. For starters, take a good breath after the quarter note in the phrase that precedes it.
The other possible place to take a breath, if need be, is the suspended note before the second-last set of eighths.
Hope this helps!
Meri
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 1999-10-22 05:33
This is a specific advice. Read this book.'The art of breathing'. http://www.windplayer.com/gallery/abreath.html
Point is unlike old tactics to stick to long tone practice, people are now trying to learn from good voclaists. The above book is relied on by many singers. Can practice it without intruments and without monotonous long tone practice.
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Author: Margaret Copeland
Date: 1999-10-23 17:52
Hi,
I'd suggest the long tones as well. I do this everyday. I would start on the lowest note you can play easily, I work with a metronome clicking about 64 and my tuner. Play the note pp to ff for six counts, then ff to pp six counts, and the note pp to f for 20. Go to the next 1/2 note and up the scale as far as you can go and then around. This will make a big difference in your breath control in less than one week. Try to center each note with the tuner and hold it there. This is very hard to do starting ff (generally you'll overblow the note) but eventually you'll hear the note in your head first and make an automatic embouchure and airspeed adjustment to the tone. Then try octave jumps to see how you do. You'll find you'll acquire a great deal more abdominal support for the lowest notes as well as a dependable attack and even diminuendo. A lot of getting through a phrase isn't having a giant set of lungs but your ability to control how you release your airstream into your instrument.
Also check out Arnold Jacob's online lectures and his book, http://www.windsongpress.com/ and follow the links. I'm working on the Schumann Romances right now and breath excercises really improve my musicality and control.
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