 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Sneakers
Date: 2003-06-12 05:35
I have just started playing the bass clarinet and am having problems getting the clarion register to speak when I tongue. It works fine when I slur and I don't have any problems with the chalumeau register when I am tonguing. Does anyone have any idea what might be the problem?![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: allencole
Date: 2003-06-12 05:39
I had tremendous problems around high G and F# when I first started out. I really had to learn to open up, and even now it's still difficult to tongue those notes. Also, my Yamaha 221 only has one register vent.
What model horn are you playing? The nicer models (usually wooden) with dual register vents are often more responsive.
Allen Cole
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: javier garcia m
Date: 2003-06-12 14:40
Clarion register is difficult, specially between F and A. Try to open your mouth cavity and loose your embochure. In my experience, reeds also help, so try different brands untill you find the reed that works good for you.
and practice, practice, practice
good luck with your bass, is the best of the clarinet family!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2003-06-12 15:08
The quality of the bass clarinet makes a difference in how easily these "problem" notes play. I learned how to play them--G, G# & A--on a Bundy Resonite, but when I first tried them I experianced the same difficulties you describe. However, after switching to my new Buffet low C model, those notes speak almost as easily as on my regular soprano clarinets.
It is all in the breath support and embouchure control, really. My good friend who has played with the Easman Wind Ensemble as well as many NYC pro groups (and is a phenominal jazz sax artist as well), talks of "placing" those probematic notes rather than "putting" them as in normal articulative style. To me (the relative amature) that means a more gentle articulation than is normally used for the other registers of the clarinet--and that concept seems to work for me. With a feeling of "placement" (and the use of alternative fingerings above C5) I can staccato tongue a complete C major scale from the lowest C up to G5--and sometimes (with luck) beyond. The concept of articulative "placement" of clarion G, G# and A works for me--hope it helps you.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: lowclarinetman
Date: 2003-06-12 21:24
This is one of the biggest problems begginer bass clarinetist face. It is good that you have managed to solve the problem while sluring. My advice is to not change anythign in your embochure.. if you can play the notes slured.. try to just let the tounge interrupt the air stream. I know easier said than done, but this is how i do it.
I change nothign in the embochure from the low C to the highest note i play. My guess is that you are probably overly worried about the note sounding and are tensing when trying to articulate these notes.
a relaxed throat while it is a very good thing to have, as it improves sound greatly will not necessarily solve the problem.
practice slowly... my favorite excercise for this works in both legato and articulation... play the highest note u can articulate cleaning all the time.(probably the E or F on top of staff) the slowly articulate up in half steps always going back to the note u hit perfectly every time... do this in front of a mirror and notice that you are most likely changing something... then don't. again easier said than done.. it took me a good long while to perfect this.
softer reeds help while learning this.. i used a fibracell medium hard while i was fixing this... it is certainly much more difficult if u are playing a harder reed.
well this is about all the advice i can give without seeing what you are doing exactly. good luck and let me know how it works out.
ciao
bob
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Sneakers
Date: 2003-06-13 18:09
Thanks for your responses. I haven't had a chance to try your suggestions yet, but I will let you know how things go when I do.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: MGarrison
Date: 2003-06-22 19:31
Hi Sneakers
I would like to second the point about reeds. I have had very similar problems to you with my Vito BC which I have been playing about 5 months.
I had been using Vandoren blue box BC reeds size 2.5 but had only gone through 1 box (I play soprano most of the time). I just bought a new box of reeds (the same kind) and to my amazement it is making a world of difference and I can reach the high notes far more comfortably, I put an old box reed back on to double check and sure enough the problems started again.
I am kind of suprised that there is so much difference between reeds and am still not exactly sure what the problem was, were they too soft, too hard, a bad batch? But you might want to try some different reeds just in case.
Marina
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2003-06-24 12:57
when i started playing bass clarinet i had a vito and i didn't realize why i sound so bad and most of the nites were so hard to make. then i got a buffet bass clarinet i couldn't believe the difference! i personally think that even for beginners it's better to play a good instrument.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-06-24 16:14
In trying out/repairing student [Vito, Bundy etc] BC's, I have found some that have poor top-of-staff response, but my greatest complaint re: plastics in general, is the highly UNeven responses in the lower clarion, B,C, D et al, vs the adjacent notes. This requires [me] to vary embouchure/volume for best sounds. This quickly sent me looking among the pro horns for Double [or Triple] Register/pinch Bb Keying configurations to achieve more EVEN clarion responses. Having heard good reports of Selmer's Model 30's [1960-70's] low Eb's [low C's also?], I found one within my price range, and after some pad work and DRK adjustments, it is very good in these aspects, and capable of better playing than I can give it!! There are a number of US patents specifically related to this keywork, the latest being to Yamaha, but have not yet seen this structure in commercial use, would much like to try it! Thots on an important topic. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
