 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2003-08-07 01:54
I have a student who's got (almost suddenly) a problem overblowing certain notes over A4 (I think...TR12...I can NEVER keep octave designations straight!). The problem starts on that A and exists mostly on notes the next D up and above. I can not figure out what the problem is because it's so inconsistent. One minute it'll be fine, the next, he's up on the REALLY high A when trying to play a D...
I keep thinking he's shifting something in his mouth when he tries to go up to the altissimo, but sometimes he just overblows the note to start with. And it's not just a question of ear-training. He KNOWS he's on the wrong pitch...
Any ideas?
Katrina
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2003-08-07 03:16
Katrina, I'm certainly no expert here, but, I'll give it a try.
I keep going back to two key words..."almost suddenly". This tells me that there was a period of time when your student didn't have this problem. That means he has started doing something differently or something with his clarinet has abruptly changed.
My first inpulse is to say that he either has changed to a different reed or that he's starting to take too much of the mpc into his mouth. I believe that a reed that hasn't been broken in properly will do this. The same with too much reed.
If possible, something you might try is to have him play your instrument with your mpc, reed, etc. This will determine whether it's him or his instrument. If he's doing the same thing with your clarinet, then, of course, his technique has suddenly changed. If he plays your clarinet without any problems, then something has obviously changed with his instrument.
Another thing you might try is to duplicate the problem he's experiencing. As crazy as it might sound, if you can duplicate it, then, you can explain to him what he's doing wrong.
Like I said at the beginning...I'm no expert and the above are just pure guesses.
But, I hope it helps.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: coasten1
Date: 2003-08-07 03:50
As Dan stated, I am no expert either but here is another thing to try. Have your student play a note in the lower register, like a low G. Next while he is playing the low G, press the register key for him. See if the D comes out or if it jumps way to high. I would guess if it jumps, there is something up with the clarinet. Check for pad/cork leaks.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-08-07 05:38
This seems like an overly simplistic solution, but it actually works for many of my students... If he is accidently overblowing and getting super high notes, play those notes (the really high ones) for him and try to get him to purposefully play them back to you. Then have him try the "proper" note, then the high note again.
Interestingly, students tend to overblow many notes, but if you specifically tell them to overblow them, they can't do it. Maybe it's something with reverse psychology.... Also, if you can get the student to purposefully play the higher note, then it's easier to not play it. It helps them learn the differences necessary to create both notes.
Since clarinets don't change air much when changing notes (compared to a trumper, or even a flute which has no register key), young clarinetists seem to have a very hard time understanding that air (not just fingers) affects what note comes out. Getting the student to consciously focus on air and the notes that different air makes often fixes the problem (or at least it has for many of the kids I teach).
One method I've found helpful is to have the student hum or sing low notes, then high notes and have them pay attention to how they use their air and how they voice the notes as they change vocal registers. Since saying "blow harder" doesn't always help, using the "humming" example gives them a better idea of how the air and voicing changes when you change register (obviously, the changes for singing vs. clarinetting aren't identical, but the comparison seems to help a lot). Another way to help with air is to have the student try some high register slurs like G(TR123) to E(TR23), G#(TR123P) to F(TR23P), etc without lifting their first finger. Once they are able to do this, they understand the relation of air to fingers much better...
Don Hite
PS - sorry I wrote you a novel! Hope it's a little bit helpful
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gretchen
Date: 2003-08-07 19:48
A friend of mine has this problem when playing high E...and it has to do with the way he's articulating, and actually with the way his embochure is set. He said the problem was fixed when his teacher told him a joke and he smiled at the exact same time as he played the high E. No squeek!
Maybe your student tenses up when he goes to play the high D and therefore overblows. A high D is pretty darn high for most students getting used to the high register, and it's a hard note to play and articulate well. Most likely, i'd say he's biting, or articulating too hard and at the same time changes his tongue position while he's articulating.
have him try to play the D for two beats, then change to play the high G (the overblown note) for two and then have him try to change back to the D, all on one breath of air without stopping. He'll learn the different tongue positions for each note and realize when he's changed his tongue position after a while.
Every time he overblows, ask him what he did differently. If he doesn't know, challenge him to concentrate on it and it'll probably fix itself. If he concentrates more on what he was doing before, he'll probably realize his mistake by himself and fix it.
Good luck!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2003-08-08 00:19
The thing is, Gretchen, he used to be able to play these notes reliably. I think I may have him mess around with some other reeds or something. We recently found him a B45 (which I normally don't recommend) that really really works well for him...I'm not sure if the start of this problem was before or after the new mp though.
And of course, he's on vacation and I won't see him again until September...I know, great timing on my part! ;^)
I'll be sure to try the above suggestions that I haven't already tried then!
Thanks,
Katrina
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ray
Date: 2003-08-08 02:46
I wasn't going to post this until that last post of yours, Katrina.
I had this problem until recently. It was very hard for me to attack that high E without getting the A above it. What changed for me was the mouthpiece. I changed away from a Gigliotti P to a Selmer HS* which was reamed and refaced for me by Tom Ridenour.
Not only did that high E become much more stable, but throat tones are clearer, focus is better - and more. Yes, this is a plug for Tom Ridenour.
My opinion is that the culprit is that B45. Many on this list have stated that there is a lot of variability in samples of the B45 - maybe this is a stinker.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2003-08-08 03:37
Yeah, Ray, I know of the problems with B45's (I absolutely hate the one I have) and this one is NOT a stinker, IMO. I absolutely adore the sound the kid gets in the other registers, and when he hits the right notes up high, it's beautiful too. I don't think he's having to work as hard as the other student I have who has one...Before this he was playing on the Rico Royal that came with his E12...it wasn't the best at all!
I'm thinking it may still be his adjusting to the mp...but I can't for the life of me figure out how to help him get these notes more consistantly.
Katrina
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-08-08 13:48
Katrina -
A student is doing OK, than suddenly can't do simple things? This sounds like an equipment problem. Something's leaking, or there's a ding in the mouthpiece, or maybe just a bad reed.
Put the student's mouthpiece on your clarinet and let him play it. Have him try another mouthpiece. Fix his reed, or give him a new one.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: chicagoclar
Date: 2003-08-09 09:15
I was having the same problem with both myself and a student last week. With myself, it turned out to be a leak because of a bad cork on the mouthpiece. With my student, I had him learn to control his embouchure a little more. I had him do this by playing E4 and then popping up to B5 and then G6 all using the same fingering. You can do this with all fingerings (although some are harder than others). I have found that once he figures out what it takes to play each of the notes (and reminds himself when he needs to) he doesn't have problems with it. Good luck!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
