 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Bigno16
Date: 2004-03-15 00:20
This has been a question in my mind for quite some time now. I have a friend who sits in front of me in our concert band at school (He's 1st Chair, 1st Clarinet and I'm 2nd Chair, 1st Clarinet.) He has a very, very good sound, can play well up high in the altissimo register, and has a pretty fast tongue. Yet, what bothers me is that he has only been playing clarinet for about 1-2 years, and he is better than me and I have been playing since the 5th grade, so about 6 years. (This is not to mention that I never really got into it until my 10th grade year and I still don't understand completely how to form a good embouchure and/or tongue correctly.) He originally started on saxophone and was playing tenor until he switched over to clarinet in his 10th grade year. I keep questioning how he got so good in such a short time period. He says it is because he practiced altissimo. I quote him, "I was always playing so low on tenor, so when I learned clarinet I wanted to make sure I could play the high register." Does playing altissimo actually help everything else? Or does his talent also come from playing the tenor sax, as well. Because in that case, the 1st Oboe player in our band also plays/played tenor saxophone and he has an extremely good oboe sound and range. Do any of you doublers (GBK?) know what I'm saying? I played tenor for a little while even last year. Couldn't hit the low notes, but could hit the high ones easily. It only seemed to hinder my clarinet playing. HELP! :(
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: cujo
Date: 2004-03-15 00:32
get a good tutor
getting good using the wrong technique usually does not not help you progress
practicing altissimo to help the low notes does not sound right either
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-03-15 00:34
It depends largely on who the individual is. Lots of technique crosses over from instrument to instrument, often in unexpected ways (both positive and negative... better players will usually transfer more of the positives and less negatives). There's far more to playing an instrument than straight "I've been playing this way for X years" skill. Perhaps he is utilizing lessons and practice more effectively and/or frequently?
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2004-03-15 00:46
Learning to play the altissimo register on the clarinet effortlessly will train the embouchure not to bite and will keep your throat open. It most certainly can have overlapping causal effect and benefit to the lower clarinet register.
Some people can practice for an hour and accomplish more than someone else who plays for three hours.
It comes down to time management and a focused, disciplined plan of study.
Every minute you waste thinking about what someone else is doing, lets them get that much further ahead...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
