 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: illibero
Date: 2004-05-20 07:13
I need help with my upper register tone. I play rather loud, and my teacher says that's a good thing, but once I venture past the lower joint in the clarion register things start to go thin and piercing. It all begins on G just above the stave, and gets thinner and thinner and thinner. If I have to, I can play up to alitssimo A, but by then, the windows will have cracked.
Does this have anything to do with me having played first clarinet in beginner band? Back then, our director mistakenly picked a piece that was at least two grades higher than our clarinet's section, and required us first clarinets to get to clarion D. None of us had yet crossed the break, and were forced to do so in a short amount of time. Is it possible that I wasn't established enough to begin crossing the break? I found that I began to force the notes out by almost squeeking them. I am now in my high school's top band, but I think it's possible I may have developed some bad habits and techniques along the way.
Any comments are very welcome.
John
Post Edited (2004-05-20 07:17)
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2004-05-20 15:16
Ken Shaw's links point to some good comments. I find that a thin upper clarion and altissimo register can often be traced to airstream and embouchure, and the two are related. If the airstream is not supported enough or if the student is not truly playing all the way through the instrument, he or she may bite to get the higher notes. I felt that my tone in that range improved when I truly learned to relax my lower jaw more and blow with confidence. This is something that I always listen for and work on now as well. IMHO it is also easier to get a good tone on these notes at first at a nice unforced mf-f dynamic.
Good luck!
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