 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: stagehand
Date: 2004-05-27 21:28
I have a 6th grade clarinet player at the school I help at that consistently plays flat. Currently the band tunes down to her. I have been asked to double her on some stuff for Friday, but I play about 20 sharp when I am all the way in. Any Ideas on how to get her up to tune or me down far enough?
Any help would be GREAT for either of us.
Thanks,
Sara
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-05-27 21:36
"Tuning a 6th grader"
A classic oxymoron! ...GBK
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-05-27 21:56
Did you check her clarinet (your mouthpiece on her clarinet) to make sure that it's not the clarinet and it's DEFINITELY her? You could always pull your barrel out (although for 20 cents sharp that'd probably be QUITE the gap and would throw in a lot of curveballs . . .) Can you get a hold of some sort of tuning barrel to see if you can sharpen her up?
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-05-27 22:03
LOL @ GBK ... reminds me of a classic oxymoron:
"faith unfaithful kept him falsely true"
courtesy of the OED
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-05-28 11:45
The BAND tunes down to her?
Did her Daddie buy the music wing for the school?
Please...
Most of the parents in attendance will be in their 'happy place' during the performance of the latest Harry Potter medley, anyway.
I doubt anyone will much notice, out in the audience.
There's a classic scene in "The Music Man" when the band finally gets into full blare, and the 'rents are ecstatic - regardless of the facts.
Forget the tuning, try to come in at the same time, if not on the same notes.
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Author: Meri
Date: 2004-05-28 16:47
Is there any possibility of trying a slightly harder reed? Since reeds that are too soft tend to encourage playing flat, and reeds that are too hard tend to encourage sharpness, this may help.
Also, I've noticed that many stock mouthpieces play flat, sometimes to a significant degree.
How's the student's tone? I find that often when the sound quality is flat the pitch is too. (that's why student-grade instruments are built sharp!) When you encourage the student to use plenty of air speed (along with a proper embouchure) tuning takes care of itself. A tuner may help show the difference in pitch level between proper air speed/embouchure and an improper one. Many young clarinetists put far too little air through the instrument anyway.
Hope this helps you!
Meri
"There is a difference between being flat and sounding in tune, and being in tune but sounding flat. The first I can live with; the second I cannot."
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2004-05-29 02:59
How's her head position? Some students want to bend at the neck a bit to look at their hands or the music if it's too low, and it makes them play flat. Sometimes getting them to keep their head up and watching the angle of the instrument into the embouchure can help. I also second Meri's connection of tone and pitch.
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