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Re: Need more volume

Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-10-07 14:13

beejay -

Here's something I wrote a couple of years ago:

Playing louder involves two things -- actual volume, and getting more energy in your sound.

Getting more volume is actually not difficult. Here's an exercise that appeared in the Leblanc Bell magazine, which I've recommended several times, and best of all it costs nothing.

Stuff a balled-up cotton swab or handkerchief up the bell, finger third-line B and blow hard. You'll get a dreadful sounding Eb (approximately). Work on it, dropping your jaw and blowing harder and harder until you get an almost normal tone.

Then experiment with your tongue, soft palate and jaw positions to find the higher overtones and practice bugle calls.

Finally, pull out the swab. You'll get about twice as much volume as before. It takes some practice to learn to let enough air go through without using the swab first, but it's definitely doable.

Making a more energetic sound is a longer term proposition. It involves getting enough air, and then voicing the sound, again with your tongue and soft palate, and finding a "ping" of high frequency. See http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=43807&t=43777 .

Then, combine the two. Get the recordings of Pablo Casals playing the Bach Solo Celllo Suites. Play the first 5 seconds of one, and then match his emotional and tonal intensity. Do the same thing with John McCormack and other great singers.

There's more at http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=59103&t=58998 . In particular, you should read the linked Arnold Jacobs materials.

Best regards.

Ken Shaw

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Need more volume new

beejay

2004-10-06 22:40