 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bflatclarinetist
Date: 2005-02-20 00:53
it's pretty evident by my username that I play the B-flat clarinet but anyways I've just been wondering if this is natural but to have a kind of raspy sound when you play.
This particularly happens when you're playing fast. And this raspy sound happens occasionally when I'm playing a B (in the middle of the staff). If anybody has experienced this or would like to give me advice then please do.
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Author: Dano
Date: 2005-02-20 01:03
What type reed and mouthpeice are you using? Maybe a softer reed like a #2 or so would make it sound less raspy. Maybe your clarinet is the raspy culprit.
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Author: John Stackpole
Date: 2005-02-20 12:35
Or posibly a buildup of saliva, getting into one of the tone holes.
Some folks have wetter mouths than others - ask any dentist (I'm not one).
JDS
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-02-20 15:40
define raspy...because it could be the reed, the mouthpiece, your embrochure, you're breathing technique, spit....please be more specific
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Author: bflatclarinetist
Date: 2005-02-20 17:12
Oh sorry, when I say raspy I mean it's almost like a sore throat. It makes the raspy sound for a spilt second then after it goes back to normal. I think it might be my tonguing because my reed, mp, embouchure and everything else it fine. And I'm pretty sure it's not my clarinet.
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-02-20 19:29
in all octaves or just the hig octave? because that happens to everyone....well, maybe not the pros, but... I'm still trying to overcome that sound. I call it the "grunt" because it happens at the start of the note, then goes away. I believe that it's the way you tongue. If you tongue lighter it should go away.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-02-20 21:41
music_is_life wrote:
> I call it the "grunt" because it
> happens at the start of the note, then goes away. I believe
> that it's the way you tongue. If you tongue lighter it should
> go away.
Undertones (grunting) are usually related to improper air speed and support. Faster air will most likely solve the problem.
On the A clarinet, "grunting" on the notes A5 - B5 can often be lessened with a shorter register vent tube...GBK
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-02-20 21:56
yes- air, but also the tongue. I notice that if I tongue to hard or use too much tongue it's grunty. but perhaps I'm using less air when tonguing like that, I don't know.
I shall try your advice, GBK, because I get those grunts too
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-02-20 22:51
I've found that in order to stop the grunting that I used to get all the time, I hold my tongue against the reed, start the air going through the clarinet about a half second to second before the note is to be played, and then "release" the reed from under my tongue. I think what this is doing is making sure that the air has a chance to get up to speed instead of trying to START it at the correct speed right when the note begins. It's helped me. I've also noticed that on a lot of recordings, if I turn up the volume, I can hear them start the air before the note is sounded. Kinda makes me think I might be doing something right.
Alexi
In any event, give it a shot. Start the airstream holding your tongue against the reed, then 'release' the note. Give it a shot on the clarion A, Bb, B (usually the more troublesome ones).
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Crusader
Date: 2005-02-21 00:51
This is my first email here after lurking for a while. I was a vocal performance major in college and I have been reunited with my clarinet after igonring it for many years. One thing that I have found that helps raspy sound (both with the voice and the clarinet) is to properly hydrate with water , and water only --- no tea, soda, flavored water, coffee, iced tea, choclate, OJ,etc.
Invariably after a minimum of 10 oz of cold water, mucal secretions will thin out in approxomately 15 minutes even if one is not thirsty. For vocal performance, one should hydrate with 6 or more glasses of water, starting 2 to 3 hours before performance time. This will assure a lot of thin spit and I have found that my tone stays clearer (both instrumental and vocal) much longer. I have been drinking water before practicing my clarinet as well and have found this to help with tone.
Hope this hasn't been discussed already.
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Author: bflatclarinetist
Date: 2005-02-21 03:39
I would have never thought about hydrating myself before I play my clarinet occasionally. But I think I'll try blowing faster air and tonguing "lighter".
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Author: John Stackpole
Date: 2005-02-21 13:17
Goodness me... 6+ glasses of water 2-3 hours ahead of time may well thin your mucus, but I would think it might also make the later portions of a continuously on-stage performance a bit uncomfortable....
Maybe it is just old age and decrepitude...
Or do you know where I can get a "Motorman's Friend"?
JDS
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-02-21 13:22
yes, I would say drinking a lot of water is a good idea, since it keeps your body hydrated and etc. However, like John said, I wouldn't drink more than 6-8 ounces 2-3 hours before a concert simply because I wouldn't have to get up and leave....due to... "issues" caused by hydration... or perhaps "over-hydration" :-P
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-02-21 13:38
I heard somewhere that one of the things that is recommended for a singer (I saw it on a documentary of a very famous pop singer . . . perhaps Mariah Carey or Shania Twain) is potato chips. I remember the person saying that something about the oils in potato chips helps their throat or the way they sing and that it's becoming more and more popular as a "during rehearsal snack". Something about it stimulating the muscles or saliva or something.
Wonder if that would do anything with clarinetting . . .
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-02-21 13:45
!!! ALEXI !!!
one should never masticate prior to playing the clarinet!
it could clog up the mouthpiece/reed and make it harder to play... it could get "stuff" on the pads and make them stick, and thus not open as easily and cause issues with sound production...
personally, I would never take advice from Mariah Carey. My choral teacher, who has been on Broadway before, says to suck on lemons before singing- I believe it's kind of the same thing for a sick person- citrus clears up the throat and does something to the mucous/mucous membranes- same deal with the healthy person. It might do the same thing for a clarinet player. However, I don't think the raspy sound has anything to do with mucous! Like I said, I think it has to do with using a lighter tongue, and some others suggested better air support.
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Author: Sea Galan
Date: 2005-02-21 13:59
Crusader I'm sure you know what you're talking about BUT if I drink six glasses of water before a performance I would probably have the urgent need to get rid of that water right in the middle of the performance. Not an pleasant situation. Carlos
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2005-02-21 21:25
I also agree about having a faster air support and suggest reading the following with emphasis on page 3, "some pitfalls":
http://www.midwestclinic.com/clinicianmaterials/2001/west.pdf
From my own personal experience, when I switched to a Pomarico quartz crystal mpc, all of my grunts went away without even changing airstream. So you might want to try some other mpcs and see if this helps.
Another thing which caused grunts for me and a few others on this BB was the opening of the register key. If this key is too open, my experience is that grunts always appear. (I believe it's been noted before that this key should only be open about 0.030". One way to check is to barely open the register key with your thumb resting on the clarinet and the thumb tip just touching the register key. Then start notes in the upper clarion region. If the grunts go away, you'll then need to have your register key adjusted. I have personally used this technique on my own clarinet so I know it works.)
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-02-21 23:24
I've heard a rule of thumb is about one US nickel's width for the register key. Also, if the key is cork, to file away the cork until it's in a conical shape, therefore obstructing as little of the airflow out of the vent as possible.
BTW, Dan, I too found out that sometimes it was just a matter of having a better mouthpiece. When I had my first "pro" mouthpiece (a Gigliotti P), I liked it, but got those grunts and it wasn't "great". I had it refaced by Dave Spiegelthal for 25 bucks at the time, and it came back grunt free, playing immaculately, and I noticed even my throat tones were better.
Since then, I've only chosen mouthpieces that allow all of the above to be true (grunt free, clearer throat tone) as well as checking out the depth, control, etc. etc. So sometimes it's the mouthpiece. But working the existing clarinet is probably most often the cheaper way to go, so it's worth starting there.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Crusader
Date: 2005-02-22 16:32
The key there is to drink it 2 to 3 hours before performance. Overwhelmng majority of the "fluid" will be gone by then. Maybe I have a stronger "constitution" then I give myself credit for.
In all serousness, if done allowing ample time before performance, it does work. The effect (thinned mucus) generally starts about thirty minutes after the first glass and will last up to 14 hours after the last one.
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Author: kal
Date: 2005-02-22 19:41
Back to cutting down on mucus, many vocalists deal with this issue by cutting back on their dairy intake or even eliminating it from their diet completely. Personally, I don't have that much self-discipline, so the hydration method sounds pretty good to me.
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Author: BlockEyeDan
Date: 2005-02-23 00:19
Hello all,
As someone who lately has been singing more hours per week than playing clarinet, I can vouch for the effectiveness of water in thinning out mucus. Cutting out dairy and sugar also help, although dairy is a foundation of my diet, so I don't do it. But 32 oz. of water starting about 3 hours before my performances helps immensely, and all the members of our group (all-male a cappella) make sure to stay well-hydrated, because that can cure a host of problems. (Donovan McNabb, hope you're reading this ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif) )
Dan
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-02-23 00:44
so I was playing my clarinet, right, and I change octaves and lo and behold, nothing comes out! and I sat there in wonderment for about 15 seconds, then proceeded to check my A hole, which had a "spit bubble," which caused the clarinet not to produce sound when I wanted it to. Then it hit me, sometimes, when this infamous spit bubble attacks, it produces, not silence, but a nice squeak. And so I wonder, could this be you're problem? Because it's not always consistent- so one could, say, walk out of the room after playing and squeaking , come back, and play fine. The simplist way to find out if that's your problem is to open the key and look. though the bubble doesn't always show. So swab the upper section THOROUGHLY and even stick your finger in the bottom, cover all the holes, and blow, which will make any spit caught in a key fly out...pretty nasty, but it does get te spit out that sometimes the swab wont reach. And also stick some paper (cigarette paper is great) in there to soak up spit.
if that's it, that's awesome because it's such a small problem. if not, back to the drawing board!!
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