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Pitch alters easily on the higher notes in the lower register

Author: ffrr
Date: 2005-03-06 04:39

When playing notes like E, F particularly, in the lower register, I find the pitch will alter very easily if I allow the mouthpiece to move in my mouth at all. Is this normal, or does it indicate my embouchure is weak? I am wondering if I need to practu\ice keeping it very still, or whether I need to change my embouchure (I am a beginner so it's probably all wrong still :-()

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Re: Pitch alters easily on the higher notes in the lower register

Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2005-03-06 05:46

Yeah, well, the clarinet is nothing more than a hollowed out tube of wood (or plastic, or metal) with another small tube of similar material affixed to the top and holding a thin reed that vibrates when you blow. It is what is known as an ACOUSTIC instrument. [grin]

The fingering for E or F or any other note is not like a keystroke that selects a given pitch and / or a sampled sound. It is merely an aid to giving you that pitch. If it were easy to get the precise pitch all the time, half of the posts on this board would dissappear, and we wouldn't have heard of half of the posters. Controlling your pitch (intonation) is one of your big goals.

The fact that you as a beginner can actually hear this pitch variance as related to embouchure change and are concerned about it is a very, very big plus for you.

Steve Epstein

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Re: Pitch alters easily on the higher notes in the lower register

Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2005-03-06 05:50

And it is probably more noticeable on these particular notes, because being closer to the mouthpiece, they are more susceptable to pitch bending with embouchure changes than notes further down. But ALL of the notes can be bent, in any register, intentionally or unintentionally.

Steve Epstein

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Re: Pitch alters easily on the higher notes in the lower register

Author: ffrr
Date: 2005-03-06 06:19

Yes, although a beginner in Clarinet, I have played music on various instruments and sung, just about my whole life. So, it easy for me to know what it _should_ sound like. Not so easy on an unfamiliar instrument, to make it sound as it should though :-( However, armed with the info that this is normal, I will practice, practice, practice and get it working.

Thanks.

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