 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Drenkier_1
Date: 2005-07-22 04:20
Ok, you know what sucks? Not liking the way you sound. And you know why that sucks? Because you don't think other people are going to like the way you sound. Well, for some reason, I HATE the way I sound most of the time. I don't have bad tone quality, but I hear inconsistencies in the sound that just jump up and bother me to an extent where I want to break the clarinet in half. To be honest, Poor Tone quality to me would be tone that has no support or structure to it. Well, I do have support and structure for my sound, and I do have a good breathing pattern and a relatively good air stream. Well, it seems like that can't produce the satisfactory sound I want when I play. For some odd reason, when I get the the Middle D, C#, Eb, etc, I hear these inconsistencies in the sound because I go from the low register to the high register and back down. When I get to that register I hear all these weird noises.. These noises not only annoy me, they basically destroy me because most of the time I hear it, and then on those few occasions I don't hear it. I don't get it... I've tried reeds, I've played diffrent horns, I've done what any logical person would normally do. Well, I still have no self-satisfaction for my sound. My sound has no uniqueness to it, just plain-ness.. My sound is literally Plain flavored yogurt. There is no specialty to it, and the quality of certain notes just sound down right poor. The truth of the matter is, I'm having nothing but frustration when I play my clarinet. I hear these inconsistencies that basically sound like.... a robot? I don't know how to describe it it's just so complicated. I love my high register, I love my low register... I HATE my middle register... It's not the horn , it's not the reeds, that leaves me right? Well then why is it that these sounds I hear sometimes go away? I don't understand.. Someone help me
DId I mention it's not the mouthpiece either?
Kevin Collins
Post Edited (2005-07-22 04:35)
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Author: William
Date: 2005-07-22 14:53
"These noises not only annoy me, they basically destroy me because most of the time I hear it, and then on those few occasions I don't hear it."
Sounds to me like you should take up the baton.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-07-22 17:44
Kevin, you need a private teacher. Having somebody to analyse your tone and give you help to get the sound that you want to get.
Support of the air, selection of reed, mouthpiece, ligature (though not as much as the reed/mouthpiece), clarinet quality, and what's going on inside your body as far as sound concept goes, will get you to have the sound that you are striving for or at least approach it.
That's what the teachers are for.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2005-07-22 22:43
Years of frustration, that I have.
Yes. Tone quality is everything. We can acquire technique by dilligence, but not tone quality.
I agree with you.
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Author: Gazebo Dealer
Date: 2005-07-22 23:30
Some people just don't sound good....but that doesn't keep them from suceeding. And it's not so much the sound, it's what you do with it...
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Author: RosewoodClarinet
Date: 2005-07-23 02:16
If you have a private teacher, you will realize how s/he is helpful.
Maybe, because of the weather and heat, I am not very happy with my sound. But, my teacher helps me a lot. Also, I'm so inspired from him, so I do not have to feel frustrated at all. I just need to do what to do......embouchure, using ear to listen my actual sound, choosing a proper reed for my mouthpiece, learn a consistent technique, get more dynamics contrast.........yes, many things to work on, but I just have to work "more."
Solti said in rehearsal, "I know you can do it. You just have to practice more."
Good Luck.
RosewoodClarinet
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2005-07-23 23:14
Have you always disliked your sound, or did it just start recently. I think a lot of times we have periods where we think that we have gotten worse (technique, sound, whatever), when in actuality, we've just gotten pickier and are bothered by things we didn't notice. Is it possible that your concept of "good sound" has change, so you're just noticing problems that were always there.
I often wonder how much control people have over their sounds. I know that I just sound the way that I sound. Over time, my sound has naturally changed and improved and I make efforts to correct problems I notice, but I've never really made an effort to sound a certain way. I just sound like me. With the vast array of sounds out there (among professional level players, of course - not counting sounds of people who just aren't that great), I have to wonder if each of these artists is intentionally achieving the type of sound they feel is ideal, or if each of them just sounds the way they sound (because of equipment, physiology, whatever). Obviously, this type of "tonal relativism" isn't an excuse to ignore problems in your sound that your hear by simply saying, "this is how I sound", but how much control do we really have over our sound? I mean, I couldn't just start sounding like Stoltzman or Wright or Leister, even if I tried. Eh, it's something to think about!
Don Hite
theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-07-24 12:03
If you play enough different clarinets with different combinations of mps,ligs,reeds,barrels over different time periods you will notice a wide variation in the sound produced. Maybe the problem with some individuals is that they haven't tried enough different equipment packages. I can imagine an individual struggling for a long time with one instrument or mpc or etc etc and not knowing that some other combination would yield much different results. The "oral" package(mouth etc) can be altered much less, by comparison, and one is stuck with that. .....for the most part.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Avie
Date: 2005-07-24 14:35
Although you have cleared stated that it isnt your horn perhaps If you would disclose the brand, model clarinet and equipment you are using it would probably be easier for BB members to evaluate your sound. The changing humidity is definitely a factor in my sound. I also very seldom enjoy my sound when playing the same instrument but when my sound is there it is quite an inspiration and is an incentive to continue to work on it. If its not the instrument or your equipment maybe the humidity changes or even possibly mood changes or just being over critical. The more common and practical approch would be to experiment with the reeds, Mouth piece and/or barrels. Maybe the annoying under tones you are hearing can not be heard by the audience.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-07-24 15:37
Humidity isn't a factor at all with my sound. I sound like what I want to sound like. If there are external factors working against that, then I may have to work harder, but the end results are still the same.
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2005-07-24 19:21
8 Questions ....... . Hearing weird noises? When you play D in the staff, C sharp and Eb what do you hear? 1. Is it a sympathetic vibration? 2. Is it a buzzing sound? 3. Is it lack of focus? 4. Does it matter if you play loud or soft? 5. Is it stuffy sounding? 6. Does it only occur on these notes? .. ........... 7. Have you recorded yourself to hear what you actually sound like? We are very close to the sound source when playing. You are the only one that is that close to your sound....the audience is far away. I had a flute lesson once where the instructor cupped their hands around my ears so I heard only sounds from the rear(back).. I heard more of the room sound rather than a close up sound. She suggested playing as though you were listening to the room and not focusing totally on the up front instrument sound with it's close up blemishes. .............. In the flute world they also deal with resonance.....where you actually silently hum the pitch you are about to play....many people experience improved resonance with this technique. ps...I know I mentioned flute too many times. Oh, also perhaps you are a candidate for some of Gennusa's exercises. He had people play while alarm clocks were sounding. One last question...8. ..if you practice a bit with earplugs do you still hear the difference in tonal qualities in the above mentioned notes? John
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Drenkier_1
Date: 2005-07-24 22:51
With the help of my teacher I solved a lot of the "buzzing" noises I was hearing. He moved my Register Key back a little and it helped. Also I found out it was partially the horn because one of my corks on the bridge key needed to be replaced. The sound I had is back, so maybe new horns need to be ajusted to the players liking. I'm thinking of sending my horn into Tim Clark, if I have the money and time of course.
Kevin Collins
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2005-07-25 01:00
Play to where the fingers are on the clarinet, not where the notes appear on the page....
am I the only person who has no idea what this means? Clarify please!
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2005-07-25 13:25
Kevin, You might want to work on your problem solving techniques. Many things you have to figure out for yourself. In this case you were confused for months.....made a post with inaccurate information..ie "it's not the equipment" and then asked your teacher who had the answer in the first place. good luck ....John .... ps.. regarding playing to where the fingers are.......I've heard of this....you blow differently depending on how long the air column is. ie open g you imagine a short air column and b in the staff you blow a column that goes to the bell. The purpose I'm not not totally sure.....focus, support, tone quality, pitch, ...maybe all of these. John
Freelance woodwind performer
Post Edited (2005-07-25 13:26)
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Author: Avie
Date: 2005-07-25 14:43
I am confused about the significance of " Play to where the fingers are on the clarinet, not to where the notes appear on the page". I dont understand the second half of that statement "not to where the notes appear on the page". I am concerned as to the meaning or the value of the second half of the statement!
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