 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: chicagoclar
Date: 2005-12-07 07:09
Ok, so I'm a second year grad student studdying the clarinet. My teacher tells me to have my tongue position high as in saying "Eee" but my quintet coach tells me to have it lower so that I have a darker sound.
What is the more correct way of thinking about tongue position?
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Author: bass9396
Date: 2005-12-07 10:42
Either one works. Which one works for you? That's the real question.
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Author: aberkow
Date: 2005-12-07 12:55
True either one will work. Generally though I prefer the eee approach. But it also depends on the situation. For solo performance you may want a slightly brighter sound. In a quintet it may be necessary to darken your sound so that you blend better.
Adam B
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2005-12-07 13:25
There's not much point having a teacher if you can't ask him questions.
Your quintet coach has said: tongue low for darker sound.
Your teacher has said: tongue high. Ask him why.
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2005-12-07 17:30
It sounds to me like both are correct and that they are saying the same thing. The back of my tongue always remains high and arched as if to say "You." That arch keeps a fast air stream moving. The middle to front of my tongue is used for color. To darken the tone my tongue is lower to create a larger pocket. Still, the back of the tongue remains high during this. So they may be speaking of two different parts of the tongue and mean to say the same.
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Author: Scotti
Date: 2005-12-07 20:20
This is a common problem in a school setting because the clarinet is a bit different than other wind instruments. With the other instruments, it's common to simply have a lower tongue position and get a good, consistent sound. Looking at the bigger issue, this does not work for the clarinet. Tongue position on the clarinet has to remain high in order for the sound and intonation to be consistent throughout the registers.
With a low tongue position, it's almost impossible to keep the tongue stable, thereby keeping the sound stable. Even worse is to intentionally change the position of the tongue. You will eventually develope a very hollow sound in the throat register that does not match the other registers. And you'll probably be flat.
You should discuss all of this with your teacher, but I'd imagine they would also tell you that you can acomplish this darker sound without moving the tongue. There's a lot going on between your chest, throat, tongue, jaw, and lips that can affect the sound. But moving that tongue is a quick fix for woodwind coaches who aren't clarinetists and think it's the same as a double reed or flute.
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Author: vjoet
Date: 2005-12-08 13:27
Hi,
A thorough written discussion on the position of the tongue is in *The Clarinet Doctor* by Howard Klug, pg 62 -70. I personally found his discussion informative, and highly effective when I applied it to my playing.
While the entire discussion was, for me, invaluable., here are a couple quotes:
"You can think of the tongue as having three sections and three functions: (1) The tip of the tongue takes care of the articulation (and this is a vertical, not a horizontal, motion). (2) The middle of the tongue has much to do with controlling the focus and refinement of the tone. (3) The back of the tongue moves up and down according to the register in which we are playing (low register/high tongue; high register/low tongue."
"In many ways, we do with our tongue what brass players do with their lips."
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2005-12-08 13:42
I wouldn't think too much about this however........low tongue position and clarinet probably aren't a good match. I would suggest playing softer in quintet and focus more on the other sounds in the group rather than yours. Even if you can darken your sound you are still focusing on "you". Work on being part of a team.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2005-12-08 18:40
Amazing how people who believe that "high tongue position" works for them insist that this is the only way to play the clarinet!
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2005-12-08 19:11
If Liquorice was referring to me....... Let me clarify.....I don't think tongue position is the problem here.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Carmen
Date: 2005-12-09 00:03
one problem i used to have, was raising the tongue to high and creating tension, so that the air stream would go up into my nasal passages, and my sound would be rather thin and bright.
***...so do all who seen such times, but that is not for them to decide. All you can do is decide what to do with the time that is given to you.***
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-12-09 00:07
Chicagoclar,
Why not just experiment with different tongue positions on your own, maybe do a blind listening test with a musician friend of yours (doesn't have to be a clarinetist) and determine which position YOU think gives you the sound that you want?
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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