 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Nick Conner
Date: 2000-05-23 20:52
From about a year after I started playing on, I was always extremely pulled out, regardless of the clarinet I played. I'm almost always pulled out all the way to the cork. Is this a bad thing? I can't really think of anything to fix it, without having to reestablish a new embouchure, which I really don't want to do (5 years into playing). I don't really recognize any other problems that come with my embouchure that are anything other than normal (aka the throat tones sound a little worse than others, etc.). If it needs fixing, what things could I do and still be able to play well? Also, I just got my hands on Premiere Rhapsody by Debussy yesterday, and it looks kinda overwhelming. Any tips on that piece would be appreciated as well. Thanks.
Nick Conner
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Author: Kontragirl
Date: 2000-05-23 23:50
I had the same problem. Mine was brought on by playing contra, I forgot my clarinet embouchure, so I had to start over...very frustrating.
Just make sure when you're playing your instrument is fairly close to you. I have a bad habit of letting it drift out too far. It's fun to watch on a tuner though. Cheap entertainment...what can I say.
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Author: Megan
Date: 2000-05-24 00:10
Where do you pull out when you pull out? Do you only pull out at the barrel? I've been playing really sharp lately as well and found that if I pull out at the middle and between the lower joint and the bell that it helps alot. It also depends on what notes are sharp. I found that if I pulled out at the bell that my middle register would be in tune and that my lowest register would be super flat. I'm still trying to work things out. I've also heard of people pulling out at the mouthpiece if their throat tones are super sharp.
As for the Debussy, I played that on a recital last year and all I can say is lots of slow practice to get those awkward runs. I also did mega long tones in the altissimo register. I did a lot of work on the jumps from lower to higher notes.
I played the first passage over and over until I got it as smooth as I could. It's a really great piece, I think I'm going to pull it out again and look at it.(I'll probably get really depressed at how badly I play it!)
I hope things work out for you!
Megan
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Author: Nick Conner
Date: 2000-05-24 02:55
I pull wherever I need to, depending on the notes. I usually don't have to pull on anything more than the barrel. My notes on the low end of the clarinet are usually in tune with the ones on the higher end. I do have to pull sometimes, though. I've been kinda blessed with a semi-flexible embouchure, so I usually don't have to worry about staying in tune. the bad part of that is that I sometimes can't control the flexibility, but that is a rare thing for me nowadays.
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Author: Joey
Date: 2000-05-24 03:40
Well, I had a hard time up until the end of last school yr with playing sharp. For me, lipping down, drooping the tongue in my mouth, and even positioning reeds differently didn't work. I ended up buying a new barrel from C. Robert Scott. I ordered a 69mm cause I was always out of tune with standard 66mm barrels on clarinets. I must say that not only did it improve my tuning, but it also helped out my tone. It's a synthetic barrel, but it sounds really clear, and the quality IMHO is top notch. It only cost 40 dollars, and he delivers anywhere in a matter of a month or a little more depending on his amount of orders. I don't know his number or address, but I do know he works out of Michigan.
Joey
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-05-24 11:54
This is really too much pull. You won’t have room to tune when playing in very warm conditions.
What clarinet, mouthpiece and reeds are you using (brand, model, and, for the reeds, strength)? Some beginner instruments are built sharp or come with a shorter than average barrel or come with a mouthpiece that plays sharp. For example, I have a Selmer Bundy Eb soprano clarinet. With the stock (student) mouthpiece, it was very sharp throughout. Replacing that mouthpiece with the more advanced Vandoren 5RV corrected the situation.
Clarinets are typically built to be in-tune or slightly sharp (to allow tuning in cold conditions) at a room temperature of approximately 70°F. If you generally play in very warm rooms, you may have to pull quite a bit.
Also the angle that you hold the instrument can affect your pitch. If it is very close to your body, the pitch will be higher than if you hold the instrument at a greater angle (i.e. away from the body). So if you are holding it very close, try increasing the angle between your body and the instrument.
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Author: Dave Lee Ennis
Date: 2000-05-24 13:11
Megan Wrote:
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I've been playing really sharp lately as well and found that if I pull out at the middle and between the lower joint and the bell that it helps alot.
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Careful Megan! I did that with my 1st clarinet only to find it in pieces after the concert because the lower section had fallen off from me pulling it out too far, and a bit too much cork grease. It was a sad ending to a long running partnership. (Sympathies?)
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Author: William
Date: 2000-05-24 15:21
Advice for "PR"--look for the long phrases, play as soft as you can where indicated, use a smooth, legato style in the slower sections, and "practice, man, PRACTICE."
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Author: Joey
Date: 2000-05-24 21:21
Hmm, to go along with Megan, I must also wonder about ur setup... For junior high, i played on a Normandy 4 and tho it was a nice horn at the time, i wouldn't go back to playing it now lol... Throught high school I've been on r13s, and the change is different, but the VD 5RV lyre mpc I played on in JH didn't to work for me as I progressed, so I switched to a Legend A10, and I sounded better but still had tuning problems... I tried a Gigliotti P34 and it started making me go flat when fully pushed in, and it did the same to others... I finally ordered a Scott mpc and barrel set to complement my sharp nature... it all depends on ur equiment Nick...
I agree about the angel, it can vary ur sound and tuning if u hold a clarinet to close or too far...
And as for Dave Lee, I feel ya man, that's happened to me before also (thank god it wasn't with my own horn but the school's)... I think u can pull out some, but really u shouldn't have to go very far, if u do try pulling out from the bell too, it can help a bit
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Author: Nick Conner
Date: 2000-05-25 03:19
I play on a Vandoren B45 mouthpiece with v12 #4's. I play on a Selmer Paris with a Chadash barrell(with "660B" engraved in it, I don't know what this means, anyone know?). I think my angle may be too extreme, which is making me pinch the reed. I'm working on bringing it closer into my body. I don't know how much that will help sharpness, though, just tone. I don't think the barrel is the problem, I just replaced my old one with that Chadash, and I was sharp before. I'm thinking I may try more closed mouthpieces at camp this summer, but I don't think that's it either. I don't know, I hope someone can help.
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Author: Joey
Date: 2000-05-25 04:20
it might not be the make of the barrel but the length... the 66 most likely means 66 millimeters... that's about standard length for many barrels. still a longer one could improve the tuning because u can have it pushed in all the way and still get the results of a shorter barrel pulled out extremely. my 69mm does the same thing as a 66 pulled out very far.
I'm not sure about ur mpc and reed selections... a 5RV or M13 might prove to be better for V12 #4s, because i think a B45 is rather open and doesn't call for such strong reeds... then again, I'm not certain...
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