 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Koo Young Chung
Date: 2007-03-08 01:00
I'd like to hear how you describe your ideal sound.
Not that big sound or correct pitch etc,we all want those,
but what vocabularies do you use for really good sound?
Post Edited (2007-03-10 04:41)
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Author: CPW
Date: 2007-03-08 02:36
The dinner bell
The Good Humor truck
Hmm. Full and rich= a good cigar
Clear and focus = good binoculars
I give up
Against the windmills of my mind
The jousting pole splinters
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Author: J. J.
Date: 2007-03-08 02:50
We've had many discussions on here and on the klarinet mailing list.
What you will find is that nobody has any useful terms for describing sound and most terms are interpreted differently by everyone.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2007-03-08 04:00
I agree that the vocab of clarinet (,etc) sound descriptors is awful. About the only thing I grok is that "dark" is the opposite of "bright."
At BASSOONarama last weekend, the new ContraForte was being demoed, and and audience member accused it of being "centered" (a good thing, I guess).
On a good day, I sound like my teacher; and that's not too bad!
Bob Phillips
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2007-03-08 09:40
Good question.
I sometimes define my ideal sound by what it's not. At beginner level, a student must find the sweet spot between 'honking goose' and 'strangled chicken'. Above and beyond that, the following are to be avoided:
Thin sound
Fat sound
Squeaky gate
Cardboard reed
Hiss & crackle
Whilst avoiding these, I think a good sound is one which I can colour: flutey, brassy, jazzy, straight classical. The other important thing is the articulation and the way the notes flow into one another. A clarinet is an extension of the voice and must be lyrical. If you listen to 'Stranger on the Shore' (never mind who's playing it) it must sound like a song-without-words... it must sound like it has words. Finally the sound must be able to blend with and cut through whoever you're playing with, depending on whether the music requires a blend or a solo feature. Not all sounds from the practice room will blend harmoniously with an ensemble.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2007-03-08 11:01
Bassie wrote:
>it must sound like a
> song-without-words... it must sound like it has words.
That's excellent. One of the best statements I've gotten off this board in a while. Great observation!
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: stevesklar
Date: 2007-03-08 14:32
Even if we can come to a agreement on definitions, we than have to deal with everyones interpretations and variations based on experience and knowledge.
My personal favorite tonal qualities seems to only come from Buffet RCs in a certain SN# range.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2007-03-08 15:06
A cross between the voice of Ella Fitzgerald and the flute of Timothy Hutchins.
--
Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: Merlin
Date: 2007-03-08 19:28
The gorgeous tone of Johnny Hodges combined with the unwavering self-confidence of Florence Foster Jenkins.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2007-03-08 19:46
Chateau Petrus followed by d'Yquem.
Or (not original and previously used to describe Marcellus' sound) A globe of amber oil surrounding a glowing flame.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_d'Yquem
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: stevesklar
Date: 2007-03-09 11:51
"If I could phrase like John McCormack, I'd be willing to sound like Donald Duck."
I just can't even imagine that
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2007-03-09 15:00
If I can phrase like Maria Callas and sound like Popeye, does that count??
ttyyyyyyyuuuuuuh ack ack ack.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2007-03-10 03:24
I look for flexibility: Can the player alter the sound for different types of music? Does the chosen tone quality allow for nuance, or is the player working so hard to produce a sound that s/he can't phrase? Does the sound allow for different articulations? Can the player blend when necessary, and stand out when appropriate? Does the sound have ring, or does the player simply have to play loud in order to be heard in an ensemble situation?
The most important thing: does the sound allow the player to make music as well as other instruments, especially the human voice?
I've been on many audition committees, and a particular sound; dark, bright, or whatever, is never as important as what the sound allows the player to do musically. Yes, it has to be beautiful, but it doesn't have to fit within a particular school of playing.
Chris Hill
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Author: stevesklar
Date: 2007-03-10 04:14
I really like Chris' statement.
I play various repertoire - jazz band, BigBand, orchestra etc. I have to do different techniques and tonal qualities for each. I actually have different clarinets for each scenario too (BigBand/Jazz - Selmer Centered Tone - I can overblow the other ones but not this one); Leblanc LL for general playing and a Leblanc Classic (but looking for a Buffet) for orchestra.
the flexibility in a player is key. Blending in when needed or differentiating ones tone also is key for the situation. There's just so much. If you are in one genre all the time and one orchestra/band) then blending isn't so difficult as you have one general target.
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Author: Koo Young Chung
Date: 2007-03-10 04:49
I like very complex sound which have many layers.
Creamy sound,mysterious and warmly glowing sound.
with a depth.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-03-10 09:05
My favorite sound is one that shows the player is smart enough to fit specifically to the music he is playing. This means either changing your sound depending on what you play or play music that fits your idea of sound.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-03-10 11:46
Generally I like to use a full, round sound (with some brightness) for orchestral and solo playing. I'm inspired by various players and aim to emulate what I hear in their sound.
But I will ONLY use vibrato on clarinet for Miller-style section playing in big bands - I think for orchestral and solo playing, the clarinet tone has such purity that vibrato isn't necessary and can spoil the flawless nature of the clarinet tone. In my opinion.
I do use vibrato on flute and sax, and use it as and when I feel like on oboe and cor.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: brwndot
Date: 2007-03-13 02:26
clockwiser wrote:
> A filled, shaded circle with a clear edge...
Love that imagery!
Sometimes I think of a rounded, buoyant sound. Sometimes.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2007-03-13 22:33
the clarinet played on the intro to law in order-thats my idea of ideal tone
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Author: Merlin
Date: 2007-03-13 22:39
super20dan wrote:
> the clarinet played on the intro to law in order-thats my idea
> of ideal tone
Isn't that one synthesised?
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-03-14 07:44
> the clarinet played on the intro to law in order-thats my idea
> of ideal tone
> Isn't that one synthesised?
As far as I know, it used to be a real human and then changed to synth sometime.
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Author: Bradley
Date: 2007-03-19 06:07
Sylvain!!!
Timothy Hutchins IS the ideal sound. You are so right! He is honestly the like no other flautist I have ever heard, and that is my ideal sound. The perfect balance of flexibility and warmth, supported and focused enough to project properly at all times throughout the scale of the instrument. Pure, youthful timbre with absolutely no extraneous fiber, able to float gently over the background or blend richly into the harmonic texture. I can't begin to reduce his sound to words, and I shouldn't have tried. Obviously I don't want to sound like a flute when I play my clarinet, but I think he has achieved all anyone could ever want to with his "voice".
Bradley
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2007-03-20 13:09
With apologies to Tim Hutchins and Ella Fitzgerald I think the clarinet should be audibly recognizable as a clarinet. I am not speaking about one note but rather the entire range of the instrument. I would definitely use the terms "focus" "clarity" "woody" "complex" and "pristine". I do realize however that all these terms might be used to describe the tone of Tim Hutchins and Ella Fitzgerald. I guess words fall short.
Freelance woodwind performer
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