 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: msboyd13
Date: 2007-09-28 17:20
Hello all
I started playing clarinet last November after 25 years of not playing. It's been wonderful and I am much better now than I ever was as a child/teenager (I'm 40 now). I'm playing on an older Armstrong student model (at least I believe it's older as it was a gift from my sister) with a Van Doren B45 mouthpiece and an Optimum ligature. Unfortunately I can't afford to upgrade at the moment but I'm hoping to in the next year. I have found a great teacher who has been both inspirational and demanding. He even "made" me play Stravinsky's first piece last year at our recital last year.... definitely a challenge.
Well a new year of study has become and I have to work on my tone... I'm having major problem getting Bb, A, G and F in tune... I've tried many things but one thing that seems to work is pulling out the mouthpiece from the barrel (as well as pulling out the bottom part of the barrel). However, even though this helps me play these notes in tune I tend to squeek more, which leads me to believe that I am losing too much air. My guess is that I need a longer barrel in addition to more practice on the notes. What do you all think? If a (longer) barrel could be a solutioin can I just order one or do I need to find one suited to my clarinet? Is it worth it for me to buy one (actually I have no idea how much it
would cost).
Thanks for the help
Michael in Rome
Michael
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2007-09-28 19:14
I'd suggest changing the mouthpiece, not the barrel. The B45 (or a different Vandoren model) in the Profile 88 style might bring you down to pitch. And yes, use the resonance fingerings as well.
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Author: msboyd13
Date: 2007-09-29 06:21
I don't really think I understand what you mean by resonance fingerings.
Thanks
Michael
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Author: GBK
Date: 2007-09-29 06:39
msboyd13 wrote:
> I don't really think I understand what you mean by resonance
> fingerings.
Resonance fingerings are the fingerings used (there are numerous ones) to improve the tone and response of the throat tones Ab, A and Bb.
The reason for them is the fact that the throat tone notes use so little of the entire clarinet "tube" to sound, that most players find it necessary to close some additional holes or open some additional vent keys to improve their resonance.
The actual resonance fingerings which work for your set up will take a little trial and error, and of course will always be in relation to the other notes of any particular passage as for fingering ease and tonal matching.
Here are a few resonance fingerings - there are numerous other variations of the ones below:
Ab: Ab key oox / xoo (or) Ab key oox / xxo C#(F#)
A: A key oxx / oxx C(F) (or) A key oox / xxo C(F)
Bb: R + A key oox / oox C(F) (or) R + A key oxx / oxx
...GBK
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-09-29 11:45
Armstrong clarinets have very short barrels, so pull the barrel out by at least 2mm.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: msboyd13
Date: 2007-09-29 14:07
Thanks for your patient explanations... I actually had been using the resonant fingerings but just didn't know what they were called. I will try pulling out the barrel a bit more.
Michael
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