 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: kjs
Date: 2007-10-16 20:58
I have a new beginning older clarinet student with an unusual problem. She has the normal tense face and rigid fingers of a beginner, but my concern is with her sound. When she plays an audible extra vibration occurs; I'm not sure if it is her vocal cords or epiglottis (a flap of tissue that closes over the trachea when swallowing so that food does not enter the airway).
The problem seems worse when she plays loud. She hears the sound also (it is loud) so I suggested she visualize air deep in her chest moving up from her diaphragm flowing over her tongue near the roof of her mouth and swirling down through her instrument and experiment with her tongue position in her mouth. That caused the vibration to occur less frequently but not stop.
I have also suggested she practice long tones at different dynamic levels, but stop as soon as she hears the extra sound. Finally I told her to file in the back of her brain how she's making this sound (master of the flutter tongue?) as I'm sure there is a jazz band out there listening for this effect.
Any ideas on exercises she can try? She is a seasoned krumhorn (early instrument with a double reed) player---might this have a bearing on the problem?
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Author: kjs
Date: 2007-10-16 21:26
Oh incidentally, she is playing on a 1.5 strength Rico reed and I told her to try a 1 to minimize resistance.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-10-17 00:44
What about something as simple as a sympathetic vibration in the clarinet caused by playing?
A broken pad skin, a loose spring...these would be my first assumptions after what you describe.
In a completely different and unsolicited bit of advice: unless the student's use of air is completely anemic OR they are using a very open mouthpiece I would use a stiffer reed. I have my beginning students play Rico 2.5's preferably.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-10-17 04:41
It sounds like she it playing clarinet as if it were a kazoo- humming into it.
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Author: kjs
Date: 2007-10-17 16:45
Yes, a sympathetic vibration would be simple---but, this sound is definitely coming from her throat.
And yes she needs to put more air through the instrument. She started off with a 2; she was unable to produce a sound using just her mouthpiece and barrel.
I played her instrument with my mouthpiece I will try her mouthpiece.
Thanks,
Karen
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Author: kjs
Date: 2007-10-17 16:54
It is a good article, thank you. I found the part about tongue position interesting.
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Author: kjs
Date: 2007-10-17 16:58
YES. However it is an involuntary, intermittent sound on par with the drone of a bagpipe.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-10-17 18:45
For what it's worth, KJS, the "tongue position thing" is probably the second most important fundamental that I teach, after "how to practice".
Good luck!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: kjs
Date: 2007-10-18 00:59
Thank you James.
The very first things I do with a student is demonstrate and then watch them assemble mouthpiece and barrel, ligature and reed, placement of the mouthpiece on the lower lip (rolling it into the mouth), embouchure and then breathing. I think better breath control is developed while standing so I tell them to practice standing up.
Incidentally the 'drone' problem was less with my student standing. I have suggested breaking up practice sessions throughout a day if possible---to give the developing embochure a workout and rest.
Karen
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