 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: srvjimi
Date: 2008-04-16 02:36
So I've recently gotten into a serious jazz phase. Here's the problem; I'm a classical artist. I play in a local symphony orchestra and wind ensemble, but I'd love to learn to play an awesome jazz clarinet too. I do know how the scales work, and chord progressions... the only real trouble I have is when it comes to bending notes. Would i need to get a new barrel/mouthpiece to play like Benny Goodman? Right now I have a Vandoren B45 mouthpiece, and the barrel to my R13. Please help me out!
Alan
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-04-16 02:49
Please remember -
The archives are a good place to start.
There are literally hundreds of postings on learning to gliss/smear/bend etc... notes.
A search of the archives will yield LOTS of excellent advice and tips.
...GBK
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Author: SVClarinet09
Date: 2008-04-16 03:02
What I do to bend (I'm using you mean like a portamento/gliss/slide) is I slowly move the fingers off the keys and you open your throat sort of like when a doctor tells you to say ah, it's really hard to explain. Try messing around with your throat voicings and that should help, thats what I did because its something hard to describe and understand how to do.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-04-16 07:41
With pliers? No wait those are for keys not notes, so what plier is best to bend from G major to F minor? 
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-04-16 07:43
clarnibass wrote:
> With pliers? No wait those are for keys not notes, so what
> plier is best to bend from G major to F minor?
Use a multiplier. Really versatile. ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif)
--
Ben
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-04-16 12:07
Can you whistle? Play a note in the upper clarion and try and bend it /down/ with the same sort of action...
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Author: William
Date: 2008-04-16 14:39
One of the easiest notes to start with is C6. Bend it by loosening your embouchure and raising your tongue in the back as if saying "eeyyaaa..." You should be able to get down to a Bb or lower quite easily the first time--kind of like playing out of tune on purpose to irritate your conductor or obnoixious neighbor. If that note bends, then progress (or digress....) downward to a B5 and bend that note. And Bb5, A5, etc, etc, etc . With practice, you should be able to bend almost any note and eventually master the opening Rhapsody in Blue gliss like Al Goladoro. Remember, practice makes perfect--or, in the case of bent tones, more "imperfect". Then, there's vibrato, scoops, fuzz tones, "ghost" tones, and a whole lot of other special effects that can only be best learned from lots of listening. As you are already an accomplished "legit" clarinetist, perhaps the best thing you could do is simply jump right in and join a local jazz band or form one of your own. Start with a keyboard or guitar, add the bass, drums and then other horns as they become available. And as you have an understanding of music theory and chord progressions, buy some Real Books or other "lead sheets" and go from there. Learn the melody (head) and then, make it up as you go. Just do it and it will happen. Swing and have fun!!
Post Edited (2008-04-16 14:40)
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Author: beejay
Date: 2008-04-16 15:16
A B45 is fine for orchestral work, but frankly I don't think it is the most suitable mouthpiece for jazz. I certainly can't bend notes on mine. But there are mouthpieces specially suitable for jazz, including a Van Doren model. For jazz (or playing really loud) I use an Otto Link and it bends like crazy.
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Author: William
Date: 2008-04-16 18:20
I can bend notes and play jazz on any mpc, including the one I use for orchestral and other "legit" playing. Going from he opening gliss in R&B to Beethovan or Brahms is no problem--just got to have a good reed. What else is new--LOL?? I really do not distinguish between a classical or jazz sound, but rather go for a "good" sound all the time. I do use different clarinets for different gigs and each has its own dedicated mouthpiece and reed/lig set ups. But I tend to sound the same on all of them because I have this "idea" what a good sound should be and I just always go for it. Orchestral, wind ensemble, swing, combo jazz or dixie, its all the same quality of sound--just different styles. And playing loud--no problem. Just use a mike.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2008-04-16 19:37
William,
Agreed. I have no particular jazz or legit setup but just make happen what needs to happen. I'm doing Gypsy right now and within the Reed 4 book play many different styles on tenor as well as clarinet throughout.
It would be pretty funny to have to switch to the jazz setup and then to the big vibrato schmaltz setup on the same page. Wait Mr. Conductor, I need to change my setup. LOL.
I am playing a B45 MP I found in a junk drawer right now for the show. The same conductor commented a few weeks ago when we played Fiddler that "I had a really great Klezmer sound" with the same setup. I also use this setup for wind ensemble work and am quite pleased with the tone.
HRL
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Author: SVClarinet09
Date: 2008-04-16 21:39
<i>
A B45 is fine for orchestral work, but frankly I don't think it is the most suitable mouthpiece for jazz</i>
The tip opening, etc doesn't necessarily matter for jazz mouthpieces. I play a closed mouthpiece and long lay with hard reeds for both jazz and regular playing and bending notes isn't hard. People like Eddie Daniels play the same setup for orchestral/jazz work, there's no need to necessarily have a jazz setup because most of the stuff is technique wise, not equipment, but the equipment does enhance =]
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Author: emptythevoid
Date: 2008-04-17 22:46
Keep in mind that I'm not a serious or professional player. I learned how to bend by trial and error in high school. I was using a Vandorean B45 (on an old Bundy student model) and was used to using Vandorean 4 reeds and could bend decent enough (not great enough for professional jazz, but good enough for jazz class). Let's put it this way - I was the only clarinet player in jazz class that could bend.
That being said, all my bending is done with jaw movement and keeping a firm embouchure. I bend it down almost to the point where my mouth is making close to an "O" shape (for deep bends), but my lips maintain a stable grip on the mouthpiece (otherwise you'll squawk). This same technique allows me to do a poor-man's vibrato. I'm not that great with the quick variations in air flow needed for a true vibrato, but using the bend, I can sorta fake it by doing a tremolo. Again, keeping a tight grip with my lips, quickly "nibbling" with my jaw makes a very slight but quick drop in pitch that actually sounds more like a string instrument than woodwind. In all actuality, it makes it sound very much like Dixieland, at least to me. You can also start with a deep bend and then climb the notes with your fingers, constantly squeezing the bend sharper as you go (rather like Benny Goodman's intro into "Rhapsody in Blue"). If done right, you can get a huge range on a bend (or at least fake it).
I've also noticed that, at least with my B45, a softer reed can allow more "bendability" at the expense of tonal quality. Just for example, a Vandorean 3 sounds real good, but bending range and ease is limited (wears the mouth out faster, too). A 2 1/2, on the other hand, doesn't sound as good, but it requires less work to bend and there's a little more range (just don't spend too much time in the upper register - it's garbage up there with a 2 1/2). I haven't tried any other mouthpieces, so I can't vouch for that, but the B45 is fairly decent, especially if you've got the grip to do it.
Absorb my experience with the fact that I haven't seriously played in years (pretty much quit after highschool), and mainly just noodle around by ear now.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2008-04-18 18:03
I do a lot of Klezmer stuff and use my embouchure, loosening and tightening it accordingly with my lips. This will require a ligature that won't bind your reed too tightly to the mouthpiece. For this I like the Pyne string ligature.
Practice makes perfect. Practice, practice, practice. Ths most difficult part is not squeaking.
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Author: Carol Dutcher
Date: 2008-04-18 22:42
I play jazz clarinet and have a B45 mouthpiece. I bend notes with my jaw or embouchure, I don't know which would be the best way to describe it.
I use a 2.5 reed but recently have tried a 3. I like the 2.5 better.
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Author: rgames
Date: 2008-04-19 00:41
It's simple. There are two analogies that I think are most descriptive, both achieve the goal of changing the volume of your oral cavity (that's what makes the pitch change).
1. Mimic the feeling of the response to hot food in your mouth. Your toungue and the interior of your mouth try to "move away" from the hot food, so you increase the volume of your oral cavity and drop the pitch.
2. Mimic the feeling of moving from a high note to a low note while whistling. That does the same thing.
Again, you need to change the volume of your oral cavity. These are two techniques to achieve that. There are many others.
rgames
____________________________
Richard G. Ames
Composer - Arranger - Producer
www.rgamesmusic.com
Post Edited (2008-04-19 00:41)
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2008-04-20 14:12
Another way to practice is to take just your mouthpiece (reed and ligature attached) and practice changing the tone as much as possible without the instrument. Play as many different sounds as you can and practice bending the notes.
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Author: blazian
Date: 2008-04-21 20:35
Is all this possible on bass clarinet? Plateau keys don't do so well with dipping fingers in the toneholes. I can bend notes on the clarinet, so what's stopping me on bass?
- Martin
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