The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BandieSF
Date: 2008-04-26 19:54
For our final song of the year we get to play the sequel to the closer of this year's marching show (Ride by Samuel Hazo), Rush. Fun piece (though I'm disappointed because I once again didn't get first clarinet and am stuck with the not quite so challenging second part), but close to the end (measure 132 if I'm not mistaken, for those of you who've played the part before) I'm presented with a run of four 32nd notes, slurred, with "rip" written above them. Does that mean to essentially bend through those notes, or play them almost like grace notes in terms of speed, or what? I got a bit excited at first because I thought it might have meant to bend, thus I'd get to challenge myself with a new technique, but now I'm not so sure.
An added question for those who have played this piece, for the groups of tongued 16ths, is it worth the time to try to teach myself double-tonguing so I don't have to do what the rest of the section will have to end up doing (they're still as oblivious as my director to the fact that clarinet can in fact double tongue ) which is to do two staccato eighths instead, but where's the fun in that . For those who haven't played the piece and can double tongue, which consonant is easier: "k" or "g"?
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Current set-up:
Classical:
Strength 4 1/4 Legere Signature Series
Vandoren M13 Lyre
Jazz:
Strength 3 3/4 Legere Quebec
Pomarico Jazz*
Clarinets:
Buffet E11 Student Model
Buffet R13 Greenline
<http://operationhighschool.blogspot.com
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Author: SVClarinet09
Date: 2008-04-26 20:40
I had Hazo as a clinician last weekend and he had a tuba part on one song that had a "rip" to high Bb and essentially he just wanted them to play the heck out of the notes, maybe that's what he means by that.
As for double tonguing,
I could pull it off single tonguing in alot of sections of ride, rush etc cus its short passages, but other wise I try tuttle-uttle. There's an article I can't remember if on here or Clark Fobes website on "synthetic speed tonguing" Go check it out. Ta-ka doesnt work for me because I get sort of like a squeal, and du-guh is just idk, hard? haha
Post Edited (2008-04-26 20:50)
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2008-04-27 08:35
In most cases, double-tonguing on clarinet produces a very ugly sound.
I wouldn't straight-up gliss the rip, but I'd play it loud, obnoxious, and sloppy, and perhaps some bending would make its way in.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: BandieSF
Date: 2008-04-27 16:26
Yeah, I was thinking "rip" meant more than or something other than a simple smear, considering that when it's written on French horn parts it's usually played loud to the point of loosing some tone quality. Gliss or not, what I'm seeing described sounds fun nonetheless (seriously, how often do you get to play loud and obnoxious and not get yelled at for it?)
I've had minor success in double tonguing (at least it felt like I did it...) on one of our UIL pieces, but gave it up because my single tonguing ended up catching up to the tempo as well as percussion doing what most of them seem to do best: screw up the speed (in this case by slowing it down). I'll probably be able to deal with tonal issues that come with double-tonguing, as I only have to do 4 sixteenths and a quarter at a time.
The article, by the way, was on Clark Fobes's website.
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Current set-up:
Classical:
Strength 4 1/4 Legere Signature Series
Vandoren M13 Lyre
Jazz:
Strength 3 3/4 Legere Quebec
Pomarico Jazz*
Clarinets:
Buffet E11 Student Model
Buffet R13 Greenline
<http://operationhighschool.blogspot.com
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Author: D
Date: 2008-04-27 18:40
Regarding double tonguing, I would have thought that the whole section should be playing the same thing. You could stick your hand in the air and say loudly, "oh conductor dear, do you wish this passage to be double tongued?" (or words to that effect....) And then everyone would have to do it. not that you are in any way evil or would ever enjoy seeing the others suffer.....
Seriously though, if you are really getting disgruntled and bored in band then don't look to it as you main musical stimulus. (You could leave!) Try and find somewhere more demanding to play. School is not the only place music happens. If there is not somewhere in the community to play, how about getting a quartet or small group together of other good students from your school or other local schools and really pushing yourselves. If you are not happy with what is available then go further afield or make opportunities. You'll enjoy your music far more.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-04-27 19:09
"In most cases, double-tonguing on clarinet produces a very ugly sound."
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Nope, don't agree with that.
but...
Your 16th note patterns are only 1 beat (4 notes going to an eighth) so no big deal at all. Go onto Itunes and have a listen to Michele Gingras Podcast on tonguing quickly. "burst tonguing" - you can go faster than you think
It's just a quick burst that you should be able to single tongue.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2008-04-28 17:13
Fast and ugly and "rippy." I've heard people slur that passage, and in other pieces I've been told to bend the pitches when it says "rip."
I agree with Alex -- I've never heard a really great double-tonguing clarinetist that couldn't just single tongue the part (I'm talking band pieces - not solo) in high school. When it comes to band compositions where a section plays a fast sixteenth/32nd/whatever fast passage, slur two tongue two is a very acceptable standard. If you do it correctly it sounds very tight and accurate. Would you rather hear a section hobbling through a double-tongued passage or a tight slur two-tongue two (where you slur from 1 to 'e' with a staccato on the 'e', '+', and 'a') that lets you accurately **hear** the pitches in the audience? I remember hearing a player double tongue a passage like this that was longer than 4 16ths and none of the pitches were discernible. I asked him and he had no idea.
On the other hand, like you said, it's not that long so you'd probably be able to single tongue this.
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Author: BandieSF
Date: 2008-04-28 23:25
I am working on it both ways (single and double), and my single is actually really close to being able to do it, so long as I don't chicken out and back off on the air speed. I've mainly wanted to learn double just to add it to my stash of tricks.
D - Leave band!? No! It's just this year that's been a slight drag. Our music has been fun, just not in the sense of insanely hard fun. It's all because our old head band director had to leave us in the dark (our once legendary jazz band is now a fraction of what it used to be)... Oh well, can't always have it my way. At least I'm not alone on that. Luckily, Rush is harder than I had originally thought, i.e. measures 133 and 134 (the counting is so tricked up there that we spent ten minutes on just those two measures in class today), so my challenge-hungry fingers are being fed well. Looks like "Master" has stepped up the intensity level on us. Next year is going to be a blast, though. The senior high school bands are both amazing.
But, yeah, my single tonguing is slowly catching up. The rip is probably too short to try to make it a gliss, but I'm still happy to settle with "loud and obnoxious" anytime (like now). Thanks for all of the help.
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Current set-up:
Classical:
Strength 4 1/4 Legere Signature Series
Vandoren M13 Lyre
Jazz:
Strength 3 3/4 Legere Quebec
Pomarico Jazz*
Clarinets:
Buffet E11 Student Model
Buffet R13 Greenline
<http://operationhighschool.blogspot.com
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Reply To Message
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