 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: llgusa
Date: 2008-09-15 18:47
I'm new to this board. I just started playing Bb clarinet again. Hadn't played since high school some 40 years ago. I started taking lessons this summer with a local high school director. When I play higher notes, they sound shrill. Am I doing something wrong, or have I just not had enough time to develop embouchure? Sure hate that shrill sound. I bought a new mouthpiece-a VanDoren 5RV (with Rico 3 reed). That helped a little, but not enough.
Post Edited (2008-09-15 19:35)
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-09-15 20:02
Give it time. Develop some embouchure, play around with different reeds or reed strengths (just change one variable at a time, and take your time to settle)
Besides, what you're hearing is not always what others are hearing - you may sound better from a distance (1..2 miles away ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif) ) than 10 inches from the tone hole.
What does your instructor say? And what are "higher notes"?
--
Ben
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2008-09-15 20:02
You could be doing dozens of things "wrong," so don't jump to conclude that your reed is the problem.
No reed brand or cut, by itself, is going to make you sound "disgusting," nor will a particular reed brand or cut make you sound like Karl Leister.
Knowing what you mean by "higher notes" and "shrill" would help the group here better zero in on what some of the more likely problems might be, though your correct in thinking that it may be an undeveloped (as yet) embouchure. Breath support also is about half the battle.
What does your teacher say?
B.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-09-15 20:08
cxgreen48 wrote:
> Try other reeds. Ricos make me sound disgusting too
I've been playing clarinet for more than 40 years and play on quality reeds.
If I put a Rico (or equivalent) reed on, I doubt if I would sound "disgusting" (your words). In fact, within minutes, I'd venture to say, I'd sound almost the same as always.
There is FAR MORE to producing a beautiful clarinet tone than the quality of the reed...GBK
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-09-15 20:13
Ok... maybe not "disgusting" but shrill?
But a better quality reed does help a lot (at least for me) to reduce "shrillness"
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-09-15 21:05
My PERSONAL "better quality" reeds are Vandoren and V.12, although slightly fussy to deal with sometimes.
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2008-09-15 23:20
I was interested in finding out what defines "better quality" in a brand of reeds, not so much which brands one might think of as "better quality."
By asking this, I was trying to make the point that most clarinetists define quality level by brand name, marketing hype, fancy packaging, or who-plays-what, not by any real evidence or empirical research, much less a set of criteria to base that judgment on.
Hence, Rico still gets clobbered by many players as being a manufacturer of "low quality" crap, despite significant evidence to the contrary.
Hence some players adamantly refuse to consider any reed but Vandoren as "good," despite several years of providing reeds that were terribly inconsistent and very poorly finished.
(No, I'm not baiting any particular person on the list, but I AM baiting players as a whole.)
B.
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Author: William
Date: 2008-09-15 23:48
Reeds?? Short answer, they are all bad.
Longer answer, "once in a blue moon" after auditioning many candidate reeds, you will find one that you somewhat "like"and might be suitalbe for performance after curing, balancing, waving your magic reed wand, etc. Often you will find "OK" reeds that are good for practice and rehearsals. However, most of the time, you will find no reed that even comes close to playing on your mouthpiece and is a prime candidate for the music stand test--some refer to this exam as the "wall test".
Best answer, learn to play the reed--dont let the reed play you. Good clarinetists have learned to be flexable and can produce a pleasing tone quality no matter what brand of adundo romax is secured to their mouthpiece with whatever ligature. As for Rico's, I've recently had very good results with a box of Rico Reserves, 3.5 on my Chicago Kaspar #14 mpc. Box of 5, one was "performance quality" (and I used it last week) another three were very good, and the fifth was at least good for practice--right out of the box with no adjusting.
One curious thing I have learned over the years is that the better "shape" my embouchure is in, the less reed problems I encounter. If I can play for hours and never get tired, almost any reed seems to performs well on my clarinet. So give your clarinet some practice time before blaming any reed for your tone problems. Even the old Moree reed probably would sound strident and thin until you have some more playing time on your practice sheet.
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-09-16 00:57
well I guess my "better quality" definition would be, "makes it easier to sound good"
and I don't think all Ricos are bad. I think the Grand Concert Select (although I've only tried Evolution) series, Mitchell Luries, and probably the Rico Reserve (haven't tried, but heard good things about from people on this forum) are good.
The Rico products i've tried all sound a little shrill in the upper register (notes around the high C and altissimo register)
Perhaps I should try those orange box Ricos again, or the Rico Royals...
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Author: llgusa
Date: 2008-09-16 05:20
My teacher suggested a new mouthpiece, which I bought, or a new clarinet (Buffet R-13). I actually played a used R-13; it sounded slightly better but not a lot better.
By shrill, I mean "screechy" or very bright, especially high C above staff and higher.
Post Edited (2008-09-16 05:25)
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Author: llgusa
Date: 2008-09-17 01:18
I've been playing about 3 months after a 40 year break. I've decided it must be embouchure-related.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2008-09-17 04:38
try a vandoren blue box #3.0.
if it helps, great. if not, you're only out the cost of a few reeds.
and practice a lot of slow long tones - thirds or scales really slowly , until you build your embouchure back up.
i quit for 17 years - i'm playing in a symphony now - it can be done. never give up.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Old Geezer
Date: 2008-09-17 17:59
Two or three years ago I came back to the clarinet after many, many years. Naturally I had a time trying to develope a good characteristic clarinet tone. I have eight mouthpieces and 100s and 100s of reeds, to say nothing of reed preparation equipment, knives, reed wizard, etc.
These days I'm using a Vandoren M13 and V12 3, and Rico Grand Concert thick blanks etc.
I wasn't making the progress I felt I should make in developing a good tone until I bought Larry Guy's "Embouchure Building for Clarinetists."
It reallly helped me. Today I have a clarinet tone that can be compared favorably with any....
Try Larry's book, it's just the thing for someone returning after a long hiatus!
Clarinet Redux
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Author: llgusa
Date: 2008-09-18 05:14
Thanks for the suggestions. I will definitely get that book. I'm also trying the Vandoren reeds.
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