 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: CarlT
Date: 2009-01-28 17:24
Whenever someone refers to high C on the clarinet, which C are they speaking of, the one just above the break, or the highest note in the clarion register?
The reason I'm asking this is because I found an old note that I had made from a BB thread where someone had recommended the best way to know how much MP to place in one's mouth.
The note reads, "Using a tuner, place just enough MP in your mouth to play a 'high C' in tune."
At the time I believe I thought the poster was recommending the C just above the break, but now I'm thinking it may be the highest clarion note.
At any rate what's a good rule-of-thumb for knowing how much MP to insert and/or do you use a specific note (like "high C") to determine this?
Your answer(s) will be appreciated.
CarlT
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Author: GBK
Date: 2009-01-28 17:27
Playing the mouthpiece by itself, you should be able to sound a C6 on the tuner ...GBK
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2009-01-28 17:59
GBK answered what the note you found meant.
In general, I would expect a reference to "high C" to mean either 2 lines above the treble staff or an octave higher than that, depending on context. Those numbers (GBK's C6) refer to octaves on a standard 88-key piano and are clearer than terms like "high" and "low."
One "rule of thumb" about the amount of mouthpiece to take into your mouth is that the reed should rest on your teeth under your lower lip where the reed and mouthpiece separate. You can find that (or get close enough) by sliding a piece of paper under the reed until it stops. The reality, though, is that the amount of reed/mouthpiece you need to take in depends on the response of the specific setup - meaning that different reeds may need to go in a little less or a little more. Your ear needs to tell you if the sound is clear and focused and whether articulation is clean, and a check with a tuner will tell you whether most of your range is in tune.
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2009-01-28 18:26
Another way to see how much mouthpiece to take in is to start with too much, play open G (squeak high D!) and back it out until the open G sounds. Thin paper method mentioned above also works...
Lori
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2009-01-28 19:03
I find relating key numbering to keyboards confusing. As we are talking clarinet at the moment is it not preferable to call the lowest C, C1 and the one above top staff C3 etc.?
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-01-28 19:17
Hard to say for sure, reading it in print, though always one of the two above the staff. I'll call both of them "high C" when I'm talking. For the one just above the staff, I'll say "high C" without changing the cadence of the sentence, or I might say "C above the staff." For the one an octave above that, I'll say "high C", but will pause briefly before "high", nod my head and eyebrows upward and slightly over as if I'm watching a little man do the pole vault during "high", and pause again briefly after "C". Alternatively, I'll do a little double-upward-twirling gesture during "high".
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2009-01-28 19:28
Only if two clarinetists are talking and both know what the numbers mean.
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Author: marshall
Date: 2009-01-28 19:46
this is why I prefer to use terms like 'lower clarion C', 'upper clarion C' and 'altissimo c'. Once I get above the altissimo c (c#, d, eb if you dare...etc) I start calling them 'so-high-they-shouldn't-be-legal C#' (or d, eb...et) (a bit of facetiousness implied :p)
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2009-01-28 19:59
I'll bet I'm not the only one who never noticed. :-)
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-01-28 20:52
This is a good question and can be confusing. If one is talking to a student that can't yet play above a "high" G, the highest G on the clarinet, than I'm referring to the high C above the staff. If I say high C to a professional or an advanced student that can play above that high G already I'm talking about the highest C on the clarinet.
As far as how much mouthpiece to take in your mouth, my opinion is this. Because there are so many differences in the length of the lays on different mouthpieces as well as tip openings, together with different thicknesses of people’s lips I don't believe there is one rule of thumb for how much mouthpiece one should take. If a person is using a soft reed they may have to take more mouthpiece on the same mouthpiece as someone using a harder reed but as I said, that also depends on the size and thickness of their lip, over or underbite not to mention jaw strength. I somewhat agree with Lori. I suggest that my students take as much mouthpiece in their mouth and then back off until they feel comfortable, get the best sound and control they can get and have the best projection possible. It also depends on the angle of the mouthpiece in your mouth. In other words, find what works best for the individual based on their mouthpiece and physical makeup. ESP www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2009-01-29 11:11)
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-01-28 21:39
The *clearest* way I've found to describe a note (especially when talking to people who don't know the register names) is to indicate where it is. C, for example, can be "C below the staff" "C in the staff" "C 2 lines above the staff" and "C an octave above the staff".
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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