 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2009-03-24 04:31
I want to know if the sound that I hear at the reed end of my clarinet is what other people hear when I play.
Of course a quality microphone and recording device would help but that is expensive and then may not be a true answer.
Would playing into a corner produce a reasonably accurate sound echo, or perhaps the walls may be emphasise the low frequencies?
Post Edited (2009-03-24 04:32)
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2009-03-24 23:31
NO, what you hear and feel on your end of the clarinet is NOT what radiates into the performance space.
You get vibrations transmitted through your teeth and from there into your skull, sinuses, ...
BUT, I play in two different spaces. One is a 12x12 closet with capet on the floor and clothes hanging all around. Frustrating because there is no reverberation. The other (much preferred) is a "great room," which has a high ceiling with walls far enough away so that you can hear your echo --a much more rewarding place to play.
Bob Phillips
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2009-03-24 23:53
If you need to do something for your self-esteem, practice (lyrical solos and the like) in the bathroom (if you have a sufficiently large one). Royal Albert Hall for the poor....
--
Ben
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Author: Philcoman
Date: 2009-03-25 00:55
Back when I first started playing, I recorded myself and was chagrined by how much worse I sounded than I thought I would. I haven't dared record myself since. But not long ago my daughter pulled out her video camera and recorded a few minutes of my practice. I said, "Hey, that sounds better than when I was playing it!" And both she and my wife said, "No it doesn't. That's what you sound like." So it's definitely worth recording yourself once in a while, and if you're just beginning, record yourself several times over the course of a few years to hear your progress. It's very encouraging!
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2009-03-25 01:14
Philcoman,
I have had similar experiences. Before, I always thought I sounded too bright in the upper registers; however, after recording and listening to myself play, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it was.
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2009-03-25 14:27
Rather than just listen to a recording of yourself, try listening with headphones as you are playing. Reposition the microphone ....close and far away. We get very used to our sound through our ears. Perhaps even earplugs gives a different perspective. There have been recent posts dealing with the positive aspects of some practice with earplugs. Gennusa had some unusual exercises with playing while alarm clocks were ringing. I think this made you hear yourself differently. Certainly there is also a big difference between practice and performance. Most of the time we have to compete/relate to other sounds in performance so practicing in a quiet room might be the wrong approach for some reasons. So go ahead and try practicing in a dark room with noise you have to compete against. It might be good. Practicing by playing directly into a corner is a common jazz player technique. Try mixing up the ears during a practice session by changing how you perceive yourself...use the above variations and others.
As we play a duet we obviously can't be 100% focused on our tone. Once students are comfortable with their own parts they should try focusing on the other part more and more as an exercise. It is easier to do this if you play softly. Sorry for the rambling. It seems there are many connected issues to this topic.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Philcoman
Date: 2009-03-25 15:37
Those are good observations. When I'm filling the bath tub for my younger child's bath, I sometimes play my clarinet in the bathroom to pass a few minutes. Between the acoustics and the running water I find I hear something different in my sound.
"If you want to do something, you do it, and handle the obstacles as they come." --Benny Goodman
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Author: Rusty
Date: 2009-03-25 20:26
Yes all very helpfull and as Bob pointed out our teeth, sinuses etc. modify what we hear as we play. But then am I left with the same problem in that while I may think I sound OK my tone to an audience maybe awfull.
I think the idea of playing in an area like a bathroom should produce a loud enough echo that it may drown out, or be louder than the teeth and sinus effect that is modifying the sound you normally hear.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2009-03-25 23:25
I feel that playing in a bathroom-type acoustic gives a flattering but false impression of tone.
Practising in a deader acoustic is not flattering but makes one work much harder to achieve a good sound. secondly practising in dead acoustic you will rarely find yourself having to actually perform in a worse acoustic and resulting in a better sound and much greater self esteem in the actual performance.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-03-25 23:31
Have you ever recorded your voice and then listened back? It's the same principal, you won't sound like you hear yourself play, or speak. ESP
http://eddiesclarinet.com
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