 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2009-06-16 11:05
I posted a video on youtube of an audition for music camp, and I was wondering if I could get a bit of feedback?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lHYBtB3STQ
It's not my best, because it was just one take, and I haven't had much time to practice lately because this is exam week. But anyway, it's my first youtube video!
Thanks
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2009-06-16 11:55
Anna, thanks for sharing! I'd like more expressiveness in the etude - more linear phrasing (cresendo ascending, decresendo descending is a generalization).
Watch your intonation on the throat Bb's in the Baermann
What video recorder did you record it on? nice!
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-06-16 13:18
I agree with David on the need for more dynamic contrast (also watch out for accents).
One thing that stuck out at me is that it sounds like your reed might be a little too hard. It looks like you're having to fight the reed at softer dynamic levels to get it to respond and to keep it from getting too fuzzy, which makes it harder for your to play at different dynamic levels. You might try a softer, more responsive reed and see if that helps.
Best of luck to you on your audition!
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2009-06-16 13:36
Well I think you are using way to hard reed and the concept of embouchure I've learned and use is much different. I angle the clarinet further apart from me and less lip over the bottom teeth.
Although you are using very hard reeds I have to say that you sound pretty fine I just think you are using to much face muscles that your articulation and expressiveness suffers.
I don't know but I have seen some American players holding their clarinets close to the body and I was once told that 20-30 years ago when the line between national schools were clearer that the American style of playing was stretched bottom lip and the clarinet was hold close to the body.
What are the advantage and disadvantage of this style ?
If anybody knows then I would describe my playing style as some sort of what Walter Boyekens teach(my teacher studied with him among other teachers in Holland and Belgium).
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2009-06-16 14:14
Close to the body is not particularly American - Michele Zukovsky plays close and her style is not what I'd call typically American.
I think the playing close to the body would be from an occlusion in the teeth - more comfortable at that angle for some players.
Gigliotti was very specific to not let his students play close to the body as he felt that it covered up the sound and affected projection.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
Post Edited (2009-06-16 19:57)
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Author: ariel3
Date: 2009-06-16 14:51
I agree with the above. I believe that you are off to a great start and have real potential. One area that needs refinement is in the breath support area.
You should strive to sustain all notes to their full value, especially at the end of the phrase - I know that this is a challenge when you are running out of air but you must work on this.
Also, listen to recordings of not only clarinets, but other instruments such as the violin, cello and perhaps most importantly the human voice. My wife is a
soprano and has had a great influence in my playing.
Harold Wright has a marvelous recording of the Baermann Adagio. This recording has greatly influenced my interpretation of this wonderful piece.
Go to it - and enjoy !
Gene Hall
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Author: Ryan K
Date: 2009-06-16 15:00
I've been taught close to the body, which I was told descended from Marcellus.
Ryan Karr
Dickinson College
Carlisle, PA
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Author: GBK
Date: 2009-06-16 15:09
Probably just a finger slip, but be careful in measure 7 of the Rose #12 to play a C#6, and not a D6.
...GBK
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2009-06-16 15:30
1. Slightly softer reed
2. Take in a little more mouthpiece
3. Raise the tongue so the sides touch the top back molars (say eee or ooo)
4. Everything above
5. When playing the Rose, take just a little more time for the breaths.
Baermann
1. 16ths are too fast in the beginning
2. Take a little more time setting your emboucher before playing.
Nice playing overall. Thanks for posting!!
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-06-16 16:33
David wrote:
<<Close to the body is not particularly American - Michele Zukovsky plays close and her style is not American.>>
Interesting...I'm going to start a new thread about this.
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2009-06-16 16:42
Be more assertive on the scale.....louder! Keep the air strong throughout. You tend to be playing note to note on the scale. You show a relaxed and controlled approach in your playing....bravo. Don't let the air flow to be too relaxed.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2009-06-16 17:01
Thanks everyone!
I just started lessons with Eileen Walsh, the second clarinetist in the symphony here, and she's been working with me on most of the things you commented on. Also, on her advice, I moved up to a slightly harder reed and a different type- that was only a week ago, and I guess I'm still adjusting.
Same thing with holding it so close to my body and taking in more mouthpiece- I've been working on correcting that, but my jaw still tires quite quickly, so I played this the way I've played for years.
And yes, GBK, it was just a finger slip, but I didn't want to start again because the battery life in the camera was questionable.
Expressiveness, shaping of phrases and dynamic contrast is the biggest gripe teachers have about me, and I think it's because I'm an extremely shy person, and my playing reflects that. Everything is quiet. I did practice the etude with more linear phrasing, but I tend to freak out in auditions (even recorded ones!) and not play my best at all. It's getting better, though.
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Author: Philcoman
Date: 2009-06-16 17:49
I guess that in this day and age, being prepared for an audition means more than just knowing your music inside and out -- it means having an A/C adaptor for your camera as well!
Seriously, I thought it was a great audition -- thank you for sharing. I'm also thrilled, as always, to see how generous and positive all the folks on this board can be with advice and support. I can only add one thing: I was painfully shy as well, but I discovered that I could use that to improve my playing. As I developed, I began letting my clarinet be as aggressive and nuanced and eloquent as I wanted to be. Once you get to band camp and realize you can hold your own with anyone your age, let your instrument stand up and tell everyone who you are and what you're capable of. All the best!
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Author: Curinfinwe
Date: 2009-06-16 19:25
I used a camera, it's my dad's, and it's a Sony. It also says MPEGMOVIEVX on it and DSC-H1. It's 5.1 megapixels. I don't know anything about cameras escept to turn them off, on, and take a video or pictures, so the camera must be good if the video turned out alright!
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Author: Philcoman
Date: 2009-06-16 19:28
Oh, it looks and sounds great! I was just making a lame little joke there.
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Author: ebonite
Date: 2009-06-16 20:56
Hi,
As you're using 926s, you might find it helpful to use a 926 mouthpiece, which has different internal dimensions from modern French bore mouthpieces. You can either get your M30 reamed out to the correct bore size, or you could look out for an original Boosey 926 mouthpiece on an auction website, and then get it re-layed to match your M30 facing. I think it would bring down the pitch of your throat Bb.
Patrick
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-06-17 00:00
Slow down! It sounds like you're very much in a hurry to finish the piece, especially the fast bits.
If you get nervous a lot, I'd try to work toward this end: make your playing about the music, and not about you. Find things in the music that you can focus on, things you want to do something with when you play it, things you can have perspective on. Whenever you play, your attention should go toward the possibilities of the music, and not toward "you playing it".
I used to get heavy soloist jitters. Now, the only time I get jittery is when I'm more concerned with how I sound than with what can be done with the music. Jitters are my warning bell that my attention has strayed away from the music.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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