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Re: Thin tone

Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-06-09 07:02

My experience from teaching at Kent State, and playing for 40 plus years is the reeds are a bit light in strength, biting, and learning how to blow through the horn. Sometimes trying a slightly harder reed and play long tones in the upper register. In this case watch yourself play in front of a mirror. This will surely help you develop better muscle control. When looking into a mirror check out the position of the clarinet. The correct position of the clarinet may be different for people, but the key here is to figure out the ideal reed, mouthpiece, mouth formation, breathing, and the clarinet position.

This may take you a few weeks or up to several months. Use the mirror everyday when practicing. To keep from biting, which thins your sound try double lip. If you are biting with a double lib you probably won't last more than 5 minutes before your upper lip is too sore to play anymore. At this time go back to a single lip. Continue practicing double lip until you are able to gain a geat sound through out the horn.

It's possible you may need to change mouthpieces, reeds, the ligiture, and maybe the actual clarinet. Don't replace the clarinet until you find one that speaks well fo you.

Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces

Yamaha Artist 2015

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