 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tom
Date: 2000-12-31 18:18
I was recently going over the "jazz techniques" I know to use in my jazz quintet. I usually play keyboards but I've decided to try some clarinet as well.
Well, I can do pitch bends (with the lip), glisses as in "Rhapsody in Blue" (I learnt this with the help of this very bulletin board!) but what I don't seem to be able to do is what I believe is called "growling".
I've tried singing down my clarinet and that kinda works, except you can hear the singing really clearly, and that ain't nice. So if anyone could give me a few clues on how to do this, or knows anymore "jazz techniques", I would appreciate it. In the mean time I think I'll just sit back and listen to my Benny Goodman...
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Author: Rissa
Date: 2000-12-31 19:21
Here's a way to cheat. Uhm, well I'm not sure you could call it growling, but last year we played a peice that called for flutter tounging, and I know that this can sometimes give the same affect. I was the only one in my section that could actually flutter, all the others had to growl, which I couldn't do. They explained to me how to growl, but I just couldn't do it. This is what they told me: Pretend like you're a cat, and somehow "purr" in the very very back of your throat. It's something you either can or can't do! In return I told them this about fluttering: Roll your tounge like you're Spanish (without the clarinet of course). If you can't "just do it", then place the tip of your tongue on the palate of your mouth, right behind your teeth. Then, just blow air, not vocalizing anything (you might have to form your lips as if you're going to say purrrr". Then, stick your mouthpeice in, blow, and voila! It doesn't work to well for me in any register but the clarion. Hope this is of some help!! Happy new year!
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Author: ron b
Date: 2000-12-31 21:06
Simple and easy. Just hum into it as you play.
ron b
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2001-01-01 20:24
Ron is correct. You basically hum as you play, although some force can be required. You might also think of it as shouting while you play.
This can be more difficult with clarinet than with saxophone, but that's also a matter of your setup. The same things that give you stability in your normal sound can resist your demands for additional flexibility.
I'd be curious to know what kind of setup you're using, and how your efforts towards growling progress. Because it involves intermodulation, growling can be an unpredictable effect.
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Author: graham
Date: 2001-01-02 11:56
Try starting on a lower register G and singing the same note (concert pitch F on the next to top ledger line of the bass clef for a bass voice, assuming the use of a B flat clarinet.) Once you have got your voice and the note together, try singing a litttle flat or sharp. The closer your voice gets to the note, without actually being on pitch, the slower but more violent the "beats" will become. You can feel these beats distinctly against your rib cage if you get it right. Good effect.
I doubt this is what the jazzers mean by growling though. I thought that was a two tone effect created entirely by the reed.
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