 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Deanna Howarth
Date: 2001-01-11 19:15
Hi everybody
At my college I'm in the wind ensemble and this semester we're performing "Rhapsody in Blue." The first chair and myself (2nd chair) are both up for the big solo in the beginning. I *really* want to play it, but I'm having problems with the glissando from D to C and I need to nail it in order to get the part (he's a sophomore, I'm a freshman - there may be some politics involved! :-P). Any suggestions? My teacher at school told me to "say AH" when I do it, but it's not helping much.
Thanks
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Author: Deanna Howarth
Date: 2001-01-12 03:16
I'm finding that the gliss from G to C is much much easier than D to G.
The explanation of doing the "gargle" or "ghhh" sound helped. Since it's late and my mom and sister are asleep I'll have to try tomorrow.
I think the fact that I get all nervous before the gliss makes me press harder on the keys and that doesn't help at all! I've always been told by my teachers to relax.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-01-12 21:28
Deanna -
Getting the G to C gliss in a single day is a substantial achievement. Good for you! Give the rest of it a little more time and it will definitely come.
One thing that helps is sliding your right hand fingers off the holes by pulling them to the side, so the're uncovered gradually. I rotate my right wrist upward, so that my ring finger starts to slide off first.
Relaxation is a tough thing to learn without someone beside you watching and helping. For excess finger pressure, try gripping really hard with your fingers and then relaxing them so they barely touch the keys and holes. Do this several times so you know how it feels. Then practice the slide in the low register first. Play a firm, forte low G and find out how lightly you can hold your right hand fingers down and still make the note. When you are pressing gently, you should feel the instrument and the air vibrating under your fingertips. When you are comfortable in the low register, move to the clarion and do the same from D to G.
Have fun. Be sloppy and obnoxious. Play it with a dirty mind. That the way it spozed ta be.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Willie
Date: 2001-01-13 02:05
This darn gliss can be frustrating. Back when I was in the 8th grade (they still made Studebakers then), I could do this gliss from Bb middle staff to high C just by shifting my embouchure and jaw position. Sounded neat too. Now I'm older and can't do it at all like that.
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Author: Wes Brown
Date: 2001-01-14 02:54
Hi!
Ben Kanter, who died at 93 a couple of years ago, lived and played in Boston in the 20's and was called from New York to play "Rhapsody in Blue" with Gershwin. He told me that the first man to play it could not play a clean scale, as in the score, which Gershwin actually liked because it sounded bluesy. He asked Ben to get an effect like that. Ben then tried it and decided to play the first register with fingered chromatics and to slide the second register by pulling the fingers off the keys. They went on the road and played it for 27 days in a row with Gershwin on the piano and Ben Kanter on the clarinet.
There are a number of other stylistic effects that Ben defined in this solo and taught them to his students, including me. Of course, the main idea is to provide high air pressure to the reed to assure that the sound is beautiful and make the notes come out, even with a less-than-perfect reed.
Ben later played first sax with Benny Goodman and became a Hollywood studio legend, performing well until a few months before he died as a result of a brain tumor.
Good Wishes!
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