 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: BRNman
Date: 2011-11-05 22:36
This guy takes his mouthpiece off and plays a clarinet just like a flute. Wow...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-NOWnVop3I
![[whoa]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie10.gif)
This is unbelievable! I have tried to do it but cannot make any sound that lasts more than 1/4 of a second. I couldn't find any other info on google about it, so I've decided to ask. Has anyone attempted to play their clarinet like this? Is it fake?
Post your opinions.
Thanks!
Post Edited (2011-11-05 22:43)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2011-11-05 22:50
If it is real, it looks like he's using part of his lips to close off the top tenon hole therefore making the aperture smaller, and easier to make a sound on. Like blowing across a small bottle would be easier than a wide-mouth jug.
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BRNman
Date: 2011-11-05 22:55
I just figured that out. I managed to hold a note out for a second but I can't do it consistently. I'm going to work on it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2011-11-05 23:28
Simon was my clarinet teacher. No kidding. He always was (and apparently still is) keen on trying out new things with his clarinet. I can vouch for this being the real thing.
Needless to say, I learned a lot of him, especially along the "if it sounds good it is good" and "you be the judge" ideas.
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BRNman
Date: 2011-11-06 00:01
That's seriously amazing. I'm thinking that modern composers could use this in their songs if only more people could do it. He should publish this to a website for clarinet effects. Seriously, its amazing that he even thought of it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: DAVE
Date: 2011-11-06 01:11
I can do it... just not as well as that guy. I first became acquainted with this technique back in college. A few people were working on and performing "The Jungle" by Eric Mandat. Seriously cool piece!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BRNman
Date: 2011-11-06 15:18
WOW! I just tried to play what I would call a "C" on clarinet and can now do it consistently!
Post Edited (2011-11-06 16:22)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-11-06 17:29
Shaku-clarinet!
If you want to convert your clarinet into a shakuhachi, you'd be best making a shakuhachi-style mouthpiece that fits into the barrel to make the instrument the correct length so the scale is true. Turn up a plastic or grenadilla cylinder the same length and bore as a mouthpiece and file an angle to make the sharp edge which you direct the airstream against. It works on the same principle as a recorder but without the fipple (which is replaced with your lower lip) and windway (which is now the aperture between your lips).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2011-11-06 17:29)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: srattle
Date: 2011-11-06 18:45
I just tried this. It's completely possible. I get light headed very quickly, but the sound is actually quite nice (albeit with a very strange scale, much worse scale than what he gets) Try it out, super fun! I get better results with the clarinet more horizontal, like a flute.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BRNman
Date: 2011-11-07 21:16
What troubles me is that I'm not sure if i'm actually playing or if I'm just whistling into the clarinet. Is it the same or am I doing it wrong?
HA! the video got 300 views since my post.
Post Edited (2011-11-07 21:22)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2011-11-08 16:54
Yup Ralph...This is exactly a kaval embouchure. Some Bulgarian clarinetists actually use this technique on the barrel instead of the upper joint but I've never been able to make that work for me.
Kaval is (IMO) incredibly difficult to make a sound on for transverse flute players. Since I've been playing flute almost as long as I've been playing clarinet, it's really tough for me...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-11-09 11:24
If a kaval embouchure doesn't work for you (and it does look like a pretty tricky embouchure to master seeing it's using the corner of the mouth), try a shakuhachi embouchure as that may be easier. Hold the clarinet in its normal playing position (or more vertically than normal) and with the open end of the top joint central with your mouth, blow across the end of the top joint as you'd blow across the top of a bottle to make it sound. Try it with the barrel fitted if that doesn't work. Watch a shakuhachi player and see what they do.
The principle of sound production on the shakuhachi is the same as the kaval (and the sound is fairly similar), only the shakuhachi has the one sharp blowing edge on it whereas the kaval is sharpened all the way round.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2011-11-10 02:47
Katrina: Yes it is indeed hard to make a sound for those of us who have been spoiled by transverse flute. Deb & I bought a kaval in Plovidiv, but neither of us can make a sound on it, at least not before we hyper-ventilate. (Our local expert calls it a very good student-grade instrument.) After another friend's advice, I made an end-blown tilinca from plexy tube, but we can't make a sound on that either. |-(8^(
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2011-11-10 14:55
Chris: You don't actually use the corner of your mouth. You place the flute at an angle so that when you blow out of the center you direct the air at the lip of it. It's hard to find the "sweet spot" on a kaval itself, but I am usually ok on a clarinet blown the way this video shows. I just would love to have time to figure out a tune to play!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BRNman
Date: 2011-11-19 15:40
You should get one of your errm... fellow kaval players to try the same on a clarinet.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-11-19 15:53
You can make a special shakuhachi-style mouthpiece for this purpose - get a cheap plastic mouthpiece (eg. one that comes with a Buffet or Bundy clarinet) and saw or machine off the beak about 1mm from the base of the window (which will form the blowing edge) and smooth off the end that's been cut to make it comfortable when held against your lower lip.
I'll dig one out and give it a go in a minute.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-11-19 16:34
Probably best off using a plastic mouthpiece as they machine easily - it's like cutting wax. I initially tried it out on an old chipped B&H mouthpiece and it shattered, but I had this Brilhart one to hand so that got the chop!
It's a bit on the long side as the scale gets flatter as it goes up, so either using a short barrel or shortening the length of the mouthpiece will have the desired effect.
Now the fingerings are as follows:
Low F is now low C (but sounds concert D) and the basic C major scale goes to C with just the thumb still on using the standard fingerings, then D in the next register is oxx|xxx and from E upwards (xxx|xxo), either overblow (as you would do with a flute) or use the speaker key which is now an 8ve key for the upper register notes. The throat notes and LH thumb note are now redundant as are the LH pinky keys (apart from the Eb key) in the upper register.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2011-11-19 16:35)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-11-19 16:45
HAHAHA! Yeah - a more German sound!
And now there's no ligature or reed to worry about!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-11-20 16:16
Scroll down a bit.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2011-11-20 16:18)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
