 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-08 01:53
Even on days when my expression, ease and musicality feels good, I still feel the need to develop a truly good tone. I feel so compelled that I now spend three fourths of my practice time working on long tones, chromatic scales, tongued scales, tongue position, breath control, posture, projection etc .... By the time I get around to the musical pieces I'm working on, my embouchure has very little left. If this special work pays off in tone production, I feel the time will be well spent. The question is did the professional musicians on this board feel their tone improved by intense focus or did it develop over time as a bi-product of other focuses?
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Lorenzo_M
Date: 2012-09-08 03:29
It depends.
I wrote an extra long post, but before I decide to get to that, a simple question.
Do you have an exact idea of "what" a good sound is? In terms of what you want to accomplish. This isn't an attempt to be sardonic or fascetiously cute.
I ask because I struggled with much the same...being dissatisfied with what came out of my clarinet. Enough that I stopped playing classical music because I couldn't achieve this mysterious perfect sound. Years later, coming back to it...I realized my issue was not mechanics, it was concept. I had none.
So, I pulled out what records I had, bought some new music, and listened. All my practice with long tones, articulation, etc...became focused with something very specific. It took several months, but I'm now comfortable with what comes out of my horn, and have a very specific concept. To me, it sounds good because it captures the things I like about the players I like. To others who have heard it, they also think it sounds good
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-09-08 13:26
Garth -
For me, there are two elements:
1. Find a core of resonance -- a "ping" that hold the tone together and makes it carry -- a golden thread that runs through the middle of the sound. Among other things:
(a) Put your lower lip at the correct location, so that your lower teeth are exactly below the point where the reed separates from the lay, and
(b) Minimize the dampening effect of the lower lip. Hold the clarinet nearly vertical and point your chin to pull your lower lip out so that only half of the red part is inside your teeth.
You won't use this very bright tone all or even most of the time, but it's important to learn how to make it and control it. And then:
(2) Realize that making a good tone is not enough. You must be able to make many good tones. Read the wonderful article by Robert Bloom at http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=94788&t=94788.
Ken Shaw
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2012-09-08 13:58
First, listen to Gigliotti, Girko. etc . Then practice; then listen,,, etc. It may help, but in any case you will play better.
richard smith
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Author: sonicbang
Date: 2012-09-08 14:28
You need need to own two elements to achive a beautiful tone.
1. A tone concept
2. "Tools" to make it.
The first one is tougher, the second one can be achived with practise, and it seems you are on your way regarding that.
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Author: speedyclarinet
Date: 2012-09-08 14:48
I understand your struggle- have been there myself- and again the single most important thing is what you have in your ears. You will automatically reproduce that sound you have in your inner ear- even without thinking about it.
For me Robert Marcellus had that sound!! And of course many others such as Ricardo Morales, Charles Neidich can sound amazing as well- even though it´s a different concept- try to get as many different colors- just like a painter.
There is a free download of a student of Robert Marcellus out there- Lee Morgan- a complete sound freak- has spent his lifelong and glorious career focusing and refining that sound- he is principal in the Royal Danish Orchestra. This might help you defining your own sound a bit clearer.
Watch for yourself and judge for yourself and best of luck to you with your playing:)
http://www.playwithapro.com/lee-morgan/interview-lee-morgan
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-09-08 17:58
For me it is AIR, AIR, AIR !!!!! If you produce a focused, CONSTANT stream of air (push with your abdominals !!) you will actually feel the instrument vibrate under your fingers. Once you've achieved that, you will hear a dramatically more resonant sound.
..................Paul Aviles
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-09-08 18:21
Maybe not the musician you wanted a response from but.....
For me, my best tone comes from finding using MAJOR airstream production and a VERY light embouchure.
Find that point on the mouthpiece where the reed meets the curve of the mouthpiece. Put your bottom lip THERE. That allows maximum vibration of the reed with the lightest possible embouchure.
Play some stuff double lip with VERY little embouchure pressure. The mouthpiece should feel loose and flimsy cause your embouchure will not be holding it up.
Try to transfer that feeling to your single lip embouchure. It'll sound weak without a good airstream. After you find that point and embouchure pressure, work on longtones, coming in from nothing to a good forte, then going back out to nothing. You can do an overtone series if you want, or just chromatically, whatever you prefer, but go as high as you can and really work on finessing those altissimo notes from nothing, to nothing.
I feel that these steps (more mouthpiece, extremely light embouchure, ppp to ff to ppp long tones and overtones) have helped my tone immensely. I'm glad that now I feel I only have to work on finger technique and getting all that stuff under my fingers.
Alexi
PS - I found that in order to get a good solid tone at piano and pianissimo with that new focal point for my embouchure required me to go to a slightly lower reed strength.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-09-08 21:42
Quote:
you will actually feel the instrument vibrate under your fingers. i love that feeling and do aim for that too. Tends to give me the confidence to at least believe that I am maximizing my tone potential. Feeling that buzz in the fingers. It's like hitting a moment of inner clarinet peace.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-09 00:48
I've followed Road Runner's program for developing a better tone almost exactly for at least a month now. As I learned the feeling of a relaxed embouchure and a steady airstream, things started improving quickly, but on one of my clarinets, I noticed a strange reaction on one and only one note. When I open up my throat and release a percentage of excess lower jaw pressure on the B just above the break, I hear a second note coming through. It sounds sort of like a freight train's horn. I can not determine what note the second under-tone is, but it sounds almost as if the note vibrates in and out hundreds of times a second. As soon as I bring up my lower jaw up a smidge, the undertone disappears. On no other note do I hear this undertone and on no other instrument. This horn is going to the shop in October anyway, but I suspect it is some kind of common problem causing this strange symptom. Any idea what is causing an undertone to the B over the break?
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-09-09 01:04
Could possibly be the membrane on the pad vibrating. It might be torn or damaged, or a pad loose in the cup. Also, check the spring tensions holding the pads closed. If a spring is too light the pad can bounce, which will cause odd effects.
Tony F.
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Author: SchlockRod
Date: 2012-09-09 16:22
+++ the idea of having a sound concept, from studying great players and the colors they produce. Listen to great singers too!
+++ LET the reed vibrate. Loose lips is part of it, but shape your mouth like letter D with the flat edge as your lower lip. Look up Joe Allard lessons and study what he taught about that lower lip. He talked a lot about the importance of pulling the upper lip down (I think of it as wrapping it downward). Putting it in some tension will allow the lower lip to relax, flat. The reed is basically flat, so don't "Smile". It constricts the edges of the reed.
A video: http://saxophonistisches.de/joe-allard-the-master-speaks/
Also, as for long tones, I tried on and off for years to make time for those. Then it occurred to me that it's like physical fitness: If it's something you enjoy, even if it's less than the optimum overall conditioning, you'll at least be able to make a habit of it, which is better than hating it and not doing it at all.
So I started playing melodic pieces that are very slow tempo. This I enjoy, and by playing very slowly/expressively, it allows me to develop chops/sound.
As for the dynamics of ppp-fff-ppp, I suppose that's good, but Geo. Garzone taught that long SOFT tones is what builds massive chops! So I concentrate more on p than f long tones. Soft HIGH long tones REALLY build chops (and in turn tone), especially on sax but I'm sure on clar too. But A. Selmer advised not to do long tones in the extreme high clarinet range.
As for "holding the clarinet almost vertical", I'm finding my best tone comes from an angle about 30 deg. down from horizontal. I think mouthpiece design has something to do with this, but also individual physiology for sure, and being a sax player may influence it in my case. But anyway that's where I get that vibration in my fingers and a very full, ringing, sonorous, and at the same time mellow tone. My top lip higher on the beak making my mouth more open seems to be a factor for me.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-09-09 22:12
I also nowadays try to "combine" things for a warmup technique. I'll play slow scales at piano as long tones. And slow arpeggios and Dom 7th arpeggios as well to warmup the fingers and embouchure before a practice session or rehearsal.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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