 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MusicAndLyrics
Date: 2012-11-19 21:59
Hi! So, I just started playing clarinet this year with my schools concert band. I have never played any woodwind before, but I do play the guitar, piano and I was in choir for awhile. I am a really quick learner so picking up new things is easy when I know what to do. I am currently taking lessons, but I would also like other tips from anyone else. I have a few issues with playing. One is hands, I have really small hands and I use a neck strap to help me and it really improves my playing and makes it easier, however I don't want to keep using it. As much as it helps, I want to be able to play with out it. Part of my problem, aside from my hand size, is my right thumb. I have a hitch hikers thumb and a very bent one. So, when I try to play without my neck strap, my thumb bends so that my fingers are still on the keys, but they are tilted up. I have played without the neck strap a few times and did fairly well, but when I have to use my right hand for the notes everything just starts squeaking or I only hear air. Another problem I have is that when I play for a long time, my clarinet sounds like it has spit bubbles in it, how do I fix that? Are there any tricks to keep me from getting saliva in my clarinet? Also, tonguing is a problem for me. I don't know how. My Clarinet teacher says that I know how to, but then when I am practicing at home it sounds and feels weird. I get out of breath and I can't tongue fast. When I do, it sounds like "thoo. thoo. thoo." each time.When I try to tongue high notes, the only thing that happens is air comes out and it sounds squeaky. Along with those issues, I am also in pep band (How I got in I have no idea) and my Lyre makes my clarinet sound soft and very off key. What can I do to fix that? I want to be the best that I can be at this and I practice four hours a day, plus the hour in band, so that I can improve and I really have been. But I was hoping someone could give me tips with my issues. Also, I know you probably expect me to sound very much like a beginner, but I actually seem to impress people when I play. I am doing three events at the S&E festival and two are for clarinet. Anyways, If you read all of this, thank you for taking your time to.
Post Edited (2012-11-19 22:23)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-11-20 02:07
A slightly softer reed may help with your tonguing problems. Most of what gets into your clarinet is just water condensing on the walls of the bore. There's no really effective way to stop this that I know of. The laws of physics are fairly inflexible, and they are what determines how mush condensation you get. Playing in a warmer environment may help. The slightly softer reed may also help with the "spit bubble" problem.
With regard to your thumb problem. look at something like a Ridenour Thumb Saddle or a Ton Kooiman Etude 2 Clarinet Thumb Rest. I use a thumb saddle and it helps my weak thumb greatly. If the neck strap works, don't be in a hurry to discard it.
Tony F.
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Author: C.Elizabeth07
Date: 2012-11-20 04:10
Dont sweat the neckstrap. I've been playing for almost 20 years. I use a neckstrap. And I have quite large hands and very long fingers for a girl.... I just find it to be way more comfortable to play with it.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-11-20 16:17
My neck strap saved my clarinet playing. Long hours doing 'thumb ups' added to kayak paddling had me in constant discomfort.
I met a prof from a Texas university at ClarinetFest a few years ago who requires his entering freshmen to play with a neck strap long enough to have given it a "fair trial." Many pros have damaged right thumbs and wrists from the accumulation of time holding their clarinets up with one thumb.
Bob Phillips
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Author: pewd
Date: 2012-11-20 16:42
I know some adults with advanced performance degrees who use neck straps all the time. If it helps your playing, use it.
Spit (condensation mostly) - run a swab (silk: Gem brand) through every 10-15 minutes while practicing
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2012-11-20 17:07
FWIW, sometimes a tonguing problem is actually an air problem. Since you are taking lessons, talk to your teacher about this. But basically, keep in mind that the air flow needs to remain constant, while the tongue simply opens and closes the "valve" created by the mouthpiece and reed.
What a lot of people (esp. beginner people) seem to do is actually STOP and START the air flow every time they tongue. This leads to an overly-percussive quality in your playing and poor tone. In my experience, it also leads to an excess of moisture in the instrument, since every time you stop and start the air, you spit a little into the horn (whereas, if you just keep blowing and let the tongue do the opening and closing of the reed-valve, there is less of a chance that you are spitting into it so much).
Another point that many people make is that the actual tonguing function is a matter of RELEASING the tongue from the reed to allow the tone to happen. I sometimes think you can get into a chicken-and-egg thing here, because you are also stopping the tone, but it may be helpful to think of removing the tongue to release the tone, rather than adding the tongue to stop the tone. Removing the tongue to release the tone presumes that the air is there first -- which it should be.
Susan
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2012-11-20 17:54
If the neck strap works for you, keep using it. A thumb saddle is probably not a great idea if your hands are already stretching to hit the keys.
As others have mentioned, the liquid in your mouthpiece is mostly condensation. You can remove the reed, wipe the back off it, and clean the mouthpiece if you have time. Otherwise, just suck any extra moisture back into your mouth and swallow it.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: Mom
Date: 2012-12-22 23:24
Not a clarinetist here, but related to one...and am interested in injury prevention.
Have noticed that Sabine Meyer uses a neck strap.
All the professionals I have spoken to have said that it is not considered a sign of musical "weakness" to use one. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Hand injuries can be career-ending.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2012-12-23 01:31
Sabine Meyer has already been mentioned as a top player who uses a neck strap. Also Ricardo Morales.
Is there something specific about your neck strap that's uncomfortable or inconvenient? There are a few different designs available. You may find another one more comfortable than what you're using.
Ask your teacher to look at your clarinet with the lyre attached. If it goes around the middle of the instrument, it may be interfering with the mechanism - especially the bridge keys.
Karl
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2012-12-23 02:00
I've never played with a lyre. Does it go over the lower tenon of the upper joint and thus sit between the 2 joints when the clarinet is assembled? If so, that will sharpen things since the middle of the clarinet is pulled out so much. That may be at least part of the intonation problems.
----------
Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
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Author: kdk
Date: 2012-12-23 02:41
The most common ones screw into a ring very similar to a tenon ring that fits *around* the middle tenon ring and is tightened by a set screw in the back. So it doesn't cause the tenon to pulled apart, but it does have to fit under the bridge keys and the lefthand F/C lever. It's improbable but possible - you'd have to be able to see the clarinet to know if it's the case - that the bridge keys, depending on how they're adjusted, could be forced upward enough to reduce the venting of both the Eb/Bb pad (between 1st and 2nd LH fingers) and the top RH pad above the rings, which might cause the effect the OP describes. That kind of lyre can also disable the LH F/C by preventing it from going all the way down (which wouldn't cause the OP's problem, but which can be an issue).
Some lyres go around the bell ring instead, but those weigh the clarinet down much more and are harder to read from both because they're half a clarinet farther away from the player's eyes, and because they tend to bounce more with the clarinet just because of the increased distance from the mouthpiece end.
Karl
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