 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Johnny Galaga
Date: 2013-12-15 20:26
So if you're used to always playing a classical style, then how do you switch to a jazzy sound? What do you do differently with your embouchure and airflow? Is there a different kind of mouthpiece you're supposed to use? I guess I'm just not understanding exactly what these players are doing differently everytime I hear some kind of jazz clarinet playing.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Johnny Galaga
Date: 2013-12-18 00:02
Wouldn't there have to be something more specific than that? There's gotta be something you do differently with your embouchure or something to get that sound. I thought if you sing into the horn, then you'll get a growling sound and that's something you'd only do once in a while for effect like maybe on an occasional flatted third.
But what about the actual sound itself? What is the difference between the embouchure/air/setup that you'd use to get a classical sound while playing something like a Concertino versus the embouchure/air/setup that you'd use to play some jazzy sounding Christmas carol I keep hearing?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2013-12-18 02:51
"Basically they're singing into their instruments, vibrato an all".
My statement is of course very simplistic. But hidden in there is the basic truth of it. No need to use a 'special jazz ' mouthpiece. It all comes from within.
And if you can't 'feel' the spirit of the words of the song you'll only be playing notes. Listen to a Jazz singer and emulate.
But I"m still being simplistic aren't I. Of course as we all know , there's a lot more to Jazz than tone.
I have no trouble myself getting a pure 'Jazz' sound with my Clarinet. I notice that while I'm doing this , my embouchure is mostly 'loose' (more relaxed) , almost Saxophonish. What I can't do however is 'compose off the top of my head'. That is to say, improvise around the chord progressions. Apparently it can be taught but would the result be true spontaneous Jazz ?
Or is it true that you either have it or don't have it .
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2013-12-18 03:03)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: discerningclarinetist
Date: 2013-12-18 03:28
There is a lot you can do with your embouchure. Play with looser/firmer lips. Lower tongue positions.
As far as equipment goes, try a softer reed. Also try putting something on the baffle of an old mouthpiece. Dickieland players would often put bubblegum in their mouthpiece to get brighter sounds.
Tyler Zey
www.discerningclarinetist.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ned
Date: 2013-12-18 03:46
Barry wrote: ''What I can't do however is 'compose off the top of my head'. That is to say, improvise around the chord progressions. Apparently it can be taught but would the result be true spontaneous Jazz ?
Or is it true that you either have it or don't have it .''
*************************************************************
Let's suppose the number you are playing has, for example, four bars somewhere, with the same chord, Bb for arguments sake...and I'm humming "Chinatown'' to myself as I write. You could play the written melody up to the end of bar 16 and from bar 17 to 20 , play the first phrase of (say) ''Mary Had a Little Lamb''. It's called a quote in jazz terminology. It's not actually improvising, to the point of playing a unique phrase, but it's a start.
Spontaneous...well...improvisation is just that but it presupposes that you know your instrument back-to-front. Your mind is full of pre-learnt bits and pieces which can be called upon instantaneously and inserted (played) at the appropriate time. This is a type of improvisation too.
Then there is the upper end where the performer re-invents the number and a completely different melody appears over the original melody. There are not too many players who can pull this off consistently.
I believe that anyone can do it - with a bit of dogged application. I think I can do the first and the second levels.................as for the third, well I'm still working on it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2013-12-18 15:00
There is no such tone quality that is "jazz". Jazz is a style, not a sound. You make the sound you already have "jazzy" by playing jazz. And to do that, you must listen, hone your inner ear and imitate what you hear.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: afmdoclaw
Date: 2013-12-18 16:28
Jazz is about rhythm more than sound.
Take for example Eddie Daniels, arguably the greatest jazz clarinet alive today (or ever IMHO). He plays a traditional classical setup (small mpc tip, hard reeds) but he CAN REALLY SWING and as they say
"it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing".
There is a plethora of educational material and aides available today to "learn jazz" and improvisation but Eric is correct-- you have to listen (a lot) and emulate via transcription etc to "play jazz."
Check out the CD by Eddie Daniels and Larry Combs "CROSSING THE LINE"
A great clarinet cd exploring as the title suggest both classical and jazz clarinet playing by both virtuoso artist.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: brycon
Date: 2013-12-18 20:57
Quote:
What I can't do however is 'compose off the top of my head'. That is to say, improvise around the chord progressions. Apparently it can be taught but would the result be true spontaneous Jazz ?
Or is it true that you either have it or don't have it .
I'll help you out:
Free will does not exist. Spontaneity is an illusion.
Now go play some tunes!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2013-12-18 22:24
Brycon quote "I'll help you out:
Free will does not exist. Spontaneity is an illusion.
Now go play some tunes!
Easier said than done
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2013-12-18 22:47
There are no jazz mouthpieces, no jazz reeds, no jazz ligatures, no jazz barrels, no jazz keywork systems, no jazz bore sizes, no jazz upper stacks, no jazz lower stacks, no jazz bells.....
"Or is it true that you either have it or don't have it ." Yes. It is true.
However you may acquire it to one degree or another. Listen a lot, practise a lot, and when you feel more comfortable play along. There are Jazz 'minus one' cds out there. You might could find a teacher. Maybe you can find others in your situation and form a jazz group if someone has a basement. You likely can't get worse but you sure can improve. And if you just want to fake it get the books by Jerry Coker......
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Roxann
Date: 2013-12-18 23:14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IkDD5ze-mY
Eddie Daniel's "take."
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2013-12-18 23:27
I have 5 'Minus One' Jazz books.
Take the Lead Jazz
Guest Spot play along Swing
Guest Spot play along Classic Blues
Guest Spot play along Jazz
& Gershwin 'By Special Arrangement.
That last one is excellent, but I enjoy playing along with all these.
Don't get me wrong when I say that I can't spontaneously improvise. I"m not stressing out about not being able to. It doesn't bother me at all. I just read what is in the notation and have a lot of fun adding little 'dodads' here and there to make it more interesting. And the backing tracks are of a high standard.
I have quite a few other 'Guest Spot' albums and can easily change my 'tone' (style) from Classical to Rock to Jazz whatever.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2013-12-19 00:14)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: 42cheese
Date: 2013-12-22 17:54
Hey Johnny,
As a jazz clarinetist, I agree with these guys that the emphasis is not on sound but on style. But since you ask about sound, there are a few things that may help you out.
There definitely aren't certain pieces of equipment that make "jazz sound." However, there are pieces of equipment that make "classical sound," and I tend to avoid these. This is because classical is largely about blending in, while jazz is about standing out. It completely varies from player to player, but if you experiment with equipment, you'll likely find that some reeds, m'pieces, etc. are "bolder" or more "colorful" than others. Something unique that you like, and more volume usually doesn't hurt. The majority of jazz woodwind players I've met tend to gravitate towards larger m'pieces and slightly softer reeds (the opposite of what most classical players prefer), which in general yields a bolder and more flexible sound.
But more important, in terms of both sound and style, is embouchure. I don't profess to know much about classical embouchure, but my experience with it is that you clamp your mouth down and leave it there. In jazz, you're free to articulate however you want to. A jazz vibrato is done by loosening and tightening the lips. You can even add various "wah-wah" and other sounds to this technique by messing with your mouth and tongue. You can bend notes or "scoop" into/out of them the same way. This is all very stylistic of course, but it's also a huge part of the more "loose" or "free" sound that jazz players prefer. Give it adequate practice though, or you're at risk of squeaking.
The big picture is that the aim is to sound more vocal than like a horn. I'm sure some condemn this as not using the horn the way it's "supposed" to sound, but I think that notion puts serious limits on what a horn can do. Of course you're not trying to "mimic" a singer, any more than you might try to "mimic" the speed of a guitar; what you're doing is taking musical inspiration wherever it comes from and applying it to your own instrument. Jazz horn-playing just so happens to take a lot of inspiration from singing. You want to sound like music, not just like a clarinet.
Okay, enough with the philosphy lesson. Hope this helps you get the sound you're looking for!
---Sean
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: dasser
Date: 2013-12-26 14:02
There's some good advice above.
On the mouthpieces I use for both classical and jazz, I tend to use a softer reed for jazz (about a half reed softer), put a lot more air through the instrument, and loosen the embouchure (I rarely get a tired lip when playing jazz).
If necessary, try loosening your ligature to give the reed a bit more freedom.
Avoid small/carpeted rooms (same for jazz and classical!)
As a caveat, I have to say every player has their own way of achieving the sound they want - this just works for me. Good luck with finding your own way!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
