The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Sound and Pitch issue

Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-05-19 19:58

The "drawing in of the lips" could account for pitch going higher than you may intend.

The "drawing in of chest" is NOT a good thing at all. You need to be able to take in a good, relaxed, lung full of air. THEN you need to be able to accurately control how it is expelled via your abdominal muscles and to a lesser extent, the intercostals (located between your ribs).

I went on an on about air pressure in previous posts, but it is really all about maintaining a very even flow of air at ALL speeds and volumes (dynamic levels). The ONLY way to do this properly is to have constant opposition set up between your abdominals (the PUSH) and your diaphragm (the "PULL"). Only in this way will you be able to make quick transitions from loud to soft with a good resonant sound for all your notes.

The problem is that you don't really feel the diaphragm so much in the equation because it is so big and it is well exercised. So you really only feel the "pressing" or tension of the abdominals as you actively press the out of your body.

Key points:

o At ALL dynamics you must feel the pressing in your mid-section.
o As you expel air, the stomach region stays out.
o A check on proper technique is to feel the clarinet vibrate under your fingers.

............Paul Aviles

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics