 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: lp_427
Date: 2015-06-23 09:45
Hola. This may be a rookie question, I know, but it's something I've been struggling with.
After playing bass clarinet for about a year or so, I decided to come back to clarinet, and it is then I realize that my skills are definitely not up to par anymore. One of the biggest issues would be of playing in tune; I of course understand the basics of tuning in the sense of the "push in or push out" stuff, which is fine when tuning to the B flat tuning note, but my bigger problem lies within the whole range of the instrument instead.
Say, my concert B flat could be perfectly in tune (tuned to 440 Hz), but when checking other notes, a uncomfortably large amount of them are sharp or flat, never one or the other only. Typically the high mid-range and throat tone notes would be severely sharp while the altissimo notes are almost always flat without fail (high C above the staff is the worst; it is very noticeable as well and overall sounds horrible; the D above serves no issue). Mind that I've tuned the concert B flat and know that regular human beings shouldn't be pulling in or out to every note.
I do typically use vowel voicings and slight throat and embouchure adjustments to help with tuning, but they've only helped me go so far.
I know there may not be much left anymore, but I'm open for any advice that anyone will be willing to share. I've been practicing tediously with high hopes of continuing music in college, but with problems like this I can see things won't be so going so far if they aren't fixed soon.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-06-23 16:58
I use open "G" (second line) as the tuning note, or rather the note that determines where my "center" will be for comfort and tuning of the entire instrument. Chances are if the throat notes are horribly sharp, there will be very little hope of rectifying the pitch throughout the instrument. Your embouchure needs to be controlled enough to allow those notes to sound well in tune and be able to move up or down from there if need be. Of course I also play a full range arpeggio off the note to which I tune so as not to get stuck thinking of any one note as "the whole horn."
Concert "Bb" (fourth space written "C") is gospel for band directors. This can lead to the worst kind of mass tuning (and individual tuning). The group in general can get really good at producing a wonderfully 'in-tune' "Bb" and then proceed to play the first piece or warm up on the agenda and sound like crap. I think you can build a false sense of security relying on ONE NOTE tuning. It is one of the biggest traps for "mid-fi" ensembles.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-06-23 17:15
Tune open "G" by pushing or pulling the barrel, then tune clarion "G" by pulling the middle joint if needed.
(I did not invent this, I learned it from a Tom Ridenour video- maybe he didn't create it either.)
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-06-23 19:16
Ditto on what Paul and Stan says ... try not to pull more than 1 to 1.5 mm in the center joint and check your clarion G to be sure that it is not flat. Having the instrument designed so that as things are well warmed up requires a little pull in the center is OK, IMHO ...
Some tuning rings would be nice for the center joint ... I always use rings on the top joint. Tuning rings keep water from collecting in the joints, add mechanical stability and improve repeat ability and consistency of pull. I sometimes add/subtract rings during rehearsals and performances as things change, especially as it seems to get hotter and hotter during a session, frequently.
I also leave my Bell pulled a mm or so ... slight improvement in ring and ping, if it's not my imagination ...
Tom
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2015-06-23 21:00
I would suggest tuning open G but make sure you are playing a full mf dynamic level. High C is a problem note. Similar to the situation with the open C# on flute the clarinet can be unsteady to hold. This leads to pitch issues. With your right thumb you can pull up slightly to make it secure. Don't bite to raise the pitch on high C. The right thumb should help this problem. The tuning issue on clarinet is tied into embouchure and blowing and these issues should be addressed.
One tuning exercise is to play scales while a low pitch drone note is sounding. You should at first just play and see how they "feel" against the drone. Again I would recommend full sounds as in mf for this. Initially limit the range also. Don't be playing very high until you
solidify the low and second octaves.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2015-06-23 21:07
The YouTube video by Terry Ewell shows the drone exercise . I believe it's the Bassoon 4th lesson part two. It is also just instructive to listen to Mr Ewell play this exercise to how it sounds to your ears.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2015-06-23 22:45
First of all you have to understand that some clarinets are just out of tune. This may be the case with your instrument. There is only so much you can do to tune a clarinet that's out of tune. I always recommend to a student buying a new clarinet to make sure any intonation problems are small and fixable. When the concert Bb, or A for orchestra tuning is in tune you have to make sure that the E and F below are not too flat and certially that the 12th about, high B and C are not also sharp because you really can't fix both. Correcting one makes the other worse. The same applies to your fundamentals, if the lower half is flat and the same fingerings with the register key is sharp you're in trouble. In order to have a clarinet play in tune it has to start resonably well in tune. Different mouthpieces and barrels can make certian registers play sharper or flatter but they can't fix single notes. Different lengths and bores will adjuct the throat tones, or the altissimo registers etc. but will likely do something to a different part of the instrument so you have to be careful when you make an adjustment. Also, putting tape in certain tone holes will lower the pitch of a certian note but will also effect the 12th above or below. Undercutting has the same effect so you have to consider all the adjustment you do. The best thing to do is buy an instrumet that is as best in tune as possible and make little adjustment as you learn the instrumet. You really can't make an "out of tune" clarinet play in tune. Maybe a little better but that's about it.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: 4accord
Date: 2015-06-25 16:47
Lots of sound advice above, and I can add very little. Have been dealing with the same issue with one of my clarinets that is just badly out of tune no matter what I do - especially in the lowest notes. So, just yesterday, I tried every mouthpiece I own and found that some make the situation better than others (but nothing fixes it). This is a very common discussion among C melody sax players - finding a mouthpiece that sounds good and at the same time keeps the instrument in tune is very challenging. Of course, reed strength and embouchures add to this equation, too. I find soft reeds tend to make me flatter, and I have to lip 'n bite to bend the note back up where it belongs. But bottom line is that some instruments left the factory out of tune, and no amount of anything short of re-drilling is gonna fix that.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-06-26 02:15
Hey "Arnoldstang,"
Thanks for the Terry Ewell suggestion. I use a generated pitch all the time (set on tonic or dominant) when doing scales or scale like exercises. Of course I just use the sound that the tuner produces but the generated sound Mr. Ewell uses is a recorded sound of a pipe organ which is full of all sorts of overtones.
I LIKE IT !!!!!
But..... I went to the webpage http://www.2reed.net/links.html
and the drone files do not seem to be there presently.
I am not giving up !!!!!
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2015-06-26 02:38
Thanks Paul. I like your attitude. Arnoldstang
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: faltpihl ★2017
Date: 2015-06-26 11:03
This guy offers some drone sounds as well.
There is some video on his youtube channel of him explaining it
https://www.youtube.com/user/jasonsulliman/videos
I haven't tried it yet, but I am planning on including it some day in the near future to my practice scheme.
Regards
Peter
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2015-06-26 20:26
wow! Jason Sulliman presents lots of food for thought in his videos.
Freelance woodwind performer
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