 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: JonTheReeds
Date: 2015-11-28 16:27
As 2015 comes to an end I was wondering what people's biggest improvement or best 'light bulb moment' was this year
Mine was relearning all fingering so, when going across the break, I keep as many RH fingers down as is necessary to improve the tone of throat notes, increase stability and maintain fluidity
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The older I get, the better I was
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2015-11-28 17:13
Mine was the realization that music that a couple of years ago I considered beyond my capability has suddenly become quite playable, although I haven't noticed the improvement along the way. Unconscious progress, if you will.
Tony F.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-11-29 08:06
HA !!
Mine was finding out that I had the wrong reed strength on my German clarinets for over 12 years!
HA, HA, HA !!!!!
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2015-11-29 14:32
Mine was when I stopped rotating between instruments, mouthpieces, ligatures, barrels, and reeds and stuck with one setup that worked reasonably well for everything. I was surprised at how much easier and better things got as the 2015 performance season progressed.
I am really excited about the upcoming 2016 season. It's going to be about the music, not the equipment.
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Author: Gouffre
Date: 2015-11-29 21:44
Buying a refurb student clarinet to try whether I'm not too old to scratch "take up a bass wind instrument" from my bucketlist. I'm not, I'm hooked, and I'm certain that by this time next year I'll have switched to bass clarinet and be recording with it.
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Author: faltpihl ★2017
Date: 2015-11-29 22:47
Mine was also that I finally found a mouthpiece + reed combo and stuck with it.
Also I have gotten a stability in tone which I was worried about earlier (previously I had 1 day that I thought I sounded great, then couldn't achieve it again in a couple days).
So I will also focus on music and technique the next year, trying to find new groups to play with.
Regards
Peter
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2015-11-30 00:12
I've been trying to make sense of parallel and relative minors and how they align with Majors. My teacher has been helping me by having me look at the key signature, asking what the finishing note is on a particular exercise, and asking if it's a major or minor. When I was young, my accordion (yes, accordion) teacher taught me that a minor is 1, 3b, 5 when you want to make a major chord into a minor one, but I never learned beyond that. So, to learn there are 3 forms of minors (natural, harmonic, and melodic) AND that a minor can be either relative or parallel has really thrown a wrench into what I was taught and it's been difficult relearning. Today in church, we sang The King of Glory. The first 2 lines are "sad sounding" so obviously a minor, and the last 2 lines are "happy sounding," so obviously a major. HOWEVER, there's one sharp the entire way through the piece. So, the key would be e minor for the first 2 lines and G Major for the last 2 lines. "Relative minor" popped into my head and I had a "tah dah" moment. Oh, THAT'S what she's been talking about (meaning my teacher). NOW...I need to figure out WHY one sounds sad and one sounds happy and it must have to do with what notes the composer chose to use??? I tell you, my 66 year old brain certainly doesn't learn as quickly as my 20-40 year old brain used to!
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2015-11-30 07:26
I think my biggest succes this year was relaxing. Something I knew to do a long time ago, but this year I made a lot of progress. Relaxed finger movement, relaxed but stable embouchure, and relaxed tonguing (the BIGGEST game changer of the year!). Playing is no longer a chore or as stressful. I play many things better, and I don't feel as mentally drained after playing.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: MSK
Date: 2015-12-01 07:11
I found a new reed that I really like - Legere Signature
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Author: kilo
Date: 2015-12-01 13:43
I moved to harder reeds and a smaller tip opening.
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2015-12-01 18:14
I stopped biting. I'm also learning to use different fingerings for different purposes. I can now play a useable high G, and sorta Ab and A. For the first time I'm memorizing things.
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Author: JonTheReeds
Date: 2015-12-05 15:41
Thanks for everyone's comments, it's fascinating to see all the different ways that people are travelling
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The older I get, the better I was
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Author: Una
Date: 2015-12-05 20:24
Listening to Tony Scott and other non-traditional clarinetists with more than just a passing ear changed my perspective on the instrument and how to use it.
Of course finding that one great mouthpiece-reed-ligature set up was a "light bulb" moment but then again, I've had that "light bulb" moment about once a year for the past 40 years.
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Author: Something Music
Date: 2015-12-07 00:50
For me my revelation was to look back to when I felt confident as a player. For the past few years I was second guessing my playing and trying to figure out why I can't play the way I used to. A lot of it is actually equipment based: I switched equipment to something I felt would 'sound better' but was much more uncomfortable for me as a player. I had to stop thinking about what people thought as the 'right' way to play and go back to what I felt was a good way to play. Unlearning bad habits, especially from peer pressure is very tough, and going back to the way I used to play (switching back to some old equipment, as well as to some old good habits) makes me feel more comfortable as a player.
My goal next year is to work on nerves, especially in audition situations!
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Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2015-12-07 21:39
Contrary to my previous beliefs, a more open mouthpiece with a softer reed, gave me a warmer sounds with more 'ring' to my tone.
~Robt L Schwebel
Mthpc: Behn Vintage
Lig: Ishimori, Behn Delrin
Reed: Legere French Cut 3.75/4, Behn Brio 4
Horns: Uebel Superior (Bb,A), Ridenour Lyrique, Buffet R13 (Eb)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2015-12-07 23:52
I realized that after years of struggle, you are supposed to blow into the small end of the instrument. Now my embouchure is much less tired.
(sorry, I couldn't resist)
Post Edited (2015-12-07 23:52)
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2015-12-08 07:27
Switching all of my clarinet reeds to Legeres. Bass and Eb were already there, and Bb came along this year. I haven't touched a cane reed since May. Now I just have to get a different bass ligature as I can't get my Rovner Eddie Daniels tight enough on my Signature reed. Once I have an excuse to get the alto sax out again, I'll work on getting Legeres for that, though the Forestone I have isn't half bad.
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Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
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Author: jonok
Date: 2015-12-08 09:55
Getting a Reed Geek. OMG.
Well, I'll give them the headline, even though the realization was about bowed reeds, and not the tool, but the tool is about the problem, and it certainly fixes it!
I've never really paid that much attention to the back of the reed - apart from giving it a polish when if first comes out of the box - after that I don't think I've ever thought about it. But now I know a leaking reed is WORSE than a pad leak.
I used the Geek on one of my average reeds for about 10 seconds, and it became the best reed I've played on - EVER. For me that's only about 2 years, but still. It made my *clarinet* better - everything was sooooo much easier.
I'll say it again. OMG! lol
Jon
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Author: JasonOlney
Date: 2015-12-08 20:20
I had a couple of really solid breakthroughs but the most important was the realization of just how VITAL long tones are. I used to have a few that I might rush through so I could hit my scales or whatever but now I make them a focus of my practice and the results are incredible.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-12-11 17:43
I'd say trying to be very conscious of what is going on in my air delivery system, especially the position of the tongue, filling and emptying my lungs properly and my body posture. In addition I am trying to involve the upper lip more, that is thinking "forward" in my embouchure and applying more upper lip pressure to the MP beak ... a kind of modified "double lip". Double lip naturally puts the proper "draws and pulls" in your facial muscles and the position of the tongue ... a modified system does much of the same, and with better stability and less pain.
At the tender age of 63, I have much to learn and love playing the clarinet since 1963 (with some gaps, in between).
Tom
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2015-12-23 00:19
I've tried lots and lots of mouthpieces, and spent ridiculous amounts of money.
Turns out I just needed a Vandoren B40!
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