Author: maxopf
Date: 2015-12-07 22:06
I'm a HS clarinetist. I can play a crisp staccato, but I've noticed this issue among some of my peers, and I used to have trouble with it myself.
I think we're often taught in our beginning bans that you "articulate by saying ta," and that's the last time the topic is ever discussed. As a result we don't quite develop an understanding of how articulation really works (keep the airstream constant, start the note by releasing the tongue, and stop the note by returning the tongue to the reed.) Because of this, students might not know that you can create really short staccato by simply returning the tongue to the reed sooner.
Until I started taking private lessons about 4 years ago, I just assumed that staccato was achieved by saying "ta" and stopping the airstream between notes, which really bogged down my fast staccato. Needless to say, I really had to rework a lot of bad technical habits with my private teacher before we could focus on musicality and phrasing. And, as gwie mentions below (I forgot to mention this,) I've become more aware of how lazy staccato sounds mushy in the hall and short staccato sounds clear.
I've also heard some band directors demand really "light" articulation on everything, and attempts of a really short, crisp staccato are met with "that's too harsh." Everything has to be articulated with a really soft "dah" syllable. Not sure if this is commonplace in bands or not.
Anyways, I was definitely surprised when my private teacher started demanding more crisp articulation for orchestral-style playing a few years ago, since up to that point I'd often heard people asking for the opposite.
Those may just be my personal experiences, or they may be more common issues.
Post Edited (2015-12-07 22:29)
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The Clarinet BBoard
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