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: Articulation and air support

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2016-12-01 18:18

SarahC wrote:

> it seems to be an analogy that works well for my students. as
> this issue is one for all woodwind

I'm confused, assuming you're the same SarahC who began the other thread about Strengthening Embouchure. Do you have longer experience on a wind instrument other than clarinet?

I would suspect from your water faucet analogy that you may be a flutist. Although the analogy itself can give a good idea of what's involved from the point of view of continuous air pressure, the problem of articulating on a clarinet is that it isn't really a matter of interrupting the air flow. You need to stop the reed. Then, to start it again cleanly, the air pressure needs to be present at the reed before the tongue releases it, or there will be a delay in starting the vibration.

In slower articulations there are several ways to accomplish this depending on the shape you want each note to have. At faster tempos the most practical way is not to stop the air pressure at all, or very little, and instead stop the reed with the tongue, hold it until the next note should start, and then quickly remove the tongue to release the reed. At fast speeds, this all becomes more or less one tongue movement to and away from the reed, although you can still control the length of the notes (almost connected to staccatissimo) by changing the time you hold the reed with your tongue.

When you speak, you are constantly forming consonants with your tongue to articulate the vowels in each syllable. If you make a separate puff of air for each syllable, it will sound distorted and slow in any language. Articulation in normal speech and articulation on a clarinet reed are similar.

Karl

Post Edited (2016-12-01 18:44)

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics