Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2017-08-14 18:17
>In fact, I knew a few band directors who force all of their students to play the >same mouthpiece/reeds in order to achieve homogeneity.
Yes, but this isn't a specific clarinet issue. They do the same with the brass instruments. Homogeneity? Sure. They would argue (and have) it helps create consistent tuning within the section and the ensemble in large. Fair enough.
>My experience is that audition judges at the high school level (where most of >my judging experience lies) want to hear rhythmic and technical control with >a sound that is also controlled with good intonation.
Same with me. All my judging comes from listening to HS and Jr High kids. I try to keep an open mind with these kids. Do they sound like a clarinet? If it's a characteristic sound, great. If they sound like a sax, we have problems. Unlike a professional gig where the judges are probably sitting in an auditorium (or at least a very large rehearsal hall), HS kids are usually crammed in a small class room and usually just a few feet from the judges. Probably unfair to the student, but everyone is on equal footing.
> What I have been doing is "Anchor tonguing" where I
> tongue with the middle of my tongue. I should be tonguing with
> the tip of my mouth.
I think there's no much made of anchor tonguing. When I was a little kid, I tongued way too hard. My clarinet teacher taught me anchor tonguing (didn't know it at the time) but it solve literally all problems. Perhaps anchor tonguing slowed down my tonguing, but I still play all the tongued stuff in Concertino in the 8th grade, so I guess I just compensated.
My point is, no one ever knew the difference. I never knew the difference. I was in college when my professor asked a generic question about where my tongue was hitting my reed. I asked why he wanted to know...was there something wrong? He said no, but another student is having a lot of problems so he thought he'd check his entire studio. When I told him the tip on my tongue was 'anchored' on my bottom teeth he signed. Actually he laughed and asked how the hell was I tonguing as quickly as I was.
So I spent a month of doing uber staccato (and legato to feel where my tongue hit the reed) chromatic and scales, slowly...emphasizing my correct tongue position. It really helped get a poppier articulation for me (Think 3rd mvt of the Mozart or Midsummer's Night Dream).
Now in my old age, I catch myself anchor tonguing. I try to correct immediately, but I also don't sweat the details since it's working fine...for me.
~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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