 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Augustine
Date: 2017-12-29 06:49
I am a senior newbee to clarinet. I have problems here in the remote area as I dont have any woodwind teachers near. I look through the bulletin board here and appreciate the support you give each other.
I have started to learn the clarinet with the help of the internet and a good tutor book. So far I have had no problems with learning the notes from low E to B flat and am playing simple songs.
I have now progressed to the upper register. I am coming unstuck with the B,C,D upwards in the clarion register. I get a good tone sometimes but more often not. I just get a windy sound and no note comes out.
I have tried different reeds, different mouthpieces, and different combinations of the two together with different ligatures. I am using Rico royal #2 reeds and Yamaha 4C mouthpiece on a Buffet R13. Seems most comfortable for me to use. I find a 2 1/2 reed too strong for me at present and cant get good notes in the bottom register with a 2 1/2 reed.
I think my embouchure is correct as the lower notes are fine. Strong and clear. I have had some one watch my fingering as I play the upper notes and they appear to be covering the holes correctly. I have tried playing an E and an F low notes then pressing the register key. Sometimes the notes come clear and other times just nothing only wind sound. I believe that my thumb is covering the thumb hole and tip of the thumb is raising the register key.
Can anyone shed some light on the problem and offer some suggestions please?
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2017-12-29 07:42
Hi Augustine! These notes are always hard to learn and get them to speak. A lot of times it is the reed. A 2 strength reed from Rico is often some of the worst cane they use. I worked there so I know. They also contain pesticides on all of their reeds. Something you may want to think about before you put them in your mouth.
I'm not fond of the Yamaha mouthpieces although I play on Yamaha horns. I think the 4C might be too open for you and then the 2 strength reeds often collapse after just a few minutes of playing.
If you email me I collect mouthpieces and I can find something to fit you and match your R13 which is a professional horn. I'll also send you some free reed samples to help you get to that 2 1/2 reed strength and then to that 3 strength. Once you hit the 2 1/2 and 3 your embouchure - mouth muscles, lips, should be strong enough to hit the high notes all of the time.
Something else I like to tell people to try is get a mirror and place it on or next to your stand. When something sounds great look at the mirror and see what is going on then try to remember that WOW feeling. When things go wrong well you have the mirror in front of you to see if your fingers are covering the holes or maybe hitting a side key or something like that. Then you can recall how to get that WOW feeling back.
As an exercise to make your embouchure stronger you can play the low E as a warmup for maybe 20 seconds. Then try the F. Yes it is boring. Repeat this for about 4 or 5 minutes. But listen to your sound and look at the mirror. After a few weeks your sound should be a lot sweeter. Your mouth muscles at first may feel tired. This is actually a good thing. Do not bite down on the mouthpiece and make sure your lips do not hurt. In about 3 or 4 weeks the upper register should begin to sound and speak freely.
Great question...
savagesax@aol.com
Bob
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-12-29 08:07
Augustine wrote:
> I am a senior newbee to clarinet. I have problems here in the
> remote area as I dont have any woodwind teachers near. I look
> through the bulletin board here and appreciate the support you
> give each other.
>
There's a lot to unpack in your post.
> I have now progressed to the upper register. I am coming
> unstuck with the B,C,D upwards in the clarion register.
Do you mean the first three notes of the clarion register (B4 on the middle of the staff, 3rd space C5, 4th line D5)?
> I get
> a good tone sometimes but more often not. I just get a windy
> sound and no note comes out.
>
So, it sounds as if the reed is just not vibrating. There are several possible causes.
> I have tried different reeds, different mouthpieces, and
> different combinations of the two together with different
> ligatures.
This is a kind of problem that isn't going to be solved with equipment changes.
> I am using Rico royal #2 reeds and Yamaha 4C
> mouthpiece on a Buffet R13. Seems most comfortable for me to
> use. I find a 2 1/2 reed too strong for me at present and cant
> get good notes in the bottom register with a 2 1/2 reed.
>
It's possible that a #2.5 Rico Royal is too hard for your specific 4C, but in my experience when I taught beginners, it shouldn't be. This might indicate a problem with the 4C, with the instrument's regulation or with your approach to embouchure.
> I think my embouchure is correct as the lower notes are fine.
> Strong and clear.
Without intending any disrespect or criticism, what you hear as a "strong and clear" sound in the lower register may not really be well controlled. I can't say without hearing you that your chalumeau tone *isn't* good, but your description doesn't guarantee it. If the low register tone is not well controlled, the problem in the upper register could very well be caused by lack of embouchure control.
> I have had some one watch my fingering as I
> play the upper notes and they appear to be covering the holes
> correctly.
It doesn't take more than a tiny sliver of opening of even one fingered tone hole to cause an air leak that can disable the instrument. That your fingers appear to be covering doesn't guarantee that they *are* covering.
> I have tried playing an E and an F low notes then
> pressing the register key. Sometimes the notes come clear and
> other times just nothing only wind sound. I believe that my
> thumb is covering the thumb hole and tip of the thumb is
> raising the register key.
Again, your believing that you are covering the thumb hole while you're opening the register key doesn't guarantee that you *are* still covering the thumb hole when you press the register key. The fact that the higher note *does* sometimes come out suggests that inconsistently covering the thumb hole is a strong possibility.
>
> Can anyone shed some light on the problem and offer some
> suggestions please?
>
The best suggestion anyone can make based on your description of the problem is that you should find someone - a local music teacher (of any instrument) to help you troubleshoot this in person. If your local school system has an instrumental music program, there are teachers working in it who can help you. They may not be clarinet experts, but they need in the course of doing their jobs to troubleshoot basic student problems. An elementary school band director has had lots of experience with the kind of problem you're having. In fact, it's how those teachers spend most of their teaching time.
You need also to be sure that your equipment - especially the R13 and the 4C - are in good working order. Reeds and ligatures won't make any difference if the mouthpiece is damaged or has a manufacturing defect or the clarinet has a mechanical problem. An experienced school band director can help with this, too. Once you've settled whatever basic problem is keeping you from producing clarion notes easily, self-teaching may become a much more productive process.
Karl
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Author: Augustine
Date: 2017-12-29 12:26
Thanks for the thoughts. Lots to digest. I will reply to your email address.
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