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Re: Acker Bilk Sound

Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2019-07-21 01:55

There are two obvious points to look at here. One is subtone and the other is vibrato.
For me subtone deals with the pressure you apply with your bottom lip on the reed . It might advisable to use a softer reed that vibrates easily to learn this technique. If you start with almost no pressure there will be lots of air escaping. Just increase this gradually until you have your normal embouchure. As a test (away from the instrument) you can put your first finger in your mouth.(rotate so the side of the finger is what you are biting).Teeth on top and lip over teeth on the bottom. I try for three different pressures. Light, medium and heavy. The light should be just touching the finger. Now try this with the clarinet. Play the low register first. As you play higher it might require going from light to medium pressure.
Of course the pitch tends to be on the low side but ignore that for now. It might require a slightly shorter barrel.
With a subtone approach the vibrato is naturally wider. Acker Bilk uses a jaw vibrato rather than diaphragm vibrato.
I believe the equipment Ackerman Bilk used is almost irrelevant. It had more to do with his approach.

Freelance woodwind performer

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