 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2020-05-13 01:02
For 35 years I've had a Selmer Signet. It lasted me beginner band through college and 6 years of community band. I couldn't play in the upper altissimo register w/o biting even though I have a world class embouchure, reed and mouth piece. My high school band director did me a free over haul on it because I was his star player in high school. My female college clarinet professor said that it was a good intermediate horn but if I wanted that professional tone quality, I'd have 2 go Buffet. That's what all the other college band clarinet players were playing except 4 this 1 Yahama player (I don't personally like Yamaha tone quality).
So a week ago I made the plunge and got it in last WED. I couldn't afford 1 on my student salary (less than $1G monthly). I liked my fellow clarinet students tone quality on Buffet and my professor's (this was 30 years ago) but her tone doesn't completely close up. I prefer the closed tone quality that is so characteristic of the clarinet.
I'm playing around with V21 and V12 3.5 reeds 2 develop that dark, classical and orchestral tone quality. I was able to get that high school big tone quality on the Signet and then in college, the dark pre-professional collegiate pedagogical tone quality a few times. My professor didn't make me aware of it but the 1st 2 chairs in the top band did. They liked my tone quality.
I know I've got 2 bond with my new instrument and only time will give me that professional tone quality. I want 2 send out a special shout out to Ed Palanker for encouraging me that I will get that tone quality because of my superb tone quality on Eb clarinet, C clarinet and Bb bass clarinet. I have a Pyne mouth piece on this new clarinet 2.
Any tips on how I an grow this sound that we're all chasing?
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/mbtldsongministry/
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Author: jcm499
Date: 2020-05-15 20:02
Glad to hear you have a world class embouchure, reed, and mouthpiece. I would go to the ends of the earth for any one of the three.
What did you “make the plunge” to get, exactly? A Buffet? Which model and from what year? There is a lot of variation.
Why does it matter that your college clarinet professor was female?
Also, maybe I’m misinterpreting something, but the timeline doesn’t seem to add up. If beginning band was the first year of middle school, three years of middle school plus four years of high school plus four years of college plus six years of community band only gets you to 17 years, not 35.
Anyway, my tips are these: First, the sound comes from the player’s tone concept much more than the instrument. Keep listening to the players you admire, and experiment with your voicing- throat and tongue position—because different people with different physiology sometime require different techniques to accomplish similar results. Secondly, and this may be controversial, but tone is overrated. I spent a long time and a lot of money chasing tone, but the reality is, your tone will sound drastically different based on what kind of venue you are playing in, the altitude, the humidity, the sensitivity of your individual listener to various overtones, or what equipment a recording of you is being played back over. And after all of that, tone quality is highly subjective. In my opinion, for all that it’s worth, it’s better to chase being able to play expressively and in tune.
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Author: bsnake1956
Date: 2020-05-18 02:42
What is a world class embouchure, mouthpiece and ligature?According to most players on this BBoard, I have world class mouthpieces, reeds, ligature, and clarinets. World class embouchre is beyond my sphere of comprehension. I gave up on this post after that claim.
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2020-05-24 23:44
1st of all thank u 4 replying 2 my post. As u can probably tell, I'm super over joyed that I have finally entered the world of professional clarinet playing and clarinet.
I purchased a Buffet R13 3 weeks ago from Woodwind and Brasswind. Where on the clarinet can I find the year and make? I have not made this clarinet "mine" yet as that will probably happen after 4-years of continuous playing. Thank you for complimenting me in my attributes and sharing in my joy. 2 have the respect of the serious clarinetists here really does some thing 4 me.
I just wanted to establish that my clarinet professor is female because 1 post here thought that I had a man for a professor. I meant nothing sexist, just wanted 2 clear this up. I admire her tone and that's what I listened 2 4 5 years of undergrad. She has a clarinet tone in al registers and on all notes. I have a handful of other professional clarinetists I listen 2 for tone quality.
The 35 years comes from being 12 (in beginner band when I 1st chose the clarinet) through my current age (47) now. That's how long I had the intermediate clarinet. It has been retired now. I was able to get that collegiate pedagogical pre professional tone quality on it with the Pyne mouth piece.
I want 2 mention that I've been able to play a super high C# with my new Buffet with out biting. My goal is 2 b able to play the 1st Bb Clarinet part to Sonoran Desert Holiday on my new R13. It has nickel plated keys and I'd been saving for it for at least 5-years.
I will start my 36th year of clarinet playing on the level that every 1 else is on but could you please be more specific and in details about tongue position and inside the mouth to get dark classical professional tone in all registers and notes? A I have stated I have GREAT tone quality on Eb Clarinet, C Clarinet and bass clarinet. I want 2 sound like the professionals do.
Thanks 4 your tips in tone production. I record a lot in home and would b glad to let you listen 2 all my pre professional days. Hope this helps!
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/mbtldsongministry/
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-05-25 04:10
For me, generating a good, resonant tone is achieved by creating a fair amount of positive air pressure in the oral cavity. It is easy enough to start that way right after taking a good breath. Generally though using your abdominal muscles to actively push air out is necessary to create a constant pressure throughout a phrase.
Tongue position can help focus air particularly with regard to clear articulation. So you want your tongue to be just behind the tip of the reed/mouthpiece. When articulating it is the act of WITHDRAWING the tongue that creates the pointed start of a note. Placing the tongue on the reed (tip of tongue to tip of reed) only stops the sound. It is really the AIR (and how you manipulate it) that produces the initial emphasis at the start of each articulated note.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2020-05-25 06:54
It would be nice if you could speak proper English grammar in your posts. Numbers are not words.
tiaroa@shaw.ca
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Author: rmk54
Date: 2020-05-25 16:39
Ditto.
I would expect this from a 10 year old, but this person appears to be much older.
BTW (commenting on the original post) I bet any professional player could use your set-up and within 10 minutes be sounding like him/herself. Sound quality is greatly determined by physical attributes and concept of tone - probably more than equipment.
Jimmy Pyne once told me he really liked my tone and then went on to list all my physical traits that contributed to that.
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The Clarinet Pages
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