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Re: How much air to put through the horn?

Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2021-02-23 18:56

I wish to introduce more heresy.

In light of the older thread, it occurred to me that I have grappled unsuccessfully with the true mechanism for a good sound my whole career. Though I've found a solution for myself that works, I don't feel that I have the ANSWER that can be then put into words that will solve anyone else's problem.

But here is a new thought.

In some other thread on the topic it was brought up that the amount of air IS quite different from a pianissimo compared to a screaming fortississimo. So then, how do we explain the "pressure differential" as the key element when the "pressure" is so different amongst correctly resonant notes (of all dynamics) compared to poorly executed notes (of all dynamics)?

Further, we discussed in yet another thread about the size of the oral cavity being an important aspect of the full vibrating column ......not just what's in the clarinet.

So here comes the new heresy

I think now that it not just the oral cavity space but the full physical tube, from the bottom of the lungs through to the bottom of the clarinet bell that represents the complete and necessary picture. Further still, it is imperative to provide a FIRM internal, terminating "WALL" inside of us for the air column to resonate off of to complete the correct sound picture. We do this by "FIRMING UP" the mid-section (using diaphragm and abdominals in opposition of course).

I've spent several hours sitting on the couch without a clarinet watching TV making sounds like a death rattle realizing that I dole out air for clarinet playing at a rather slow rate most of the time (non-earth shattering dynamic levels) so air pressure and speed are not really what is going on for average to really soft dynamics (and yes, I realize we are talking about the pressure relationship to what is in the mouthpiece/clarinet). So the ONLY thing I do differently than what I did the very first few weeks I started playing clarinet all those years ago is the introduction of a stiffened mid-section (what you do when you say to your brother......"go ahead, punch me in the stomach").

...............Paul Aviles

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