 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2021-07-28 07:45
How do you teach moving between these notes and back, either note the starting one?
Please speak to wrist movement or lack thereof and left pointer finger position when playing the G#4 and where on that finger you touch the A4 lever.
Thanks
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2021-07-28 19:33
I actually like thinking about and revisiting the very basics of clarinet. I believe it is helpful both to my technique and passing along information to students.
So for me, where you hit the throat "G#" key has more to do with the size of you hands (length of fingers too). The larger the palm spread (and longer the fingers) the higher up you'd be hitting the "G#" key. That said though, it also depends on what angle you use to approach the clarinet. Even though I have large hands, I pretty much approach perpendicularly to the horn so that my pinky has way more reach than necessary (as a result I curl my pinky, but find that more comfortable and efficient). Therefore my left index finger hits close to the bottom of the "G#" touchpiece.
To engage the throat "A" key, I mostly bend at the center of the left index finger (perhaps some at the joint closest to the tip of the finger). This way your only movement is within the finger and not engaging the wrist at all. The BIG problem using the wrist involves the notes you are coming from or going to. The wrist is a ball joint that can move side to side, up and down, and rotate. What happens with even small movements of the wrist is that your finger tips become oriented away from their respective tone holes causing sloppy technique or just plain missed notes.
Finally, it is even harder to use just your finger movement on German (Oehler) system clarinets such as Wurlitzers because there is NO connection between the "A" key and "G#" and yet you MUST release the "G#" moving to the "A" because the intonation requires it. And yet it is still important to keep the wrist out of your technique to ensure the best facility.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2021-07-28 20:26
Thanks Paul. Your academic analysis was exactly what I was looking for.
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Author: brycon
Date: 2021-07-28 22:19
Quote:
This way your only movement is within the finger and not engaging the wrist at all. The BIG problem using the wrist involves the notes you are coming from or going to. The wrist is a ball joint that can move side to side, up and down, and rotate. What happens with even small movements of the wrist is that your finger tips become oriented away from their respective tone holes causing sloppy technique or just plain missed notes.
I guess when pianists use wrist rotation they're causing sloppy technique or just plain missing notes? Perhaps if moving the wrists screws everything up, you should correct them on what they're supposed to be doing.
Or instead of imposing an idea of what you're "supposed to do" onto playing, maybe just do what's natural and then practice any issues that arise? For me, leaving my wrists in one position isn't at all natural (it's not as though any of us go for a walk around town, run our errands, etc. with our wrists locked into position).
Quote:
Finally, it is even harder to use just your finger movement on German (Oehler) system clarinets such as Wurlitzers because there is NO connection between the "A" key and "G#" and yet you MUST release the "G#" moving to the "A" because the intonation requires it. And yet it is still important to keep the wrist out of your technique to ensure the best facility.
So it's even more uncomfortable and even less practical to stay in one position on German clarinets and yet it's still important to keep your wrist out of your technique. Why? I'm sorry but these arguments are utterly silly.
SecondTry, it's context specific: size of the hands, passage in the music, etc. I keep my index finger more-or-less in position and shift somewhat at the wrist for many things but probably not for everything. At any rate, beware of the terrible advice offered here for what you should and shouldn't do.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2021-07-28 22:51
Thanks byrcon.
I guess one factor in the back of my mind is how best to play to minimize the chances of injury as old folk like me age.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2021-07-29 01:54
A good friend of mine way back had problems with arthritis. When he trilled from G# to A he reached his RH pointer finger over and used that on the A key. Actually it was an effective fast trill.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2021-07-29 05:47
I guess what I mean about navigating the German clarinet is that it takes even MORE discipline to get it right. I played Wurlitzers for 12 years and that was one of the trickier bits. There are Austrian clarinets that use connected "A"/"G#" keys. Someone here on the Board referred to that as the "automatic transmission" of Oehler system.
As far as "shoulds" go it seems like they are ok when you guys put them out.
odd
All I said though was that using fingers rather than wrists makes technique more sure footed. If you prefer working harder toward the same end I'd say that I prefer MY "should."
..............Paul Aviles
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