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Re: Why start low?

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2022-12-09 08:44

Matt74 wrote:

> I'm also under the impression that a
> lot of people think "getting a good sound" in the first
> register is important before before moving to the second, as if
> your second register tone is dependent on your first.
>
> That last part I disagree strongly with as a player, because
> when you ignore he upper register you don't learn to bring out
> the upper partials. In effect, you mute them. The result is
> that it's harder to learn to cross the break. You end up with
> a dull tone, and have problems in the upper register
>
For me it isn't that a young player needs so much to "get a good sound" in the chalumeau. It's that he or she needs to be able to cover holes securely in the lower register before trying to play with the register vent open. The clarion is less forgiving of leaks. Pads that, slightly uncovered, will produce a fuzzy note in the chalumeau are more likely not to speak or to produce a frustrating squeak in the clarion register. Sound can be (and for most good players is) refined throughout a player's entire playing life. Balky response and squeaks can end an inexperienced player's interest very quickly.

FWIW, the main weakness in staying in the chalumeau longer than necessary is that the low notes are also too forgiving of poor embouchure habits. As a private teacher I would never keep a student below the "break" any longer than necessary - which can be as short as a few weeks. Less time than that if the student has previous experience reading music and already knows basic rhythmic notation and pitch relationships reasonably well.

As a school music teacher one of my biggest frustrations was seeing students of other band teachers in their 2nd year of lessons still not able to play above Bb4.

Karl

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Why start low? new

Matt74

2022-12-09 05:47