 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Lisa L
Date: 2001-09-07 02:26
hello all,
i've started working on the weber concertino, and i've always had trouble getting the first B flat to speak correctly. does anyone have ideas on this? starting this note correctly every time has been something i've not been able to master yet....
thanx!
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Author: William
Date: 2001-09-07 02:34
Try blowing gentle and silent air through the mouthpiece before articulating the note with your tongue. I heard about this "trick" from a great teacher named Stanly Hastey. The idea is to get the air moving and then the note will speak easier. Good Clarineting!!!!!
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-09-07 03:30
Since you did not write concretely how incorrectly you play the note, I , or maybe other experienced players or pros too, do not know the answer. But since I've been able to play it easily without using special techinique, I feel your problem may be a mental problem such as too much stress before playing a note thinking it difficult leading to a too much bite on reed choking the mouthpiece aperture.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-09-07 03:57
The technique William describe is ordinarily used when the player trys to emit very smoothly and do not like pop up the first note.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-09-07 03:57
B.T.W. Search this board on this work, there was a really great post on this a few years ago.
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Author: Carmen Izzo
Date: 2001-09-07 04:24
Williams idea is your best bet. Since you dont want the note to be very "Subito', try bringing your tongue away from the tip of the reed slower as you articulate.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-09-07 17:55
Lisa -
The clarinet entrance in the Concertino is always a challenge. You have to sneak in very softly, so the audience can barely tell when you start.
Two exercises can help. First, play the low register Eb and very gradually "squeeze" the register key open, so you can't tell exactly when the jump up to the Bb will take place. Work to keep the roundness and warmth of the low register in the sound when you jump up. Think "OOO" (as in "moon").
Second, take a really good breath, starting from your hips and expanding up until your chest rises naturally on top of the air. Then, instead of blowing, relax and let the air flow out on its own. This will let you start the sound without a bump, and probably without having to use your tongue.
I wrote a long analysis of the Concertino a couple of years ago, telling a lot more than you may want to know. You can find it at http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=14529&t=14450 .
Have fun. It's one of the great pieces.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Jerry McD.
Date: 2001-09-07 20:39
Lisa,
Ken is right, you should try and make this entrance without using the tongue. One of the reasons is (besides that it sounds fabulous when done correctly) you have more room for error. If you make a mistake in performance and "bump" the entrance too much it will not be as obvious with a breath attack as opposed to a tongued attack. Try this........prepare early. I mean at least an entire beat early, this means everything: embouchure, tongue position (high and back) and airstream. This last part is crucial. You should have just enough support to not make a sound....and when the downbeat for the entrance comes you increase your support every so slightly and the reed begins to vibrate, no bumb, just pure sound. This takes A LOT of practice but it has many valuable uses, like the 2nd mvt of the Mozart and any extremely soft, exposed entrances. It's not easy to do, but with some practice (just like everything else in playing the clarinet) I'm sure you can do it. Good luck!
Jerry McD.
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Author: Lisa L
Date: 2001-09-09 13:50
Thanks Ken!
In contiuation with the Weber Concertino theme, as anyone tried to use "fingers ahead" in the fast section (right before the slow section)?
I always have trouble with fingers ahead...
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