 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Hiroshi
Date: 1999-02-08 03:58
I found in Gustav Langenus's clarinet book two(Carl Fisher)that if clarinet be played softer(in piano) the pith becomes sharp or if played louder(in forte) flat. This is quite a reverse of flute playing. My questions:
0)Is this real? and if so,
1)Why does this happen?
2)How to correct the pitch?
Answers might go into too much sublty or technicality,but I would like to know.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dee
Date: 1999-02-08 12:21
Hiroshi wrote:
-------------------------------
I found in Gustav Langenus's clarinet book two(Carl Fisher)that if clarinet be played softer(in piano) the pith becomes sharp or if played louder(in forte) flat. This is quite a reverse of flute playing. My questions:
0)Is this real? and if so,
1)Why does this happen?
2)How to correct the pitch?
Answers might go into too much sublty or technicality,but I would like to know.
-------------------------------
For 2) all you can do is listen to the balance of the ensemble and correct with embouchure and breath support.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hiroshi
Date: 1999-02-09 00:47
No I am not expecting such an ambiguous answer.For example,to make a tone sharp,we should very slightly move lower lip support toward mouthpiece tip,which makes the vibration of the reed higher(this is an ordinary way).Or we may be able to change the direction of breath.This pitch control is very,very difficult in clarinet playing.Only virtuosos can conduct this technique.I asked how those people,if any, do this.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tim2
Date: 1999-02-09 01:38
This pitch control is very,very difficult in clarinet playing.Only virtuosos can conduct this technique.
This is not true. A good clarinetist, whether in jr high, high school, college or adult, ametuer or professional, if they want produce a good sound, they are going to have good pitch control. And they succeed.
Dee said:
For 2) all you can do is listen to the balance of the ensemble and correct with embouchure and breath support.
Dee is quite correct. While her answer may seem ambiguous, there are no "quick answers" to accomplish what you are looking for. The embouchure needs to be strong to contain the air from the good breath support one must develop as a clarinet player. Every clarinet player works for this. Practice, practice, and then practice some more.
I do believe I understand what you are looking for.
Unfortunately, in order to do things with your lips, or the back of the tongue position or the alternate fingerings that can be accomplished to alter pitch, one needs to develop the support and embouchure to have a stable tone and pitch before doing those things. That comes with dedicated practice.
It is not like studying for a test, knowing exactly what to do and then being able to do what you have memorized at a moments notice. It is like preparing to run a marathon, building ones muscles over time (a long time) with dedication and consistency to be able to run the race successfully. Without practice, without the work, one will never have a foundation on which to build sound or have a stable pitch.
Good luck to you in your perseverence of good sound and stable pitch.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dee
Date: 1999-02-09 03:52
Tim2 wrote:
-------------------------------
.... It is not like studying for a test, knowing exactly what to do and then being able to do what you have memorized at a moments notice. It is like preparing to run a marathon, building ones muscles over time (a long time) with dedication and consistency to be able to run the race successfully. Without practice, without the work, one will never have a foundation on which to build sound or have a stable pitch.
-------------------------------
And much of it is entirely subconscious. At various times, I have had to use a clarinet other than my normal one. In one particular case, I was stuck with a very old, junky, wood student horn (my main one was in the shop, my second one was on a summer vacation with my older daughter). After first warming up, the pitch accuracy, especially the accuracy of intervals, was atrocious but within the first 15 minutes of playing in the band, my subconscious made the adjustments in embouchure and whatever else and the instrument played "in tune" from there on out. I have no idea what those adjustments were.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hiroshi
Date: 1999-02-19 04:34
My original quetion came after I read Portnoy's article in ICA's archive "Embouchure and Tone Color" on the page
http://www.clarinet.org/anthology/portnoy1.html.
At this article he saids good players moves the lower lip at the same time lip pressures very slightly:
"Lip pressure against the reed is another matter. The primary object in exerting lip pressure is to force the reed closer to the mouthpiece. Pressure is needed to control the volume of tone more than the actual quality, but the point on the reed at which the pressure is exerted is quite important. A ff tone requires that the pressure be exerted lower on the reed. A pp tone requires that the lip pressure be exerted a trifle closer to the tip. This shifting of pressure is subtle -- almost an imperceptible "rolling" of the lip. Perhaps "rolling" is too strong a word to use since the shifting of pressure is done within the area of the lip pad while the lip is held in the same position on the reed. The pressure is shifted from the top to the bottom area of the lip cushion, and vice versa. The shift is minute but very important. "
After reading this,I encountered Gustav Langenus's description that in clarinet playing f makes tones flat and p makes the tones sharp if the player does have the ear to recognize deviation.To avoid these tendencies Langenus recommends players to relax in p and somewhat keep lip tension in f to remedy them.
However this is quite reverese way compared with the way of playing flute.If we play flutes f makes the tone sharpe and p flat.
Then I questioned from acoustical view points how this difference comes in flute and clarinet playing.But later I knew there are archives of Acoustical Research such as by Benade.I will look up at them.
OK! I will practice and practice.But at the same time I know that some good teacher saids it will need some 5000 houres to enter a good music college(I am happy to be too old to enter one!) and I play flute,saxes,and clarinet,I think my 'practice and practice' will need intelligent considertion.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
