 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2002-10-25 02:40
Two questions once again.
1) I don't know what it is, but I am really having dificulty getting out the higher notes. Anything above the thumb and register key C. I can get them out, but only if I play them forte. But if I'm going for a softer tone, there's an ugly airy throuty sound before they come out. And sometimes, they don't even come out. I think it may just be me getting used to the new Gigliotti mouthpiece. It's MUCH more closed than my old B45, not to mention the long facing. Is this it or am I just becoming a worse and worse player? (hehe, hope not!)
2) I have a slight physical problem. Nothing at all major, just that my lower jaw grew a little too much and it sticks out farther than my upper jaw. How should I treat this? I figured just stick the clarinet a little further out than normal cause I can take in just that much more reed. Sound ok? Or would a different facing mouthpiece work better than the one I have now (see above). Or shoudl I just not worry about it?
Thanks for everyone's help. Everyone's so nice and I'm trying to help with topics that I may know about (very few, but some).
Alexi
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-10-25 07:02
If you could find a good teacher to consult with personally, it would probably be best. My teacher said to take in a little more mouthpiece than is comfortable so that the reed could vibrate freely so maybe it makes no difference that your lower jaw is farther forward on the reed than the average.
The Robert Spring warmup exercises include 4 beat long tones from low E to the top C at 60 beats per minute with breathing rests as needed. These exercises help define the embouchure for altissimo playing and are referred to on another web site that I don't remember but which can probably be found by entering his name. Good luck!
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-10-25 16:57
sfalexi -
Here's an exercise for improving altissimo tone that I've posted several times.
Start pianissimo on low E, crescendo to a good forte (always under control), press the register key gently to go to middle B and diminuendo back to pp. Then go to F/C, and so on. When you get to A, start going up to the third register (A/E/C#, etc.) as you begin the diminuendo. Work to carry the low register warmth and roundness into the second and third registers. Work the transitional finger motions very slowly. You should not know exactly when you will jump from one register to the next.
Tone quality is controlled first by breath, and next by your lips, tongue, palate and throat.
You have to keep the sound "on the breath." That is, there must be a direct connection from your breath to the sound. The sound has to feel like a part of you. To do this, you have to breathe more deeply that you're probably used to doing. Inhale from the bottom and continue until your rib-cage expands and rises by itself. Then, relax and let the air come out without effort. The feeling is of "relaxing" rather than "blowing."
At first, you may feel that there's not enough resistance. There's a great temptation to close off your throat, as if you were almost coughing or speaking, to give something to blow against. You have to teach yourself what it feels like not to do that.
To keep your sound vibrant, you have to make sure only about half the red part of your lower lip is inside your lower teeth. From that basic position, you can add high harmonics by pulling more of the lip outside your teeth, and cover the sound by putting more lip inside.
Try raising your soft palate (opening your mouth and watching in a mirror will let you connect the feeling and the position). Next, raise the back of your tongue and lower the front of your tongue into a "ski jump" shape.
It helps me to lower my jaw and pucker my lips slightly. (I play double lip full time.) This isn't what you do all the time, and the movements are very slight. Kalmen Opperman says to concentrate on keeping an "OOO" (rhymes with "too") quality in the sound. Concentrate on letting the air flow, rather than blowing.
Finally, listen to the great players, in as many styles as you can. The more you listen, the more possibilities you have, plus getting good examples to learn how to do. It's not enough to have a good tone. You must have many good tones.
This is all easy to say, and a lot to learn. You can't do it all at once, and it helps a lot to have a teacher listening. Do one thing at a time, until you can do it without having to think about it. Then add the next.
There's no end to learning.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-10-25 17:10
One of the determining factors in playing in the altissimo is the amount of curvature of the mouthpiece facing where it blends with the flat (table) portion. If the transition from curved to flat is too gradual, it will be hard to play in the altissimo -- the reed will tend to 'close up'. Obtaining a sufficiently sharp 'break' between the curved facing and the flat table is especially challenging for the mouthpiece maker to implement on a close, long facing. Consider this possibility, and try a few different mouthpieces to see if this improves things.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-10-25 20:05
"It's MUCH more closed than my old B45"
The above given advice is (as usual) excellant, I would only add in an attempt at "cyberanalysis" is that perhaps your reed is a bit too soft for your new set-up. Try a half step stiffer to see if your altissimo is improved. BTW, it takes a lot of practice and control (breath and embouchure) to play delicate altissimo register notes. Try raising the back of your tongue as in saying a long, silent heeeeeeeeeeeeee (sound like a cats "angry" hiss) This will help focus and "accelorate" your stream of air toward the tip of the reed for optimum efficiency of tone production. Good luck!!
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2002-10-26 05:08
Thanks. I use size 3.5 vandoren V12 reeds. Play on them very comfortably at this point. Should I start working towards a four (to try the harder reed, to counter the closed mouthpiece)? And I think the mouthpiece, well, I don't know what this "table" and curiving are, but this particular mouthpiece was fine-tuned by someone after the blank mold came out. And this someone was a professional clarinetist. So I think there shouldn't be too much of a problem with this curvature. unless maybe it suited him, but I maybe need something different. . . . Hmmmmm . . . .
Alexi
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Author: nick
Date: 2002-10-26 16:05
What facing Gigliotti mouthpiece do you have? If it's a "P" then you need V12 4.5 or 5 reeds for it to function correctly. I think the rest are as follows: P34: 4- 4.5; 2: 3.5- 4; 3: 3- 4; 4: anything softer. Hope this helps.
Nick
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2002-10-26 17:03
Thanks Nick. I have the P model. I'm slowly working up to the 4.5 then. Everyone I know that has the P model (well, the TWO people that is) use size 5. So I guess I should really try to increase reed strength then in order to get the optimum set up with that mouthpiece. Thanks.
Alexi
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Author: Michael Blinn
Date: 2002-11-01 11:04
Hi Alexi,
I too, have a lower jaw that sticks out more than my upper. It's never been a problem with playing the clarinet. However, I find that when I really start blowing, really get into the music, the horm rises and I play like a trumpeter. This puts more of the mouthpiece in my mouth and results in a stronger, more controlable sound at high volume.
On the down side, it's difficult to read the music with the clarinet horizontal, and you have to be careful not to hit the stand with your horn.
Mike Blinn
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