 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jake
Date: 2002-12-25 07:33
Hi. everyoen tells me that i have a good tone. But how can i get an even better sound? I play on a vandoren 5rv lyre...would getting a new mouthpiece help? or is it my embouchure? or is it just me? maybe i lack natural gifts or something????
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2002-12-25 10:08
Jake, read the recent posting titled "mature playing." How old are you? A mouthpiece will help/change things to a certain degree, but you will always essentially sound like you. No one else, only you. And as the Mature Playing post explains, you will develop with age and maturity. If people say your tone is good, you should be satisfied with it and concentrate on musicality, musicianship etc etc as these are the things that will get you points in auditions. I'm not saying stop working on your tone, but give it time to develop.
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2002-12-25 13:04
There are many things that contribute to a great sound. One that's often overlooked is your overall physical condition, if you have good diaphrahm strength and physical stamina. If you have good physical strenth, do you breathe from the bottom of your tummy or shallowly from your chest? If one is able to run or to do other aerobic exercise that helps tremendously in creating a more full sound since the lungs are in very good shape.
Once you know you have sufficient stamina, then think about the equipment. You could try a couple of different mouthpieces just for fun since each of us has different needs. With the same reed, try playing a passage with one, then the other and see what you come up with. This may give you a better sound, it may not.
I've found success as well in changing brands of reeds. This, again, is individual. However when physically holding one brand up to another brand you see big differences in dimension. Also, some are cut differently. Personally I've gone from Vandoren V12 to Zonda Classico - the sound is fuller and much richer. When I switch back, the sound is thin and unsatisfactory. Now others are quite happy with other brands.
Maturity comes into this as well in the sense that as you play over the years your body learns how to respond. Think of opening up your throat and chest and just allow the air to easily rise from your tummy without straining. Listening to excellent players on recordings or in live performances gives you a mental pattern to achieve as your goal. With the same reed and mouthpiece you can sound awful, or really good, and that's where experience comes in (or even your mental attitude that day!). If you've ever experienced playing for your teacher and complaining about the sound, and that teacher takes your instrument and plays so well it knocks your socks off, you'll know what I'm talking about.
So there are many things involved. If you know what sound you're aiming for, that's half the battle. So keep listening, and keep trying.
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Author: Steve
Date: 2002-12-25 16:08
Jake,
All the responses are good. New equipment and reeds can certainly help. Listening to great players will also be of benefit. But in the long run there is only one way to get a "great" sound. Practice more!! You did not mention how much time you practice each day. I love the clarinet and I have a very good sound. I try to practice at least an hour a day. This is about all the time I have. I have made this choice because I love and work very hard at my public school orchestra and band teaching job). However, I know that if I want that "great" sound, the sound that I hear from clarinetists in the major orchestra's, then the only way is for me to increase my practice time significantly. Great sound, great technique comes only from long hours of practice over extended periods of time. If that is what you want Go For It. Good Luck!!!
Steve
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Author: Hans
Date: 2002-12-26 00:17
In addition to the excellent suggestions that have been offered by others; e.g., listening to those whose sound you admire (Shaw? Goodman?, Daniels?, Herman?, Defranco?, etc.) and experimenting with reeds (Zonda is my favourite, VanDoren is my least favourite), I have a few more.
First, practice at the extremes of the instrument; i.e., the highest and lowest notes. Second, try the VanDoren Optimum ligature. It contains three different interchangeable reed contact plates, each of which gives a slightly different sound and playing characteristics, and may help you get what you want. You should also practice good reed preparation procedure and make sure that your reed strength is properly matched to your mouthpiece. You could visit www.Selmer.com to look for more suggestions. If you are playing a large bore clarinet, you will likely be constrained to a different type of sound than if you were playing a small bore. I'm sure that others will be able to add to the list.
Best wishes,
HJ
P.S. I have no affiliation with brands I've mentioned. I play a Selmer Recital (small bore, nice tone) with the Optimum ligature and Zonda reeds. No one runs out of the room when I play.....
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Author: Malaya
Date: 2002-12-26 04:55
this may seem slightly off topic, but i found my tone increased incredibly after i started playing alto sax in our school's jazz band. i honestly practice very little on either instrument, and many people tell me i have excellent tone. i play on a rovner ligature, a 3 1/2 vandoren reed, and some sort of inexpensive hard rubber mouthpiece that was "custom made" for my local music shop. in my case, practicing more didn't seem to help. i practiced my tail off for marching season, and found that my chops ran out more quickly, and i couldn't breathe right anymore. i'm at a high school level, so i'm not really fantastic, but i practice once or twice a week, focus only on long tones of various notes in all registers, and work on just how it sounds... i know it's ameteur (spelling?) advice, but it works for me.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-12-26 15:19
I am a firm believer that we all have our individual sounds that are dictated and enhanced by our mental, internal concepts of tone quality and our state of physical conditioning (embouchure) that makes production of that sound a reality. I just watched and old video (10 yrs ago) of me playing the Artie Shaw Concerto with our local muni band and was amazed to realize that I sound the same today as I did in that video even though I am playing a completly different mouthpiece set-up and brand of clarinet. I think that the only value of "special" equipement is that certain pieces will allow you to achieve your expressive and tonal goals easier than will others, but your own sound will always prevail, no matter what. It is much more important to be able to play in tune with others and to develop musical style and expression in your performances. Quality of sound is of next (and possibly, least) importance.
So, practice to develop control of your breath, embouchure and technique so that your "natural" sound can be "all that it can be" and that you can use it to play absolutely in tune with impeccable musical expression.
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Author: Vicky
Date: 2002-12-27 03:38
Jake,
Last year I had an "Immature sound." And then I started taking lessons with a professor at the university close to my town. I started to listen to her sound and how it had this great ring and such beauty to it! I really don't know how, but all of a sudden, I started to sound more and more like her everyday. So I am a true believer on having role models to listen to. These days you dont even have to go to the music store to get a cd, you can download songs of famous clarinet players. It's all in the mind I say! Good luck!
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Author: HomersEmu@hotmail.com
Date: 2002-12-27 05:35
I would suggest that the three most important methods to better tone are listen to recordings of great clarinet solos and decide which tone you appreciate the most. Then experiment on your instrument with different techniques you might read about on the internet, books or hear from a tracher (recording yourself may help but avoid placing the recording device directly under the bell). And finaly, as mentioned before practice.
I don't think that equipment is everything, I find I can get a similar tone using a BG ligature (one of the higher quality ones, I forget which exactly, but it works well) as I can using an elastic band (which provides excellent freedom for vibration, good distribution of pressure and easy adjustements, but never use one in performance, the reed tends to slip). The instrument will have an impact one your playing (I own a custom selected R13 and an obscure 80-year-old metal student marching clarinet and the difference is noticible to say the least) but it isn't everything. Reeds are very imporant however, select a brand that reflects your playing style by trying different strengths and brands, you very often get what you pay for with reeds, don't be afraid to pay that little extra for the good ones.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-12-27 15:19
Jake -
Good advice above. Getting a better tone involves getting the idea of what you want into your ears. That's much more important than any technical advice.
That said, you can probably get a lot more out of your clarinet than what you're getting now. Here's an exercise I've recommended sevveral times, and best of all it costs nothing. Stuff a balled-up swab or handkerchief up the bell, finger middle B and blow hard. You'll get a middle Eb (approximately). Work on it untill you can get an almost normal tone. Then find the next overtones and practice bugle calls. When you pull out the cloth, you'll find your sound is double the size of what you were getting before.
Then, get the recordings of Pablo Casals playing the Bach Solo Celllo Suites. Play the first 5 seconds of one, and then match his emotional and tonal intensity. Do the same thing with John McCormack and other great singers.
There's more at http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=96808&t=96796. In particular, you should to to the links to Arnold Jacobs.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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