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The Ethnic Clarinet The C4 standard

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Re: Help with Improvising

Author: Koen
Date: 2005-06-27 13:45

Hi Simon,

For me there are a couple of things that can help me improvise, maybe they can help you as well. I find it stimulating to hear a "groundtone" or single chord to improvise over - it interacts with the single tone of my clarinet resulting in instant dynamics and emotional color (think of raga's as well as many other forms of ethnical music). Also the surroundings are important. Personally i prefer large spaces with a long echo like churches or abandoned industrial complexes. The long echo's allow me to play along with myself and weave a tapistry of sound. The surroundings also play an important part in the atmosphere, wich can be very inspirational.

With improvisation there's also the more difficult aspect of control. Do you want to play what's in your mind? or do wish to let go and leave everything to chance?

For starters you could also try and play along with some music you've never heard before and let yourself be surprised by what you find; play.
In any case I wish you the best of luck and a lot of fun in getting to know this wonderful aspect of music making. The clarinet lends itself exeptionally well for improvisation, i've found, due to its directness - from breath to sound - and clarity.

Cheers,
Koen

Man is but a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed.

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