 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Denise
Date: 2006-02-28 13:27
I recently took a new job at a new school. I currently teach grades 6-12 clarinet and I now have the grand assignment of making decisions regarding student mouthpieces, ligatures, etc. I am reviewing the set up of my advanced high school players. Here's what they came to me using:
Gigliotti p 34 with vandoren optimum lig using vandoren blue box 3.5 (some 4's).
A good set up, no doubt. What I am trying to achieve is a darker sound. While I know this characteristic, "darker," will evoke some retisent comments about clarity and overtones, and such, I would clarify that I mean a sound more rich and warm, if that indeed clarifies. :/ I recently tried some rovner ligs and I preferred the response and sound over the optimum. I am hesistant to make any major decisions, though, as I feel a bit insecure in myself in this new responsibility.
Does anyone have any suggestions, concerns or opinions they would offer in my quest here?
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-02-28 13:38
They all use the exact same set-up?
If so, why? ...GBK
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2006-02-28 13:45
While a "darker" sound may be sought by using Vandoren V-12's or Grand Concert Evolutions, I think there is no reason they couldn't sound very good with their current set-ups. I'd work with embouchures, air support, and tonal concepts before changing equipment. (Keep in mind that this comment is coming from someone who makes mouthpieces and endorses a reed, so I'm not adverse to changing equipment.)
If the students have a private instructor, please respect that teacher's opinions. You can damage your relationship with an important ally for your program if you decide to change his/her student's set-ups without his/her consent.
Chris Hill
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2006-02-28 14:16
I would have thought that different students would need different setups - just to complicate your job ;-D
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2006-02-28 16:06
I would suggest finding some CDs which demonstrate the type of sound that you would like them to acheive and having them listen to it frequently.
Most young players will try to sound like what they consider to be a "good" sound and will subconsciously change there embouchure to try to acheive that sound.
You need to reinforce the sound that you consider to be a "good" sound so that they can strive to acheive it.
If you are a clarinetist you can also play "the sound" for them live.
It is surprising that they all use the same setup, but there is nothing inherently wrong with that setup.
It may be that "Betty is our best clarinet player and that's what she uses and sounds like.", or it could be that you had a predecessor who thought that one size fits all. If it was the latter let them know that it's OK to experiment and that one size doesn't fit all.
Post Edited (2006-03-01 11:14)
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Author: GoatTnder
Date: 2006-02-28 16:25
I would like to echo John's suggestion of providing music for the students to listen to. Through my entire clarinet playing career, almost every teacher I've had has assigned (and sometimes provided) music to listen to. And it seems to work on my students as well. Plus it's much less expensive than changing the set up.
As for the set up you mentioned... The Vandoren Optimum certainly works for some people, but from reading this board and personal experience it seems they are the minority. If you are looking for a one-size-fits-all set up I would try a ligature that has more wide spread success. Perhaps something like a Luyben or Rovner (both also considerably less expensive than a Vandoren Optimum). The board has more threads on ligatures than you can shake a stick at.
Andres Cabrera
South Bay Wind Ensemble
sbwe@sbmusic.org
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Author: GBK
Date: 2006-02-28 16:28
John O'Janpa wrote:
> It is surprising that they all use the same setup,
> it could be that you had a predecessor who thought that one size fits all.
Yes...If they are all using the same set-up successfully, that would be quite surprising.
I once had a discussion with a local band director who told me that all his students were required to play B45's. I asked him if all the members of his marching band wore the same size shoes.
After all, wouldn't they march better if all the shoes were the identical size?
He quickly got the point and dropped the ridiculous B45 requirement...GBK (a retired band director)
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2006-03-01 06:37
Speaking personally, however:
I like the Rovner, and I once played in an ensemble where every clarinetist had managed to choose Rovner with no influence from the bandmaster. So perhaps it is a good place to start.
I find it gives me what I'd call a 'warmer' sound. Might not be suitable for players who already have a fat, jazzy sound, or who are looking for piercing laser-gun stability. More a chef's knife than a scalpel. And it made my Vandoren problems go away.
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Author: Tony Beck
Date: 2006-03-01 15:38
You may be setting yourself up for problems unless the whole section is playing the the same type of instrument. Different bore sizes and types (French vs German, etc.) will cause tone color and intonation differences that will be hard to get around. In college it may be possible to have the whole section play R-13s, but in high school you'll have everything from dad's old Vito to new professional horns.
Make sure that they have a good setup and make them work on getting a nice supported, centered tone, but I'd hesitate to reqire the same setup for everyone.
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Author: Denise
Date: 2006-03-03 20:13
Thank you for all your suggestions!
The previous teacher DID decide to have all students on the same set up. The reasoning, I think, is because the school provides R-13's and the set ups for the advanced high school students due to the socio-economic level of our students. I agree that the set up needs to be tailored to the individual player. However, when the student leaves, the equipment stays. What should I do?
So I am looking for some options that will be good, solid, standard set ups that most students play on successfully. I am thinking I will need several options so I can find the right fit for the player. I believe some of my students are not successful on this P34 with the Optimum. Myself, when I play that set up, I overblow the mouthpiece and the vandoren creates timbre changes that I don't get otherwise.
I suppose I am looking for some guidance on what set ups I should initially try. What have you used with your students that you have found successful?
I appreciate all the comments. Thanks for the help!
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Author: Wind Player
Date: 2006-03-06 01:52
Use the Giggliotti legiture with the Giggliotti mouthpiece. Not only were they disigned to be used together, the sound is darker and it projects just as well as the metal legiture. Set it on the mouthepiece just as you would an inverted Bonade legiture.
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