 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rapidcif
Date: 2010-01-01 19:24
hello, happy new year everyone!
Just a question, and I'm pretty much a beginner, so i want to ask why is it that i always choke whenever i do a big crescendo or decrescendo?
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2010-01-01 19:37
Maybe it's a matter of control. It takes a good deal of breath and embouchure control to successfully execute a long crescendo/diminuendo. That's why it's one of the basic things you should practice every day.
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2010-01-01 20:11
Reed too soft and possibly not enough mouthpiece in your mouth.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-01-01 21:05
I would suspect that if it's not the above answers that you are using your throat to control your air instead of your diaphragm. You may very well be closing off the air by closing your throat to control the amount of air you need when getting louder or softer. But it could be that you pinch the reed closed as well due to the reed being to soft or using to much pressure on the reed with your bottom lip. It's also possible that your tongue gets in the way by getting to high and blocks the air off. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: marcia
Date: 2010-01-01 22:59
Rapidcif, welcome to the wold of clarinetting! I am not going to offer any suggestions as to the cause or cure for your problem, as there are many possible reasons (as seen above) for your problem. I strongly suggest you seek out a teacher who can see and hear first hand what you are doing. That would be the best way to "right the wrong", and maybe prevent further "wrongs" that may need "righting" in the future.
Marcia
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-01-09 11:42
I'm in the process of trying to resolve the same problem myself. Having failed to resolve the problem on my own, I went to a recommended teacher for his analysis of the proble. He thought my choice of mouthpiece and reed suitable (VanDoren B45 and Ricoh Royal 3), and that the instrument (B & H Emperor) wasn't contributing to the problem. I used to play a Ricoh Royal 2, and found that increasing reed strength improved the situation but did not cure it.
His thoughts were that I should modify my emboucher, pulling the lower lip further over the teeth and also put the mouthpiece further into my mouth. He also suggested that I should practice playing long notes until the modified emboucher became habitual. This seems to have partially resolved the problem, but I felt that I was still having problems as the reed became wet.
To eliminate the reed as part of the problem I tried a Legere synthetic reed in 2.5, and this seems to have done the trick. I aslo found that lifting the clarinet more towards the horizontal has helped. This may not be the cure for you, but it seems to have worked for me.
Tony F.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2010-01-09 12:55
Hi,
IMHO EP has really identified one of the main problems, lack to appropriate breath support. I have always taught that ppp may well take as much breath support as fff. There must be a solid cushion of air supporting your tone (like a building foundation if you will). Otherwise, the throat seems to close. Try using a very large diaphragmatic breath of air but let it out very slowly and you can feel that your throat is open but the breath stream is steady.
Recently, one of my section mates, a really wonderful player working on her masters in music, had a great deal of trouble with a sustained altissimo E entrance which was very soft. We tried some 1/2 hole and alternate fingerings but when she began to really concentrate on breath support, she did well.
Actually, I believe her inability to make the attack had become really more of a mental barrier than anything. I know I can pop these notes off pretty easily as I'm sure many of you can. But when she focused on something else, the attack became less problematic.
At the concert, she played perfectly.
HRL
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