 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Aussie Nick
Date: 2005-06-07 14:30
This is a little difficult to put into words. I am going through this phase where I am questioning myself and my ability. Until senior year in high school, I had barely any sense of pitch and was hopless at rhythmic and melodic dictations for aural training. It wasn't until the end of my first year in university music studies that I could hear whether or not I was in tune with another pitch (A440) and it was in my 2nd year (where I studied in a different city - Melbourne) that I became more aware of the importance of rhythm and technique. Last year I got new clarinets from Paris, and had alot of trouble with the Bb I picked, and ended up replacing that Bb instrument again.
Since playing my new ones, I have become incredibly fussy with pitch - and the funny thing is, I don't remember devoting as much time to intonation tendencies when I was playing on my old pair up until mid last year. Admittedly, when I perform and do auditions I often will get comments from people about the accuracy of intonation, and 'beautiful sound'. The thing is, technical passages, rhythms, sound quality etc (all the usual things clarinettists complain about not being good at) I don't have concerns about. I generally know how to practice technical passages, and have have a solid concept of sound which has always worked for me it seems. However, in my practicing it is my intonation that gets me down... the sharpness of clarion B and A, the general sharpness in the right hand clarion register, my throat notes always seeming to change (myself because I am so conscious of them?) and of course its in the nature of the instrument not to have a perfect scale. I spend far too much time with a tuner, fuguring out which barrels ( I have a number) or tuning rings work best, or how far to pull out the barrel or middle joint or bell etc etc... and I am constantly stuck in that my thumb C's are not typically sharp like on most Buffets, and so I can't put out too much even though I need to because the throat register and upper clarion are sharp, so I have resorted to wax and blue tac in certain tone holes. I want nothing more than to get over this and concentrate on the bigger picture, but if something is not in tune I can't stand it and it will put me off the instrument, and playing in general, even though I know I do well in auditions and have alot to offer. Can anyone steer me back on track? Thanks guys.
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2005-06-07 14:57
Hello, Nick -- I think you have been going about the important work of getting to know the intonation tendencies of your new instruments. You are really close to that process right now, so it seems like it gets in the way of other aspects of musicmaking. All I can say is that in time the scale of the instruments will become more familiar and natural. Spend some time each day playing something beautiful that you love to play, no tuner, no fussing.
Hakuna matata
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Author: William
Date: 2005-06-07 15:02
Another case of analysis paralysis in progress. Just relax and enjoy making your music as pretty as possible. The (very good) conductor of our local universities wind ensemble often says, "an in tune note is a pretty note". Therefore, if you remain focused on producing "pretty" sounds within whatever your performing venue may be, the intonation problem will take care of itself. Remember, your tuner is an important aid, especially in learning the individual tuning characterists of your own clarinets, but your own ear is still your best "tool" for making music.
I might also suggest that your learn to focus your tonal tambre slightly on the low side and not at the top of your sound. Double embouchure is good for learning as well as performing this concept. Playing with too firm an embouchure can limit your tonal resonance as well as deny your ability to lip a note up if necessary. I call this playing in the "middle" of the sound, not too tight or too loose an embouchure. That way, you can maintain your general pitch level in softer and louder sections and not do the usual by going sharp as you get softer and flat as you get louder. Practice playing long tones going from ppp to fff without going flat. When you can do this in all registers, you will be playing "in the middle" of your sound--and hopefully, making pretty music. Good luck
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Author: luckyclarinettoenla
Date: 2005-06-07 16:21
Heya Nick!
I hope that my comments help you in getting back on track. I offer pretty much 2 points of advice.
1. Put your tuner away. As said before, your ear the most important tool in knowing if you are in tune. A little secret is that for now, it does not matter if you play at A 440. Here's what I mean-- it is more important for you to play in tune with yourself and others. If you get your horns to play in tune in each register then you're ahead of the game. When playing with others, you have to listen to where they are and match their pitch. No one plays every note at A 440-- there are too many factors to mutate pitch.
2. Use your tuner to spot check(yeah, yeah it's contradictory to point one, but this step should be used some time later). The last thing you want to do is to become a slave to the little LED lights. What I usually do is play for a bit, and if an interval sounds off (here's where that theory comes in) I'll turn on my tuner, close my eyes and then play the note until it's where I think it's in tune. Then I open my eyes. If you play the note while watching the tuner, you'll start to immediately compensate for it and you won't get an accurate depiction. I guess what I'm trying to say is that you should start to play and just know what the note is going to sound like before you play. Develop your pitch. On command, I can sing notes like A, Bb, C, Eb, F, and G and be +/- 5cents within 440. With a little solfeige I can sing and hum the rest. You too can do this!
Just think though, you've got the easy part down pat-- now take it slow and just know that this is a task that you'll be working on for the rest of your clarinet playing days-- no one masters intonation, they just find a way of management that works for them.
I hope this helps.
Lucky
Never fool yourself into believing that today's 'good enough' will do tomorrow!
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Author: Tony Pay ★2017
Date: 2005-06-07 16:38
I'd say that if what you describe is accurate, then it sounds to me as though you are on exactly the right track, and you should continue as you are.
If you're a professional, then your job is to produce the results, and part of that is playing in tune. If what's required to do that makes you uncomfortable sometimes, and you feel that you don't have time to enjoy the music, well that's just tough. Nobody said you have to enjoy what you do in that sense. And remember, much of your musicianship hasn't to do with what you're concentrating on -- remember the times you played whole passages in the practice room thinking about something else!
Playing music primarily 'to enjoy yourself' is what you do if you're an amateur. That's why they're called 'amateurs', after all.
Please understand that that observation entails no disrespect to amateurs. But to the extent that they're committed to the results above everything else, they're behaving like professionals.
Of course, it's wonderful when you can both produce the results *and* enjoy yourself:-)
Tony
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Author: Llewsrac
Date: 2005-06-07 18:23
Where are you going you ask. Apparently no where! No one can answer your question but yourself. Some years ago I taught an outstanding trombone student.
She asked the same questions you are asking. She finally defeated yourself,
and her ability to make music. Stop asking questions that only you can answer and get on with it, or get off the pot.
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Author: crnichols
Date: 2005-06-07 18:48
One thing that you mentioned that concerns me is fussing with tuning rings and different length barrels. The work that you spend on intonation is going to be unproductive if you have constant variables. I would try to select a fairly standard length barrel that possesses fairly satisfactory sound, intonation and response. I think this might help you. As for the notes with regular tendencies, you might consult with an acoustician such as Morrie Backun or Guy Chadash to have those issues resolved. In regards to the throat tones, those are just terribly unstable notes. I have found they are greatly affected by temperature...and I use a great number of finger combinations both for resonance and pitch, and change them as the circumstances require, and it sounds like you probably do too. That's all you can do. The rest of it, you're not in a rut at all, you're just learning how to play your instrument in tune. One of my teachers said that he had had his instrument for 15 years, and whenever he tries a new instrument, he thinks, wow this is great, but then he thinks, it took me 15 years to learn to play this one as in tune as I play it now...do I really want to start over.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-06-07 19:00
Pitch is inherently variable, due to the presence of different keys, chromaticism, and the various approximations to equal temperament found on different instruments.
Each and every note you play will be differently in tune based on the context in which it is played, and on how each other member of the ensemble is playing at that time. With performing/listening experience and familiarity with harmonic function you can begin to anticipate and correct for these discrepancies. Tuning is a constant process, not a "set it and forget it" action.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2005-06-08 02:07
I think you're on the right track - when playing in an ensemble, you should be focussing on intonation 100% of the time and adjusting where necessary 100% of the time. So you're only building skills by putting yourself through hell about intonation, which might be a hard way of doing it but it's getting results.
Knowing you personally, and I hope you don't take offence to this, but you've spent a lot of money lately on buying new instruments that you didn't give long enough time for a fair chance. I tried your last Bb and it was among the best Buffets I've ever tried! And you tried mine and picked up instantly on it's intonation issues - but they're not a problem for me. And why? Because I've had my pair for a while and I know what to do with them. The initial intonation problems have been fixed by my getting to know what works with what instruments in the orchestra and what happens in various situations, i.e heat, pulling out barrell or middle joint or bell etc.
No instrument is perfect and the only way you're going to get good intonation is to spend a decent ammount of time with it, as well as getting lots of experience.
Stick with the instruments you've got, play as much as you can, and learn how it all works.
Things can only get better!
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