 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: suavkue
Date: 2010-12-05 01:09
So I just learned yesterday that I'm supposed to open my throat when I play clarinet (yes, by that same clarinetist that I mentioned in that last thread).
I was always taught in high school that opening your throat causes some problems except in the throat tones (which apparently helps to raise the dynamic level of the throat tones) - e.g. intonation.
Basically, what I want to know is: what does opening your throat do to clarinet playing?
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My current equipment:
Ridenour Lyrique 576BC, Rico Reserve 4, Ridenour Hand Finished Mouthpiece, Luyben Ligature
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2010-12-05 02:50
I have some radical opinions about what "opening the throat" means, as well as the relationship between throat, tongue, and air that would immediately cause me to be seriously flamed here. If you'd like my take, please send me an e-mail.
B.
Post Edited (2010-12-05 02:52)
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Author: pelo_ensortijado
Date: 2010-12-05 18:11
i dont know if its a good thing for you to focus on those words. to "open your throat" is different for everyone and there is a thousand ways to do it and only one of them is the right for you. its very individual and since he has no camera down his own throat he cant say exactly how its done, but have to use descriptions that are based on events in his life, physical or phsycical. you have your own world of events and imagination never works the same way...
what i'm trying to say is that you have to do exercises to discover how things are suppose to be for your self! use your ear and explore the extremes of your body!!
i just try to be as relaxed as i can back there and everything will work out the way its suppose to. sure you have to change for some registers and so, but it works automatically by how your ears want it to sound rather than how the teacher wants your body to shape!!!
the important thing is the tongue and its position. that changes everything!!
i have a good and easy exercise i learned from Calogero Palermo in the french national orchestra:
use only mpc and barrel, nothing below.
and then with good air support, play, explore and stretch the tongue to its extremes: relaxed, tense, high, low, back, forth, possitions!!!
its like a workout for the entire throat! and a strong throat is a good one!
this makes your throat flexible and you'll be able to make the sound you want instead of just the sound that comes out of your mouth. the key is to listen! what does happen if i do this? and this? what difference is there? how would i like it? where is this useful?
to be able to make the notes "sing" in your throat instead of just be forced makes the intonation part soooo easy.
have you heard a really good a capella quartet? they have perfect intonation all the time! it sounds perfect!
to learn how to use the muscles in the throat as they do to correct pitch should be mandatory for all wind musicians!! the thing is that they have to listen since they have their entire instrument in their bodies! we focus to much on the instrument and not ourselves! and to really know yourself makes you more comfortable and relaxed in every situation!!
not the answer to the question. just figure i could give my 2 cents on the subject.
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2010-12-05 18:53
There was a good article in the Clarinet Journal last issue I believe that mentioned something akin to the idea of "Throat Tuning" in the way the Robert Dick (flutist) teaches it. If you search throat tuning on youtube you can find the videos that he uses to teach the technique. If you use the basic idea that he does (I've tried the singing while playing the clarinet, and it didn't work well for me, although it does on flute) of using your throat/vocal chords as if you were singing the pitches you were playing, it aids the sound in so many ways. For me it opened up my sound, made me sound much more fluid, rather than choppy, and helps a lot with intonation.
I've recently used this idea with my bassoon and oboe students and in all of my instrumental playing. They all like the difference in their sound and ease of playing musically. I think that's what could be meant by "opening the throat", instead of it just being open, let it be active in the sound production of your instrument, rather than being stagnant.
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-12-06 02:55
If you blow into a balloon you are sort of forced to blow with an open throat. Kind of a fast trick to fix your problem. Do this a few times a day and within a week or so your problems should be gone. This also fixes any sort of questions regarding breathing.
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2010-12-06 23:40
Robert Dick's videos are great. I already used a bit of singing and playing while playing the flute as a remedial warmup technique on bad tone days but this video takes it all to a new level. I will try this on clarinet and see what happens.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-12-07 00:11
I'll give you the short version. Open throat means keeping keeping the throat unobstructed so the air passes through without constriction. The way I always described it was having a student sing a very high note with the syllable E and then sing a low note with O or Oh. The high E closes the throat causing constriction, the low O or Oh allows the air to pass freely. Another way is to imitate blowing out a candle. Bob's idea of blowing into a ballon works well too. In short, No constriction means opening your throat. You don't tune the clarinet with your throat, you use your tongue, embouchure, air support and mostly, your ears. Perhaps some players color their tone with the use of the throat but probably not tuning.
ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2010-12-07 15:10
I don't, however, mind being "flamed."
In most circles "open throat" means playing with your tongue in the "AHHHHH" position (as you would make a sound for your throat doctor). In clarinet playing, however, this means that the back of your tongue actually cuts off more air flow and you get a more diffuse sound........period.
Personally I also contend that any acrobatics of the tongue (really the only muscle around to manipulate in your mouth) is a waste of energy and only leads to a potential obstruction of the passage of air out to your clarinet.
All the craziness with the tongue only seems to affect how open we position our jaws, which in turn affects the degree of pressure we exert on the read (and how we do it........more lip, less lip, scrunched lip, etc).
So I would recommend finding a fairly neutral tongue position (more as at rest, or as you would position for the pronounciation of the letter "EEEEEE."
....................Paul Aviles
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Author: salzo
Date: 2010-12-07 19:44
I thin the syllable I use is more of an Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh type. I have heard some describe it should feel like you are yawning.
Ive heard others say imagine a hot potato in your mouth-I can see the comparison, but I think a hot potato in my mouth to be quite stressful, and stress never helps.
When I feel "tight" in the throat, I envision my throat as being this big giant crcle or square, that is my entire upper torso down to the diahphragm-this helps me to open up.
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