 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Paula S
Date: 2014-01-11 19:43
I have been working quite hard on developing my upper clarion recently. I have always had a very clear sound but I wanted to develop a more shrouded velvety sound too. It occurred to me, particularly after listening to Sylvain's post of Harold Wright's wonderful playing, that what I really want is a range of colours/sounds to truly express myself.
I have been working on playing the full clarion range without the speaker key which I can now do across the whole range. Also I have been playing around with harmonics using the same fingerings.
One exercise that Michelle Gingras suggests involves listening with both ears and developing a stereophonic centred tone and this has also been really useful. For example getting a balance in both ears appears to give me that velvet sound I was seeking. However I am finding if I shift some notes so they are more predominant in one ear or the other, I can get a sharper or a more subdued sound. It depends on the notes I am playing but for example my natural upper clarion is on the ringing side and more left sided but if I switch the sound to my riight ear it becomes more subdued. On the tuner it makes no difference but it really influences the timbre. Does anyone else do this? I am sure it is not in my imagination as when I record myself I can hear the difference? I love Harolds Wright's ability to change the sound dramatically even within the duration of one note. I am hoping I can develop some variety which I can control and use to enhance my playing.
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2014-01-11 20:30
Read Bernard Portnoy's article on this subject. The Clarinet. summer of 1956 issue. It's on the web under his site.
richard smith
Post Edited (2014-01-11 20:33)
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Author: Bruno
Date: 2014-01-12 03:20
Remember that your mouth cavity is part of the system and has great influence on tone color. Don't be afraid to drop your tongue when you need to for a sweeter sound, especially in the clarion register.
B.
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Author: Paula S
Date: 2014-01-12 10:17
Thanks Richard. That article is really useful in explaining how lip muscle and position/pressure can influence tone colour and dynamics. I guess subconsciously I was trying to do some of those things but I now understand how they can be controlled physically. I will have an play around today and do some long tones and try to apply some of those principles. If I can isolate some of the sounds that I feel will be useful to me, then hopefully I can develop a muscle/position memory for them.
Bruno thanks for that! I have over the last few weeks changed my tongue position for my upper clarion/lower altissimo so it is similar to the position I normally use from throat G upwards. I was previously raising my tongue very slightly when I got to clarion G. It sounds mellower now that I have decided to keep my tongue lower. I only raise my tongue now when I get to altissimo G and then again for altissimo C. I can see how consciously varying my tongue position will be useful though for those times when I want more variation/tone colours.
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