 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: harim0suprem0
Date: 2015-02-21 02:21
Hi everyone,
I am currently practicing dynamic long tones on the lowest octave E. My issue is that the note is incredibly sharp at pianissimo, and when I pull out from the barrel or bell the note eventually becomes in tune at pianossissimo but is now incredibly flat when going fortississimo. And when I try to adjust my embrochure and my tongue position instead to make the note flatter at pianossissimo the note starts to 'crack' and I start to play multiphonics, although it sounds fine and plays in tune at fortississimo.
My former teacher said it is most certainly possible to play in tune throughout all the dynamics when doing long tones. He even showed me and was able to do it, but I have unfortunately forgotten HOW he was able to do it. He is an incredibly busy man so I am unable to get in touch with him to ask how he did it. Has anyone got a solution to this issue? Can anyone else play completely in tune at all dynamics?
Many thanks,
Harim.
Post Edited (2015-02-22 02:52)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-02-21 04:54
Well, the bottom notes (to include "F") are a little tricky to work, but in general you want to keep your clarinet tuned at a point where you are at a nice comfortable "middle ground" with your embouchure at a moderate volume on the 'good notes.' It may be easiest to find a good middle ground with open "G" and the octave above it.
Now, as you play louder, there is a need to control the potential "wildness" caused by pushing more air. You do this by introducing more embouchure control. Without this greater control (which we pretty much do instinctively based on the sound we hear) the pitch has a potential to sag. The reverse is true when playing soft, lower notes. We need to soften the embouchure control (but this takes the form of putting the effort into keeping the embouchure firm but OPEN - not squeezing down on the reed).
I like to say (of late) that you need to maintain the same ratio of air to embouchure throughout dynamics and registers (meaning when more air is applied for louder volume, you correspondingly up the embouchure control).
............Paul Aviles
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Author: harim0suprem0
Date: 2015-02-21 06:49
That's some really helpful advice, thank you so much Paul!!!
I understand what I must do now.
Regards,
Harim.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-02-21 21:22
I like Mr. Aviles' comments ...
One little possible evil trick for the bell tones going sharp is to rest the bell between your legs or knees. Use your legs to selectively smother the open end of the bell and it will lower the pitch ... I think. Try it.
Tom
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2015-02-21 23:56
Have you considered using your oral cavity to to control intonation?
Peter Cigleris
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Author: kdk
Date: 2015-02-22 00:57
The clarinet is the only wind instrument, I think, that tends to go sharp as you play more softly. The others go flat. There are acoustical reasons for this which I read once and have forgotten. As you decrease the sound level (diminuendo), you often need to correct this tendency toward higher pitch by making the inside of your mouth (oral cavity as Peter mentions) larger. I have always supposed this works because pitch is a function of the volume of the vibrating air column, which begins inside your mouth. So, if you add volume to the column in this way, you flatten the pitch.
You're right that you really can't control this by lengthening the instrument (pulling out the barrel or mouthpiece), because that will affect all pitches at all dynamics, while your specific problem is only a couple notes at a soft dynamic. And pulling the barrel has the added disadvantage of affecting the scale disproportionately, more at the throat end and progressively less toward the long notes. You can pull the bell a little, but again, it will affect all dynamics and the B a 12th higher.
I would add, though, that if the E is truly going "incredibly sharp" at pianissimo, there may be more wrong than you can correct with oral changes. Have you checked this with a tuner to see *how much* sharper it's going, or are you only judging it by ear? Are other notes going sharp at pianissimo, or is it really only E? Reeds can affect this, though the effect wouldn't probably be as local as a single note. Also, if it's really exaggerated and truly only E, the internal shape (volume) of the bell might be at fault. E (and usually F) are often a little flat on Boehm clarinets, and if someone back in the instrument's history tried to correct this by altering the bell, it might account for this. These are fairly unlikely explanations, but still possible. If opening you mouth doesn't help, you might have a good repair tech check it out.
Karl
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2015-02-23 16:42
Along with the thoughts above, could it be that you are exertin more
Embouchure pressure as it gets softer due to the reed being a tad too hard? Or in other words, if you loosen your embouchure and slightly drop the jaw, do you get to a point where the air rushing through the instrument is much mich louder than the pianissimo low e you are trying to play? This could cause you to pinch a little to minimize the rushing air sound, but might end up in a sharper note.
As a test, try using a lighter Reed and looser embouchure throughout and see if the pitch varies as much from loud to soft during your dynamic long tones.
Just a thought as I used to use harder reeds and ended up pinching in order to keep it from being too airy.
Alexi
Ps - tendency is also to loosen the embouchure as you blow fortissimo as you think loosening the embouchure will allow more air to go through the tip opening and you will play "louder" (but all it really does is lower the pitch). So try to resist loosening to play loud and pinching to play soft. It may require a Reed change as too soft a Reed will squeak if you try to play loudly with too firm an embouchure, and too hard a Reed will sound too airy in a soft dynamic with a loose embouchure.
PPS - really frustrating having someone with the last name Reed in my contacts list as it now capitalizes it every time I type the darn word on my phone!
US Army Japan Band
Post Edited (2015-02-23 16:47)
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