 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BaconLord
Date: 2020-08-27 20:54
I would like to open a discussion about clarinet sound concepts and schools of playing.
I think I am rather familiar with the major schools of playing that dominate today's clarinet world. I grew up listening to Harold Wright and Robert Marcellus. More recently I find myself listening to clarinetists like Nicolas Baldeyrou, Olivier Patey, Anthony McGill, Boris Allakhverdyan, and Ricardo Morales, to name a few.
(Feel free to correct me or pitch in if I am wrong or something needs a clearer explanation. Discussing and criticism allowed!)
The concepts of Wright and Marcellus are rich in overtones, their sound is rather like a laser or beam (but in a good way!) and projects very well over an orchestra. Up close it sounds rather edgy, buzzy, and bright, but go out in the hall and it sounds amazing and pure. They use mouthpieces on the closer side and metal ligatures. Some players today that come to mind with this concept include Mark Nuccio and Brad Behn.
The concepts of Baldeyrou, McGill, or Patey include a rather dense, round, super mellow, dark sound. They use open mouthpieces (I see a lot of B40/B40 lyre and Black Diamond mouthpieces within these players). Ligature varies from leather to metal. Nowadays you see most students and younger professionals are leaning more towards this sound concept.
For me personally, I like both, hence why I probably have a hard time sticking to one concept and finding my own sound. There are times where I say to myself I want to sound like Ricardo, but then inside my head, I tell myself, "but wait, Marcellus also sounds amazing and also want to sound like him."
I would like to hold a discussion: which do you like more? which do you play? why do you prefer one over the other? do you teach your students the concept that you play or let them sort of dabble with it?
And more importantly, do you have any advice or guidance as to how to choose one and stick with it? That's pretty much my main problem with my personal playing: I do not have an ideal sound in my head because I like both of these styles of playing.
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Author: Tony Pay ★2017
Date: 2020-08-27 21:24
Given that you appreciate both, try to have both available, according to the music you're playing. Also, combinations of them over short ranges, like syllables of words in speech.
Silly to try to play the Stravinsky 3 pieces #3 รก la Leister.
You cannot avoid having your own sound, by the way.
Tony
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-08-27 22:57
I have come to the conclusion that there is no way to regulate one's sound to a major degree....you just wind up sounding like a version of yourself.
But to throw a monkey wrench into the discussion, what you HEAR (up close; in your face; just you, your clarinet, and a room) is NOT what one hears just a few feet away. Also, what you hear up close may not necessarily be what you WANT others to hear at a distance.
My favorite story is a colleague who was trying out a mouthpiece from one of the more august makers out there and said that it sounded as if bees were buzzing in his head (translation....he was not fond of that sound from his perspective). However he was smart enough to try it out in rehearsal/performance with his orchestra. Sure enough, the very night of the performance he got several unsolicited compliments from a few members of the group such as, "you sounded really good tonight."
strange
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2020-08-29 05:05
Well, it sounds like 2 me that u're a "student" of all these classical clarinet players. Why u're doing is really good but hopefully at some point, u will quit being a student and come n2 your own.
For example, I studied clarinet on the undergraduate level. I was able to get that collegiate, pre-professional, pedagogical tone quality on my intermediate clarinet. I was able 2 get that a number of times 2 where it impressed the 1st 2 chair clarinet players. They all had professional horns and I had my Selmer Signet.
On bass, C nd Eb clarinets, I have excellent tone quality. I took all that collegiate knowledge (student) and applied it 2 these kinds of clarinets and there u have it, great tone quality.
I've just bought a new Buffet R13 in May and have yet to break it in and make it mine. Once I get warmed up on it then and play it in for several years, I'm looking 2 have that professional dark sound that every 1 wants these days.
Just keep in mind that there are many tones 2 the clarinet and where u play will make a difference too. Humidity and all that comes in to mind as u search for your very own tone quality. I'm sure u'll find it. Tone quality is personal 2 me.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/mbtldsongministry/
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2020-08-29 05:39
Sounding like... is being a copycat.
Finding 'your' sound is a better goal. Try them all and one may eventually sound the best to you.
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2020-08-29 17:36
BaconLord wrote:
> The concepts of Baldeyrou, McGill, or Patey include a rather dense, round,
> super mellow, dark sound.
Well, McGill fits this description the best imo. But Baldeyrou a round, super mellow, dark sound? I don't think so, to me he is a clear descendant of the French brighter sound with lots of harmonics. But improved as it is never thin or harsh. I think he has an excellent sound but I wouldn't call it round or dark.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2020-08-29 18:33
Maybe you like the Vandoren sound! The older sounds had kind of a Chedeville and Kaspar sound. Then came Vandoren. Just wondering, not judging, because all of these players have excellent sounds, just different.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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