 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: TomD
Date: 2021-04-04 17:34
I have a 10 year old Yamaha CS-G clarinet. My setup:
Vandoren BD5 mouthpiece
Legere Euopean cut 2.75 reed and Legere Signature cut 2.75
Rovner Versa ligature
I love this combo and it's near perfect but I still get a slight sub-tone, sub-harmonic, under tone or whatever it's called on upper clarion A, B C especially when the note is first tongued or attacked.
What is the biggest contributor to this? The clarinet, mouthpiece, reed, ligature or me? Is it possible I'm closing up my throat?
Thanks
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Author: kehammel
Date: 2021-04-05 08:34
I'm working on this problem too. I'm not a very advanced player, but two suggestions are:
First, you can search this forum with terms like "clarion" and "grunt", and you'll find discussions about how to address it with playing technique (e.g. higher tongue, faster air) and with modifications to the clarinet (e.g. putting a spike on the register key cork pad or using a conical register key cork pad).
Second, Tom Ridenour has a few short videos on the subject. For example-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e6aNdClFGQ
Ridenour thinks taking very much mouthpiece in exacerbates the problem, but I read elsewhere the suggestion that getting a little more reed in past the lower lip helps it vibrate more freely and can alleviate the problem. For me, the second approach seems more helpful so far.
I also find that keeping the tongue high is very important.
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Author: kehammel
Date: 2021-04-05 09:05
I forgot to add that some contributors to the BBoard have posted suggestions that are working for me.
First, I start a clarion note in the usual way, then allow the register key to close, and then play a slow scale in this way. I try it both ascending and descending, also both slurred and tongued. This forces me to maintain a good tongue position and air speed.
Second, I allow the instrument to play just the grunt with the register key open, and then I alternate on purpose between the correct note and the undertone. This gets me better acquainted with where my tongue and embouchure need to be to do it correctly.
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Author: TomD
Date: 2021-04-05 17:40
Thanks for the info. The Tom Ridenour video is great.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2021-04-05 19:52
I would humbly suggest that your chosen reed strength for the Legeres is far too strong. Even Vandoren suggests the use of cane at about 2 1/2 strength. The Legeres are far stronger and less "flexible."
I see #2.00 strength listed on teh Thomann website. I'd say for a mouthpiecd that open, you should try that.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2021-04-05 20:36
TomD, The video is great. He doesn't explain the voicing though. Basically what you are trying to do is reinforce the upper overtones in your sound. If you get a very dark, thick, sound from the lowest notes (low E), and don't change it as you go up, your upper register may not respond well. Focus on getting a good sound from second register G (xxx|ooo). Make it as resonant as possible. This should help with the higher notes. You may have a problem if you set your voicing by getting a full sound on the low notes, but if you set your voicing with the high notes it should also work for the low ones.
You may have to change the position of your tongue or soft palate. Here's a description of the exercise for overtones: http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=490323&t=490321
- Matthew Simington
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