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Re: consistent tone

Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2011-04-25 00:53

Hi Paula,

I can definitely relate to what you are describing.

Two things may help:

One, make sure you have got the air "right there" before you take your tongue off the reed for the initial release of the tone. Practice putting your tongue on the reed, getting the air going, and then releasing the tone. I found that really difficult to do at first, but it makes all the difference between an initial tone that is good, and one that cracks or skreels or splats. This also requires your embouchure to be fully engaged and working BEFORE the tone sounds.

Two, something you have heard before. LONG TONES. Practice long tones. Every day. For as long as you can stand it. Low notes. High notes. Throat tones. Long pipe tones. Forte. Piano. Mezzoforte. Mezzopiano. And everything in between. And combine the long tones with the tonguing ("tone release") technique described above.

Practice correctly, always. What you practice will persist, and will become your automatic habit. It won't take as long as you think it will for the improvement to become noticeable if you don't cut yourself any slack on this.

Susan

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