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Clarinet It is important to have a clarinet in good
working order, with no pad leaks and good key action.
Also, a proper mouthpiece and reed combination must be used.
Many clarinet players constantly complain about their reeds, as
reeds have a great effect on the way the clarinet sounds.
I believe no player should ever sound any different, no matter how
bad the reed is, assuming it is at all playable.
Anthony Gigliotti, principal clarinetist of the Philadelphia
Orchestra from 1949 to 1996, thought it best to deal with whatever reeds
are available. In a
performance, if the reed starts to play poorly, the audience will not
accept an excuse from the performer about the condition of his reed.
Another considerably important factor in
the playing of the clarinet is the embouchure.
This is the position of the mouth around the reed and the
mouthpiece. I believe the
embouchure should be very firm, however, not constricting to the vibration
of the reed. The best way to
accomplish this is by pressing down as hard as you can with the top lip,
not the teeth, along the top of the mouthpiece, towards the bell of the
clarinet. The bottom lip
should remain set, with the chin flat.
Another way to think about the embouchure is to think of it as a
rubber band wrapped tightly around the mouthpiece on all parts, except the
reed. It is very important to
never pinch or bite the reed. Because the clarinet is a wind instrument,
breathing is crucial to playing the clarinet effectively.
In order to take a breath suited to blow into the clarinet, sit up
straight, as if a string was pulling the top of your head.
Next, inhale, trying to make your stomach expand as much as
possible. Be careful not to
let the shoulders rise while doing this.
It is helpful to place a hand on the stomach in order to feel the
expansion of the stomach while inhaling.
Anthony Gigliotti taught me an excellent exercise for developing
breath control. Pick a page
of written text. It can be
anything, but it must be a full page.
Take a large breath, as if about to play a passage on the clarinet.
Now read aloud, at a normal pace, as much of the page as is
possible in one breath. Do
this every day in your practice routine.
Over time, the player will get further and further in one breath.
It is an excellent way to increase useable lung capacity. Most composers think of the clarinet as an
instrument capable of playing passages at seemingly unimaginable speeds.
In order to develop rapid technique, slow, accurate practice is
imperative. Practice
everything slowly and as accurately as possible and gradually work the
tempo up; no passage will
ever be too challenging. This
also goes for any etudes and exercises practiced.
Everything must be practiced accurately.
Practicing bad habits only reinforces them.
It is best not to learn them in the first place. |
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