The Clarinet Intonation Learning Curve
Perhaps you remember your first sounds on the clarinet? Mine remain fresh in my mind even after many years. They were frankly ugly, unpredictable and unrewarding - but I was determined to get better and of course, with practice, things did improve. Almost everyone who begins playing the clarinet will have some version of my experience and perhaps by sharing some of the usual stages of progression to playing well some benefit can be gained and some frustrations avoided.
Pre-Grade 1 to approximately Grade
2 standard -
When we begin the initial sounds,
when they are produced at all, are often very spread in tone and flat in pitch.
A combination of a yet to develop embouchure, often too great a quantity of air
in use and a thin reed make such results predictable. Manufactures know this is
likely to be the case and they design their student instruments to be able to
correct for this when assembled completely 'pushed in'.
A helpful tip is to not worry too
much (or not at all) about the higher (clarion) register and to concentrate
upon making a good and predictable tone in the lower (chalumeau) register. As
most beginners seem to be recommended to begin on a soft reed, strength 1.5
usually, this should work well for starting off but by the time one comes to
play in the upper register it is probably best to have moved on to a slightly
stronger strength. Strength 2 or 2.5 depending upon the brand would be my
recommendation.
Whilst still concentrating on the
low register it is possible to improve the tone quality by concentrating on
using a well-supported, fast moving air stream that is delivered to the
instrument in an appropriate quantity for the note(s) being played. It is worth
checking that a Concert C can be sounded on the clarinet mouthpiece alone. This
is the highest pitch sensibly available on the mouthpiece and the only correct
pitch when the embouchure and air are in balance.
A useful concept that I have often
shared is:
'The Two Q's': Quantity
and Quality.
Players should always be aware of
supplying the appropriate Quantity of air for whatever notes are being
played, varying with the register, the volume being attempted, the type of
attack and the timbre or expression sought.
They must always use the best
Quality of air that they can produce - this never varies and is the
foundation of all beautiful playing. The degree of success one has in musical
performance at all stages of learning is usually a direct indication of how
well this principle has been understood and incorporated.
Grade 3 to approximately Grade 6
standard -
So, after beginning to play and
everything seem to be pitched flat one is improving, blowing better air,
managing with a firmer reed and the embouchure is beginning to develop. The
upper register is being attempted and expectations are rising. So often is
pitch! It is time to consider pulling out the barrel from the top joint of the
student clarinet (up to 3mm is not unusual) and even consider additional
'distributive tuning' at the middle tenon and at the bell if necessary. Often a
willingness to play with too great an embouchure pressure has taken over the
best practice on the supply of air. If this is the case a symptom may be that
newly learned altissimo register notes (D3 above the staff and higher) will
likely be thin sounding, unstable and 'brittle' as well as sharp. Keep working
at The Two Q's and remember - high notes are not meant to be hard to
play - they are just more demanding of accuracy in blowing.
Grade 7 and beyond -
You will hopefully have upgraded to
a higher quality instrument and better mouthpiece by now. In addition your
altissimo notes (high F, F#, G and above) have become an important focus and
regular expectation for your playing, hopefully your overall tuning has begun
to stabilise and the characteristics of your instrument, as designed by the
manufacturer are beginning to be recognised. You should be aware that your
lowest 'bell notes' (low E through low F#) are usually low in pitch so that the
corresponding 12th above (middle B, through C#) are not uncomfortably sharp in
their tuning. Left hand first first finger and thumb E and thumb F are often intentionally
a bit low so that their overblown 12ths, the upper B and C, are not
incorrect-ably sharp. Throat A and Bb, notes that once seemed very flat and
ugly in tone now are much closer to true pitch and will actually benefit from
the addition of combinations of right and left hand fingers, referred to as
'resonance fingerings' that will help to lower pitch and enrich the tone.
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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.
Thomas Dryer-Beers
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