Tips on Switching Between Clarinet and Saxophone

Tips on Switching Between Clarinet and Saxophone

from The Single Reed Doctor Column, CASS Article December 2016

In response to a question posed by a member of the Clarinet and Saxophone Society of Great Britain I the reply below. I hope it might also be of interest and helpful for Wind Player Advice readers.

Question:

I play both clarinet and saxophone but find it difficult to move between the two. The sax feels very open, requiring a lot of air, while the clarinet feels tight and pressured. I have recently started playing in shows and need to improve my quick changes between the two. Is there anything I could do to my set-up that would make this easier?

My 'Single Reed Doctory' reply:

This is a very good and multifaceted question and one that I am afraid does not have a quick or straight forward answer. Some players never seem to need help with this. They just ‘get it’ and manage to double sax and clarinet seemingly without much effort. Most players need to examine this question in greater detail and the process of examination should prove useful for anyone wishing to play their best.

You will find examples of equipment intended to make switching between clarinet and saxophone easier but in my opinion this route does not help in the long run as it can obscure the issue. It is fair to say that moderate tip openings and standard chamber mouthpieces are likely to make for easier control of both instruments possible - therefore you may wish to avoid extremes - however, leaving equipment aside - a thorough understanding of the requirements for good playing on each instrument is the best way to develop your control and to achieve a rewarding, characteristic tone on both clarinet and saxophone(s).

The clarinet has a cylindrical bore and all saxophones have conical bores. This central difference contributes to not only how each instrument overblows but how it responds. The reason the sax feels so ‘open’, something quite disorienting to many clarinettists, is that the amount of air required to fill the tube is highly variable depending upon the length of tube in use and the register. The clarinet bore, to many saxophonists, feels quite ‘stuffy’ and resistant - or pressured as you suggest. This is largely due to the more consistent taper dimension of the bore (varying significantly only at the bell) and the requirement of a uniformly higher pressure throughout the entire range of the instrument regardless of the fingered length of the tube.

In my teaching I have used the concept of the Two Q’s when trying to explain this and perhaps you might find this helpful.

• The Quality of the air pressure must remain the same for both instruments, at all times and at all dynamics.

• The Quantity of the air used varies depending upon the range, register, dynamics and resistance of the instruments. This is much more obvious on the sax than the clarinet. Understanding and applying these concepts can transform a players experience.

The mouthpiece used must allow a player to be comfortable whilst utilising the best air support they can provide without requiring an excess of embouchure pressure. The appropriate resistance to a well supported air column is not just to be found at the embouchure surrounding the mouthpiece and reed but the airstream is also focused and shaped in the oral cavity via the position of the tongue. In my experience the tongue is uniformly arched higher at the back of the oral cavity on the clarinet and the progressively positioned slightly further forward in the cavity as one moves to saxophones and larger clarinets.

Time spent learning how the ‘flick the switch’ and instantly apply the appropriate blowing techniques to each instrument will mean that a player can more quickly and consistently achieve a more satisfying and convincing performance even when switching in a show environment.

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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

The Importance of the Air Stream in Wind Playing

The Importance of the Air Stream in Wind Playing

In my teaching and throughout my time advising in the retail shop environment the topic of good air support has always been very important. I certainly did not know enough nor pay enough attention to developing good breathing and support habits when I was younger and many other players share the same difficulties and frustrations that I had. Indeed it was only in my early twenties following a great deal of rethinking and the guidance of some significant teachers that I began to sort myself out. Now many years later I believe that I am ready to refine what I have experienced and found useful to hopefully help others.

Breathing...Where it all begins.

Wind instrument playing all begins with a relaxed. efficient intake of air. Taken properly, utilising the greatest lung capacity available and dispensed under controlled pressure appropriate to the requirement of the instrument involved, an air stream is created that will energise an air column, then a reed or set of lips to do exactly what is desired for the musical execution of a phrase. Anything less that total control and execution will result in some level of musical loss - the air stream is that important.

When taking a breath the first stage is getting enough air into the lung quickly. Most tutors will advise opening the mouth, clearing the past of access to the throat, pushing out the abdominal muscles energetically and allowing air to 'rush in' to fill the void. Try standing or sitting in a well balanced position and work to expand your abdominal cavity in all directions: downwards, outwards, up to the bottom of the rib cage and at the back. I say to pupils that this is like trying to make oneself intentionally 'fat' with air.

If taken in successfully this large quantity of air will be held under pressure via the expanded 'stretched' position of the intercostal abdominal muscles for a brief period of time as you begin to release the air by blowing out. The challenge comes as the volume of air is reduced as you play. One must attempt to keep the air pressure constant while this loss of air is taking place by continuing to think of pushing the abdominal muscles 'out' - in other words keeping them engaged in the process of air support and not allowing them to merely collapse as the volume of air decreases. This is perhaps counter-intuitive but the action of attempting to 'compress' the abdominal muscles will only add tension to the process of blowing. Try taking a breath, beginning to speak and then, while speaking squeeze the abdominal muscles inwards. Your voice is likely to break or sound 'strangled' by this squeezing. Imagine what such undesirable tension could do to your instrumental tone!

Tongue and Oral Cavity Shape - Whistling

The shape that the player imparts to an air stream is another very important and altogether under appreciated aspect of tonal control. Many teachers speak of 'singing' via the instrument or illustrating good practice by using a series of vocalisations of various vowel sounds, i.e. Ahh, Eee,  Ooo, Ohhh. While this approach does work for some players I believe that it is not the most direct means of imparting an understanding of best practice positioning of the tongue. In my teaching I have found it more useful to suggest that a pupil first whistle for me - and notice the elevated position of the back of the tongue at the back of the top teeth and the position of the tip of the tongue near and behind the lower jaw front teeth. With the tongue in this position, blowing the air 'faster than you can sustain the whistle sound' is better illustration of an air stream shape suitable for most wind instrument blowing and well as providing a sense of the compression that must take place within the oral cavity. If a player is not familiar with or unable to whistle through the lips all is not lost. I like the following alternate approach: Imagine attempting to drink a very thick milkshake through a very weak straw. The aggressive 'sucking' position and sensitive 'drawn in' shape of the lips closely mirror a whistle position. Reverse the air flow to blowing instead of sucking and you are there!

When playing highly pitched instruments (i.e. Eb clarinet,  soprano sax, oboe, piccolo trumpet, etc.) or the higher regions of any instrument, the elevated part of tongue is best to be shaped high at the back of the oral cavity. As one performs on mid-pitch instruments or low-pitch instruments and lower ranges or pitch the 'focus' point of the tongue arch moves further forward in the oral cavity. Experimentation with this positioning can greatly aid the understanding involved in successfully 'doubling' between different size instruments i.e. oboe to cor anglais, flute to alto flute, Bb clarinet to bass clarinet, etc. and between different families, i.e. clarinet to saxophone, flute to bassoon, trumpet to trombone, etc.

'The Two Q's': Air Quantity and Quality

I firmly believe that the notion of how to deal with the variable column length and dimension of tubing that is fundamental to all wind instrument playing is vital and under appreciated. The concept of 'The Two Q's' is something that I have synthesised from many methods of trying to explain this elusive concept. The sensitivity of a player to the requirements of his or her instrument is vital to the development of instrumental control and this succinct summary will hopefully be both helpful and memorable:

• Players should always take care to supply the appropriate Quantity of air for whatever notes are being played, varying with the register, the volume being attempted, the length of the sounding tube, the type of attack being used and the timbre or expression sought.

• They must continually support and 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

 

 A Method of Practice

 

When faced with a phrase or section that contains many and various challenges to achieve the best possible musical expression many players resort to the repetitive practice of small sections, connecting up notes, addressing finger changes, experimenting with various dynamics, etc. This traditional approach is perfectly valid and often absolutely necessary. In addition I would like to propose a further practice option that in my experience is often overlooked. That is to play all or part of the phase(s) in question utilising at first a single pitch. This can be chosen from the phrase or completely unrelated. Within this sustained note one should try to express all the dynamic shape, control and duration of the original phrase. Once satisfied one can try introducing a selected series of note changes which begin to represent the phrase shape and challenges, perhaps the first notes of groupings or the extremes of interval leaps of the most dramatic of the required volume differentials - without sacrificing the overall control gained on the one sustained pitch. Once these intermediate stages have been successfully managed then work to add in further notes and/or finger changes until the entire phrase is being performed as intended.

If for instance an entire 4 bar phrase in a given tempo can be played with one breath using a sustained single pitch then the same 4 bar phrase should be able to be successfully played in the same tempo no matter how many subdivisions of notes are present or how wicked the intervals. If one struggles it is likely to be due to undesirable tension, less than ideal breath control or a lack of concentration while one is preoccupied with notes. Take a step back, practise the simplified phrase till confidence grows and then try again.

Very best wishes.

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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

The Clarinet Intonation Learning Curve

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.

It is worth reminding oneself that the clarinet, as with all wind instruments, is an acoustical compromise with inherent challenges to be overcome. Once these known compromises are recognised and understood it is possible, with a well supported and appropriately shaped air stream and flexible embouchure control, to obtain predictable and very functional intonation - ultimately leaving one able to match and blend with other players, difficult performance conditions and ensembles where other players do not play as well 'in tune' as you do!

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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