Clarinet Lesson: Improving clarinet tone using the "whisper technic"
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ต.ค. 2012
- Michelle Anderson of Clarinet Mentors (www.learnclarinetnow.com) presents another free video lesson to help you play the clarinet more easily. This video gives a practise tool that you can use to improve tone and smoothness in any musical passage. Although this technic is usually done with more advanced students, it can be practised by players of all levels. There is an optional worksheet to accompany this at: www.clarinetmentors.com/resour.... Speak Spanish? Here is a transcription courtesy of clarinetist Elena Guimerá: www.clarinetmentors.com/resour...
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I have been teaching clarinet, saxophone and flute for 35 years and play professionally. I think Michelle has done an excellent series of videos and highly recommend these videos to go along with your private teacher's lessons. Keep up the great work Michelle . Thanks Robin Habermehl . Kitchener On Canada
Thanks for your very kind words Robin!
Thank you so much for all your wonderful tutorials, Michelle. I am 63 and live in England. I have been playing clarinet since I was 10 years old (very much off and on). Recently bought a second hand Leblanc Sonata. Never stopped trying to find a good technique. Lots of struggle, particularly with breath support.
I have started using the 'whispering' technique you demonstrate in this particular tutorial, and it has opened up my playing. I am far more conscious of my diaphragm as the air flow support and this has somehow freed up my mind to concentrate more on playing music! I have a lot more control over the notes I play and the sound quality really has improved.
Once again, thankyou.
Whispering is handy for many things, but when you add this variation of whispering as loudly as possible, it really helps to improve breath support and tone. It is one of my favorites! - Michelle
Thank you, Michelle.
It is definitely possible to improve sight-reading. There is a powerful part of our brain that learns patterns. These are invaluable to musicians - finger patterns, articulation patterns, rhythm patterns. There are some rhythms that you already sight-read effortlessly, because the pattern part of your brain "knows" them. Learn more patterns! Practise scales, thirds, clap rhythm patterns. (That is the simple answer in a short space.) Also, just sightread - find some books to play with. - Michelle
Playing the clarinet with no reed would give you the effect of blowing into the instrument as a long tube (which could be useful), but I think that you would end up losing air around the edges. Although it is tricky to do this with the reed (since our mouth likes to tighten into playing position), it is easier to focus all of the air into the instrument. That is the technic that I know works well. You can always experiment with variations, and if you get good results, us them! Michelle
Hi - I use barrels that are designed by Backun Musical. They have two main designs, and I use them both. In this video, I have the MoBa barrel. The different shapes and wood types all create a slightly different tone quality and colour. They also come in many convenient lengths, which can help with intonation. They are definitely worth trying for a richer tone quality, and improved intonation. - Michelle
thank you for the thought out reply. I find your videos helpful and it has helped my tone quality become much cleaner! (mainly by helping me stop "biting" the mouthpiece) ~high school clarinet player (4yrs experience)
Hi - I find that if I take a short passage (say 2 - 8 bars long) and repeat this about 2-3 times, really focusing on the LOUDEST whisper possible, I notice an immediate improvement when I play it "for real". Over the long term, using this technic regularly helps to gradually improve our air support. I still use it from time to time myself. - Michelle
Awesome technique. Thank you.
I think this is a great idea for the harder arpeggios too. Never heard about the whisper techinque before. I find these bits of advice helpful. glad I subscribed to your newsletter.
Forgot to say: thanks for posting, your vids are great
Thanks for the great advice !
I love the Backun barrels, and so do several of my colleagues. You would need to try them yourself to see how they respond with your own mouthpiece and clarinet. In my experience, everyone of my students has found a Backun barrel that greatly enhances their intonation and ability to play with tone colours. Many people have a few of them, and enjoy the different tone colours they provide. There are a variety of shapes, sizes and wood types to try. Even a plastic instrument is improved with these.
Another bonus of this technique is that it can be used when you have neighbours who might get annoyed if you play 'for real'. Good for stealth practice 😄
It is a great way to mute yourself, and still have practise value! I'm glad that you are enjoying the videos.
I noticed that you use a backun barrel? I was wondering how much of a difference the barrel actually hase on tone?
I liked this exercise , thanks !
This really helped me. Thank You!!
I'm glad this was helpful. Best of luck with your clarinet playing!
thanks for the "whisper technique"😊
Hi Dana, I think I was referring the Albinoni Adagio, which you can get from the pdf download. The link is written in the description of this video. (You may need to click on "more" to get to the link.)
Thank you so much. I was really having trouble playing my low notes louder.
Whisper video
I've been teaching for forty years and have had many successful students. I've never experienced this "phenomenon" even with my 4th graders.
Whether playing "Lightly row", Happy birthday, the Poulenc Sonata or the Nielsen.
Interesting! No diaphragm pulse to initiate next note except for some strong accent affects for artistic drama.
I'll have to pay more strict attention to catch that problem.
Thanks
Hello - The keys to warm sound are good embouchure and proper air support. This whisper technic will help you with air support. I also have a video on this TH-cam channel on improving tone by activating your blowing muscles. That may help. I would also say that the "rounder" our embouchure is, the rounder our sound is. Really crank your corners in around the mouthpiece, but ensure that your tongue stays high in your mouth as if you are saying "HEE". - Michelle
I somewhat did this in sixth grade when I forgot to practice until like 10:00. I'd take off the reed and blow through my clarinet and finger the notes for half an hour
What was that piece of music you mentioned. I couldn't catch the last part and I love the song. Love your helpful techniques. Thank you.
Hi, Michelle! Again: great videos! Thanks a lot for them! This "whisper technique" looks great. It has made me realize that after my 15-year hiatus with the clarinet my breathing has gone to seed! :( I guess cigarettes may have been partly to blame (probable about 95% to blame!). But I'm off them now for several years and glad to be getting my lungs back in shape. Anyway, I don't have the recollection of having had this issue when I was first learning: I feel like I can't control my breathing while I'm playing. I can fill up my lungs and play and play but can't empty them or fill them back up until I'm finished playing and start again. It's weird (for me, at least). For instance, I'm controlling my air (I can sustain a soft-ish open G without it really fluctuating, although I can feel my air isn't as focused and it does hiss a little; moreover, when I go lower or higher, I have to put some force into it to get a note out), anyway, as I said, I'm controlling my air the best I can and playing a scale and when I finish the scale my head is about to burst and I have to just let go of the air left in my lungs, exhale strongly and then inhale again... This never happened to me before that I can remember. It would seem I'm not using all the air in stock (probably why my blowing is more on the wimpy side) but I'm feeling more out of breath (or needing to dump old air and get new air in) quicker. But if I try holding my breath without the instrument, I feel I can last much longer. Any ideas? THANKS!
+Xavier Bonet You do no need to use up the old air before you take new air in. Perhaps you are breathing too frequently. You might want to try playing a bit longer in one breath. Some people do exhale before they inhale. This is routine for oboe players, although less common for clarinetists.
i learned something new
I really want to make all state next year. Do have any suggestions for things to practice (until audition music is released in July) to improve my overall playing ability?
plasticanimalcrackers insurance? Haha
I am struggling with the concept of "fast air." If I blow air through my instrument faster, doesn't that mean I'm playing louder? How does one use fast air and play softly?
Imagine if you were washing a dirty car with a garden hose, and I walked over to the faucet and turned it down to half the water flow. You would have less water, but you could use your spray valve to adjust the flow to the smallest possible stream which would give it more force. The same is true of our air. The less air we use (such as when we play softer), the faster we need to move it to allow the reed to fully vibrate. We need to teach our bodies how to do this, but imagining your air flow to be like water flowing out of a hose gives us a good metaphor.
Being in the country i am in, i don't really have a chance to physicaly check through mpcs (mostly due to unavailability) to identify one good for enough for me. Can you suggest an inexpensive mouth piece that leans more towards dark and thicker tones? Could i infact request you do a segment on mpcs that vary in timbre? I play a stock buffet mpc, on a Evette-Schaeffer Master Model with Vandoren 3 reeds.
P.S love your videos and am extremly grateful that you took time to make them :) Thanks!
Are you keep the tongue position high while whispering? Thanks)
How to make the sound on the clarinet more solid and 'rounder' ?
Hi I just switched from flute to clarinet in band and I keep on messing up my embouchure like I playing the flute but on a clarinet do you have any tips at all for transitioning into this instrument
Your muscles need to learn new skills on the clarinet. Much of your fingering and air experience will transfer over, but there are some differences. Stick with the basics of long tones and working on embouchure. My guess is that after a month or so, it will feel much more natural to you.
Thank you Michelle... I'm a teacher but I'm in the middle of possibly switching to double lip embouchure. I'm going to try this exercise. Do you play double by any chance
I do some double-lip embouchure exercises, and they are great for getting a warm, consistent sound. Usually, my teeth are on the mouthpiece, but I am exploring a bit. I'm curious to see how it works for you.
I just saw a comment on this video that mentioned "biting" the mouth piece? Is this a bad thing. I actually just discovered today that I have grooves where my teeth are on the mouth piece. My cousin had the clarinet for three years before me, and I have had it for three years, so not all of it is me, maybe? But I have been noticing that I do bite on it pretty hard, I suppose. How is it supposed to be and how do I correct it??
+Kaelee Trammell It's normal just don't bite the reed and if you want to protect your clarinet's mouthpiece you can buy a silicon protector it's soft and thin,allows you to protect the clarinet and don't ruin your teeth as much.
i get a tha t ha ta sound that no one seems to be able to help me with, otherwise i have nice tone please help
you are amazing maestra
how long r we suppose to do this for and how much time till we get results
for whisper technic, does playing the clarinet with no reed have the same affect?
What kind of barrel are you using? I am a beginer but my barrel is not as curve as that
Awesome hi I'm a drummer and I've been playing clarinet in beginning band since August 2014 and now I love it 2 death and I was hoping u give me some advice I see how u answer comments so I hope u answer mine and can u send me links for me 2 get better thank you love you ps I hate when my band teacher lies and say I'm good but ur advice will help me blow his mind
Hi Luc, there are lots of good videos on this list that are designed to help clarinetists who are new to the instrument to get better: th-cam.com/play/PLxQWCQXA2UjW-8IR2wh2C5vzBxWOdZ9aB.html I hope that helps!
I'm now learning Clarineo and I have another problem - I get too much hissing and have to train myself to make my embouchure tighter.
Are you holding the claro close to your body, or away?
I'm struggling I can't stop squeaking all of a sudden and this is my 5th year on clarinet.
Maybe you put to much mouthpiece inside the mouth
Lady, it's called tonguing
my lips keept moving around XD
+Erica Nasafotie If they move while you play, that can cause inconsistent tone. Sometimes really focusing on bringing the corners of your mouth firmly in can help to stabilize things.
thank you
It's called a 'technique' not 'technic'.