Hello Michael, I have been having an issue with fast staccato articulation, specifically for the chromatic scale, where I am getting the upper partials of the notes in the scale. What would you recommend that I do with my embouchure in order to get the correct partial out?
"Behooves all of us" You used to read Piers Anthony, am I right? :) He used that word so much in his Incarnations of Immortality series, I can't hear the word without thinking of that.
Hey um mr.earspasm I have a "wall" "barrier" whatever you want to call it something stopping me from improving , I can articulate low notes perfectly well when I say perfectly I mean pretty well then when I decide to hit that register key it all goes to crap and it fells more likely to squeak when I am in the middle register and I really want to know how to get past this thing , it would be amazing if you could tell me , oh and the reed feels more sharp if you will when I also go into that middle register thank you for time and keep up the good work bye
+Trick Daddy Sounds like the wall that's preventing you from improving is a lack of lessons. Find a good teacher and start going once a week. You will find that gradually all your problems are solved and you improve, week after week.
I'm getting some REAL messy intonation when doing this. The articulation itself I think I'm getting down (not squeaking any more around the horn!) but things are getting real flat when I tongue for some reason. Do you have any advice on this?
Hi Michael. Since you mentioned your wife being a clarinet teacher, does she happen to be Michelle Anderson? She made a video on her channel where she talked about the bass clarinet and she had the same selmer model that you use. Just curious.
hey dude!! thanks for all these great stuff. I have a question: I tried to do just what you said in the video (it's the same thing my teacher wants me to do) but I feel a great difference between when I stop the sound in the clarion register and when I do the same in the chalumeau register... in the clarion the sound stops just when I put my tongue under the reed (keeping the airstream), but in the chalumeau I do the same and the reed keeps vibrating with the tongue on it, resulting an awful "dua-dua" sound... but when I close completely the space between the reed and the mouthpiece (chalumeau register) it sounds good, very close to what I hear in your video. Can you tell me, being more specifically, this difference I noticed is normal or I'm doing something wrong? I been struggling a long time with my articulation but I still cannot get it as good as you. Thanks (excuse for the english, i'm chilean)
Interesting. You know, there is SO much difference between mouthpieces and reeds (what I use vs. what your teacher uses vs. what YOU use), that it could be a lot of things. I'll ask a few questions: Is your reed hard? You can tell by how much air pressure it takes to make it vibrate-does it vibrate immediately? Do you have to squeeze your lips/embouchure to make it "kick in"? Is your sound fuzzy or is it clear? If any of these things are the case, you might want to examine the reed/mouthpiece combination and try a few different strengths close to the one you use (but softer) to see whether the problem goes away.
I use a vandoren B40 mouthpiece with vandoren tradicional reed strenght 3. I think that it vibrates inmediately, I don't have to squeeze my embouchure to make it sound. My tone I think is pretty clear, not the best but neither is a beginner's sound. I'll try softer reeds and see what happens, but my teacher and all his students (including me) use strenght 3 reeds.
What kind of Bb clarinet do you use and what do you think of it. Also what is your opinion of plastic reeds? I'm a high school so that may be taken into consideration.
+Mr.Tuxedopenguin they can be used in a pinch, but due to the extra width of the alto reed, it can be uncomfortable to play while using a proper embouchure. Also in a pinch you can use soprano sax reeds, they seem to be a better match for the clarinet mouthpiece.
+Shane Bentley (Bents) Agree an alto sax reed would be much too wide. (I tried to use alto clarinet reeds on an alto saxophone... and they were awful. They looked the same... but something about them made them play terribly.)
+JCCielo So do you get tired from marching? Or do you get tired from playing? If it's playing, you honestly need to just practice more - long tones will help, hell, all of this will help! But if it's marching that's making you tired, well, I can't help much there! :)
Meter your breath as you march. In 4, out 4, etc. (When you're not playing) When you get tired your heart rate wants to increase. Metering your breath will help slow your heart rate and make playing a bit less taxing
There is just something about those crystal clear attacks that makes me happy, plus your tone is absolutely gorgeous
Excellent! Simple, direct, clear. Thank you!
Hello Michael,
I have been having an issue with fast staccato articulation, specifically for the chromatic scale, where I am getting the upper partials of the notes in the scale. What would you recommend that I do with my embouchure in order to get the correct partial out?
Do you know any good exercises for tonguing with just the tip of the tongue? I can't get the back of my tongue to stay still above a clarion A. Thanks
"Behooves all of us" You used to read Piers Anthony, am I right? :) He used that word so much in his Incarnations of Immortality series, I can't hear the word without thinking of that.
Hey um mr.earspasm I have a "wall" "barrier" whatever you want to call it something stopping me from improving , I can articulate low notes perfectly well when I say perfectly I mean pretty well then when I decide to hit that register key it all goes to crap and it fells more likely to squeak when I am in the middle register and I really want to know how to get past this thing , it would be amazing if you could tell me , oh and the reed feels more sharp if you will when I also go into that middle register thank you for time and keep up the good work bye
+Trick Daddy Sounds like the wall that's preventing you from improving is a lack of lessons. Find a good teacher and start going once a week. You will find that gradually all your problems are solved and you improve, week after week.
+mdickinson Truer words have never been spoken. Listen to this guy
thank you for the tips they where helpful
Do you have any tips for articulation in the upper register of the clarinet?
I'm getting some REAL messy intonation when doing this. The articulation itself I think I'm getting down (not squeaking any more around the horn!) but things are getting real flat when I tongue for some reason. Do you have any advice on this?
Hi Michael. Since you mentioned your wife being a clarinet teacher, does she happen to be Michelle Anderson? She made a video on her channel where she talked about the bass clarinet and she had the same selmer model that you use. Just curious.
+Spindrift Tutor Ha! No, it's not Michelle. I'm not her type.
+Earspasm Music ok now my life is complete thanks☺️
All: this is the book I'm using. Totally recommend you all pick up a copy. It's like $13. bit.ly/staccatostudies
Link not working anymore 😭
hey dude!! thanks for all these great stuff. I have a question: I tried to do just what you said in the video (it's the same thing my teacher wants me to do) but I feel a great difference between when I stop the sound in the clarion register and when I do the same in the chalumeau register... in the clarion the sound stops just when I put my tongue under the reed (keeping the airstream), but in the chalumeau I do the same and the reed keeps vibrating with the tongue on it, resulting an awful "dua-dua" sound... but when I close completely the space between the reed and the mouthpiece (chalumeau register) it sounds good, very close to what I hear in your video. Can you tell me, being more specifically, this difference I noticed is normal or I'm doing something wrong? I been struggling a long time with my articulation but I still cannot get it as good as you. Thanks (excuse for the english, i'm chilean)
Interesting. You know, there is SO much difference between mouthpieces and reeds (what I use vs. what your teacher uses vs. what YOU use), that it could be a lot of things. I'll ask a few questions: Is your reed hard? You can tell by how much air pressure it takes to make it vibrate-does it vibrate immediately? Do you have to squeeze your lips/embouchure to make it "kick in"? Is your sound fuzzy or is it clear?
If any of these things are the case, you might want to examine the reed/mouthpiece combination and try a few different strengths close to the one you use (but softer) to see whether the problem goes away.
I use a vandoren B40 mouthpiece with vandoren tradicional reed strenght 3. I think that it vibrates inmediately, I don't have to squeeze my embouchure to make it sound. My tone I think is pretty clear, not the best but neither is a beginner's sound.
I'll try softer reeds and see what happens, but my teacher and all his students (including me) use strenght 3 reeds.
What kind of Bb clarinet do you use and what do you think of it. Also what is your opinion of plastic reeds? I'm a high school so that may be taken into consideration.
+John Andrade It's a Selmer Signature. And I am not a fan of plastic reeds, but some very good clarinetists (Ricardo Morales, for example) use them.
+Earspasm Music That's interesting - I didn't know any real clarinetists used them. What do they use - Legere, or something else?
+mdickinson Ricardo uses Legere. I've seen his case and that's what he's got in there.
What brand and model clarinet is that?
A little late, but it is the Selmer Signature clarinet :)
Oh thanks, I figured that out shortly after. Still going to try one just for the heck of it though.
how do you keep your throat from closing?
How to play the staccato notes to be more short like you?
Could a alto sax reed be used on a clarinet?
+Mr.Tuxedopenguin they can be used in a pinch, but due to the extra width of the alto reed, it can be uncomfortable to play while using a proper embouchure. Also in a pinch you can use soprano sax reeds, they seem to be a better match for the clarinet mouthpiece.
+Shane Bentley (Bents) Agree an alto sax reed would be much too wide. (I tried to use alto clarinet reeds on an alto saxophone... and they were awful. They looked the same... but something about them made them play terribly.)
I play bass clarinet in my schools marching band and I get tired easily. How do suggest I can not get tired while marching and playing
+JCCielo So do you get tired from marching? Or do you get tired from playing? If it's playing, you honestly need to just practice more - long tones will help, hell, all of this will help! But if it's marching that's making you tired, well, I can't help much there! :)
Meter your breath as you march. In 4, out 4, etc. (When you're not playing) When you get tired your heart rate wants to increase. Metering your breath will help slow your heart rate and make playing a bit less taxing
Marrying another clarinet player is my dream..
It's my nightmare...
7.10 : Hahahahaha X'D