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Class NotesMUS 733Clarinet

Craig Heydenburg

Beginner ClarinetsArtley – noSelmer – OKYamaha - recommendedLigature – Luyben

AssemblyBottom upWatch bridge key – align center

Push upper keys down when assemblingLoose cork – plumber (Teflon) tapeBudget Mouthpieces

** Yamaha 4C ($30)Richard HawkinsDavid HiteClark FobesMove up after couple years

Hand PositionL thumb 45º hangs over reg. Key, overlappingCurved fingers – meaty part fo fingers on holesDownward slant (or perpendicular) ** not upwardPinky over low E key

“westphall” key positionpractice C, D, C, D (and E, F, etc) with pinky on low Edon’t keep fingers too close, maintain curved, relaxed fingersR hand – thumb rest between thumbnail & first joint – on side of thumb

Downward slant or perpendicularPinky on low F key

Fingers should rotate from ‘back’ knuckleExercise – go around pinky keys in a circle alternating with G

EmbouchureOOOOpen jaw until top of bottom teeth meet where bottom lip changes colorTop teeth on mouthpiece – fingernail depthSkin of chin firmly stretched over jaw/teeth “flat chin” (putting on chapstick)Tongue position – say HO-weee – high arched tongueEmbouchure shouldn’t move - **Jaw shouldn’t move (ever)Firmly set on upper teeth – pushing up with both thumbsPatches can disrupt high register (use thin if needed)Pitch on mouthpiece and barrel – F#

Barrel lengths can very – altering this pitch (Selmer)

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Resonance FingeringRHD – putting right hand or other fingers down to:

1. ease of technique2. improve intonation3. better tone quality

Throat tones are G, G#, A, Bb (Chalumeau below, clarion above, altissimo abovehigh C#)Throat tones are usually sharp and more responsive to bad embouchuresPulling out the barrel affects shorter notes more than longer notes

ThroatHigher notes have a more open throatBack of tongue is down for highest notes‘undertones’ are caused by throat too closed (ex. Playing high B, but low Esounds also)

High NotesActually easySound bad at first is OKMaybe a little more mouthpieceOpen throatTry w/ cheeks puffed outStronger reeds make very high notes easier (3.5 – 4)

We want the softest reed that works on the full range at all dynamicsMouthpieces CP p27

** Vandoren M-30 – highly recommended general use and step upTry several of same model & different model when purchasingGet a bunch on approval from storeConcerns – tone, ease, intonation, response, control of dynamics, high range,reeds fit wellKennen DOESN’T like Selmer HS *Vandoren

M-15 (recommended), M-14, M-13“profile 88” has ‘longer shape” beak“13 series” – designed for buffet R-13 ** built to play at A 440

most vandorens built to play at A 442maybe called profile 13?

HandmadeRichard Hawkins ($150) easy to blowJames Pyne – big and darkClark FobesJewelWalter GrabnerThomas Ridenour

VintageKasparChedeveille

Symetrical vs. Asymetrical facing (probably don’t want asym..)

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Hanz Zinner Blank – the blank that most people start with.Reeds

SyntheticGuy Légiere – most successful $15

Don’t last foreverRestricted dynamic range?Ligautre and position matter more

Start on 2.5 reedsRico consistent, but not goodMitchel LurieVandoren can be great, but mmore inconsistentRecommends a reed casePoor reeds can change embouchure habitsThomas Ridenour – ATG System (balancing reeds)

“Against the Grain” $60 (glass & Sanding block w/DVD)Play Open G – rotate full one way then other to determine balanceStart loud then dim. – don’t bite. Sand one side or other to balance

Graduate reeds to kids levelVandoren

-Classique (also ‘hand select’)- ** V12 ( a bit thinker)- 56 Rue L’Epic

Premium Reed brandsMarca, Grand Concert (made by Rico), Zonda

Breaking in Reeds5-10 min. for a few days, let dry upside down to reverse warpinguse reed knife to ‘dust’ (scrape) back lightly to flattenrepeat 3 –4 x – keeps reeds more stable

LigaturesMust work with the mouthpieceMaterial – metal or nonRovner – rubbery plastic – darker tone? Full contact?Vandoren LeatherInverted/standardMetal:

Bonade (inv. & Stan)Vandoren Optimum (solid)BG Revelation (Hybrid)

Need a new lig by HSLuyben

InstrumentsYamaha (not ‘Advantage’ brand) – more like Buffet R-13SelmerAccent – not recommendedVito (more appropriate for beginner?)Artley – not recommended

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LeblancTop Level/Pro

Buffet R-13 ($2500)R-13 PrestigeRC / PrestigeFestival

Leblanc Opus or ConcertoYamaha

Bass Clarinets: Selmer, Buffet Prestige, VitoUse Selmer C* mthpce & softer reeds (Vandoren or Grand Concert)Mechanics need to be in top shape.

TonePlay reed of appropriate strengthSoft reeds sound flat and buzzyTest of throat and tongue position – play low C – hit register key (jumps to G)then hit side G# key (jumps to high E)

Tongue“ho” back part of tongue controls register (somewhat unconscious)“ee” middle part of tongue (near molars) controls focus/quality & intonation“t” front – articulation

just move the tip of the tonguemoving middle causes scooping, back – squeaking

syllable – “nee” for articulation?Touch just behind the tip of the reedTop of the tip of the tongueFor “touchy” entrance, start air before releasing the tonguePractice slurred to keep tone moving

Kids need tonal (aural) models (recordings)Work to widen dynamic range – required in solo rep.Vibrato – generally none!Intonation

12ths tend to be too wide at bottom and toplow E & F flat – high B & C sharpmiddle E & F flat – real high B & C sharp

throat tones – fluctuate – often sharphigh F & F# very flat w/ standard fingerings (above the staff)non-linear affect of moving just barrelfirst tune open G, w/ barrel

then 3rd space C and move middle jointcold makes you flat ( and vice versa)

clarinets don’t conduct heat as quickly as brass – must warm uplouder makes you flat (reeds) vs louder on flute & brass is sharp

visual : crescendo with reeds on bottom, others on toppitch bendingthroat tone resonance / alternate fingering

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low A can be sharp (add low f# key?)66 mm is standard barrel length (Buffet length)

Moennig or Chadash taper ($135)Backun ($225)

Practice over a done tone (software: NCH tone generator)Various Artists listed in CPRubank Book

Good fingering chart but hard to readGood trill chart too – same problem

Foundations for Superior Performance (Williams & King)Also has a great fingering chart available separately (KJOS $4)

Clarinet Method BooksWaln – not recommendedKlosé – skps around a lotLazarus (part 2) – highly recommended (includes Albert below)Albert 24 varied scales and exercises (each key in circle of 5th w/ rel minor)Baermann – complete method part 3 – college level?Clarke (cornet book) – some very hard for clarinetHite, David – book 1 Progressive Studies for young HS (book2 more advanced)Rose – 32 Etudes (book1 Artistic Studies from the French School)Finger Food – Eric Mandat

BooksCan purchase at Vancott Information ServicesLarry Guy – Intonation and reeds and embouchure (separate books)

Intonation book – how to use tunerClarinet Doctor – Howard Klug (IU)

QuartetsAllegro Moderato (Lachner/Voxman & Block) pub SouthernBagatelle (Grundman) pub BooseyMinuet & Allegro Di Molta (Haydn/Voxman & Block) pub Southern (Clar. Trio)Jesu, Joy of Mans Desiring (Bach/Thurston) pub Southern

Clarinet ChoirHappiJazz (Paul Harvey) pub HarlequinIrish Suite (arr. Del Borgo)Hungarian Dance #1 & #3 (Brahms/Jensen) pub Watchdog Music

SolosConcert & Contest CollectionsRecital Clarinetist (ed. Armato)Concerto #1 – mvt 2 (Weber) 9other mvts OK too)From Church Sonatas (Mozart/Ettlinger) pub BooseyConcerto #3 (Stamitz)Sonata (Wanhal) pub International