After teaching private clarinet lessons for over 30 years and directing several elementary and middle school bands, I've worked with enough students to know that many don't know how to play with a good full tone. I usually get a few laughs the first time I tell a student to quit playing like a weenie. The biggest question is... how can "wimpy tone" be fixed?
First of all, students in band classes are generally not encouraged to play loud. I understand the reason for this but on the other hand, it's hard to develop a good full tone without learning to play out, which comes at the expense of bad tone. In reality, it's MUCH easier to learn to play loud, and then back off as needed. In addition, playing loud helps develop the muscles used for proper breathing. However, it's VERY important to not play so loud that the tone becomes "honky." When working with students, I tell them to play as loud as they feel comfortable without sounding like a "Black and Decker" drill. This usually requires a little help from me because their version of loud is what I'd consider medium-soft most of the time. They have to learn and "practice" what it sounds like to play out with a full tone.
With that introduction, listed below is the series of steps that I use with my students to help build good tone quality.
Start with LONG TONES. (5 minutes a day if possible)
Begin playing a note in a comfortable register of your instrument. Play it as loud as possible (with a good tone) for as long as possible, trying to keep the sound steady (like a computer tone). Play at least six or seven notes and rest when the embouchure gets tired. Don't forget to BLOW!
Once you can play a steady tone with no waivers, begin adding dynamics to the long tone process. Start loud and gradually get as soft as you possibly can (until note fades away to nothing). The key here is to allow the sound to simply fade away to nothing. More advanced students can add the next step by playing from soft to loud, then back to soft. Sneak in, crescendo to fortissimo, then decrescendo back to absolutely nothing!
Next, pick one-octave SLURRED scales for another five minutes (so you can hear finger blips). The idea is to focus on tone production and keeping the fingers relaxed. Try to play at least five slow-slurred-scales each practice session. (They key here is SLOW.) Pick a register of your instrument that's comfortable to play. Play the scale as loud as possible (with a good tone). Keep hands close to the instrument and relaxed! Make sure the tone quality of each note is clear and not "honky" sounding. But, don't forget to BLOW!
Gravitate to two-octave scales that are played slightly faster. Scales are a part of every piece of music so begin practicing them like in a "musical" manner. However, it's better to practice "slow and accurate" over "fast and sloppy." The more you practice mistakes, the more you'll have to play them correctly to undo those mistakes.
Next, choose a couple pieces of music that are slow and don't require technical practice. The fewer leaps, the better (especially for younger students). Many instruments have specific books designed for tone production. Ask your private teacher for suggestions.
While practicing slow and legato passages (and softer), make the main focus the quality of tone. Do the pieces of music match the quality of the long tones? What about the slow-slurred-scales? The whole point is to begin with simple exercises and graduate to more difficult "warm-up" music so both embouchure and tone are the main focus.
Tone production exercises should be a part of every practice session! Scales are the easiest form of tone practice (if done with that in mind) because it's easy to hear when the quality of tone changes from note to note.
Oh yeah, don't forget to BLOW and take breaks when the embouchure is tired! This really is the key to developing proper muscles for tone (and air) production.
Del Hungerford is a professional musician and educator in the Pacific Northwest. She's been a member of professional orchestras and chamber ensembles as well as teaching in the public schools. Currently, she teaches education courses and clarinet lessons at the university level. She holds a D.M.A. in clarinet from the University of Washington. For more information on Del's musical activities, check out her blog: http://delhungerfordmusicstudio.blogspot.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment