I have just figured out recently that my tounging isn't properly done.

It's not the common mistake that a clarinetist would do of not using the tongue at all, it's the also very common mistake of not being able to get a clean tone out of the tounging. :heh: My slures on the clarinet are very "clean", compared to my tounging. Can someone help? I have been told many times to use the tip of the tongue on the tip of the reed.

(For those who heard that old, old, recording of me playing the Adagio, note that this is not the cause of that spit tone. The cause... I will reveal in a post with a recording today. :))

EDIT: I know for a fact that equipment has NOTHING to do with this, since I literally have some of the best stuff any clarinetist could get. xp (See signature)

I've never used tounging, ever, to tell the truth. I progressed fairly quick on the clarinet without tounging and I could play as well (if not better) than first chair. . .the "chairs" in middle school were based on your grades of how many scales you could do; I messed up on B major once, so I made the tie between 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th (me being 5th, blah). . .but anyway, I think if you get to a college/more professional level you need to have good tounging, but I've gotten past 3 years of never tounging fast notes on clarinet and trombone perfectly fine.

Still, good luck to "properly" doing it. :)

Yea well supposedly you should be using the tip or close to the tip, the improper way would be when you move your jaw too much in between articulation. Tip-tounging is actually easier and clearer then using your whole jaw and tounging on the thicker parts of the reed. It took me years to get out of that habit, but you find that tounging near the tip of the reed has a nice, lighter sound.

Does anyone have any idea how hard it is trying to figure out how I tongue after not actually having seen my clarinet, let alone played it in over 2 months??? *sigh* I miss my baby... but I had to leave it at home.

Anyways, I would get stabbed, or at least poked and glared at if I didn't tongue effectively (though it never occured to me there was any other way of tounging then how I automatically do it!). So, I assume I can't be doing too much wrong - I haven't been glared at for that since practice started again after the summer and I'd gotten too lazy to tongue when practicing!

Tip of tongue on tip of reed sounds about right to me.... maybe. Someone get me a clarinet mouthpice and I'll say how I do it. But i agree with the 't' not 'tuh'... I've never understood why we tell people that, unless they're complete beginners and are just trying to get a single tongued note out.

As mentioned above, don't use your jaw. And I think it's a misconception when people say to tongue a wind instrument, you need the 'tuh' syllable. In fact, you just say the 't', rather than the 'tuh', if you get what I mean. Depending on your articulation, how hard you tongue and how much air you let through determines what quality of sound it will turn out.

Edit: I disagree about tonguing at the tip of the reed, the reason being that there will still be air going into the mouthpiece through the side, however, if you tongue at the middle of the reed, you will stop its vibration, which gives it a cleaner sound.

PS: Don't forget to suck out your spit when you hear water jiggling in your mouthpiece. As gross as it may sound, it's mandatory.

Might as well say it now, for I doubt I'll be able to get a recording in today. :heh: Apparently the clarinet I was using at the time (a Leblanc Vito, model 7214) had a bunch of moisture in it because of my lack of swabbing it when I was younger, and one of the corks look, literally, "torn off". xp I learned my lesson from that, and I just purchased a new wooden one on August 10th :).


I've never used tounging, ever, to tell the truth. I progressed fairly quick on the clarinet without tounging and I could play as well (if not better) than first chair. . .the "chairs" in middle school were based on your grades of how many scales you could do; I messed up on B major once, so I made the tie between 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th (me being 5th, blah). . .but anyway, I think if you get to a college/more professional level you need to have good tounging, but I've gotten past 3 years of never tounging fast notes on clarinet and trombone perfectly fine.

B Major. -_- Almost everyone on their first test on that scale always forgets to make the A an A#. It's pretty tough to play the Rondo movement of the Mozart Clarinet Concerto without learning how to tongue correctly, for there's so much staccato, it's literally "a killer", especially if you try to slur everything for a performance. x_x


Yea well supposedly you should be using the tip or close to the tip, the improper way would be when you move your jaw too much in between articulation. Tip-tounging is actually easier and clearer then using your whole jaw and tounging on the thicker parts of the reed. It took me years to get out of that habit, but you find that tounging near the tip of the reed has a nice, lighter sound.

:think: It can't be my jaw, because I move it little to none when I tongue and slur. The problem that occurs is trying to get the tip of the tongue to touch the tip of the reed (it always ends up with the middle of the tongue touching the tip of the reed). Either my tongue is large, or I'm doing something wrong. :think: (I also have my tongue on the top part of my mouth, behind my teeth, when I tongue).


As mentioned above, don't use your jaw. And I think it's a misconception when people say to tongue a wind instrument, you need the 'tuh' syllable. In fact, you just say the 't', rather than the 'tuh', if you get what I mean. Depending on your articulation, how hard you tongue and how much air you let through determines what quality of sound it will turn out.

Edit: I disagree about tonguing at the tip of the reed, the reason being that there will still be air going into the mouthpiece through the side, however, if you tongue at the middle of the reed, you will stop its vibration, which gives it a cleaner sound.

PS: Don't forget to suck out your spit when you hear water jiggling in your mouthpiece. As gross as it may sound, it's mandatory.

:o The "t" hint really helps. It actually "forces" me to tongue lighter. It's not literally "tonguing at the tip of the reed", from what I've heard, it's tonguing at the tip of the reed, get some support, and slowly move your tongue away from the tip of the reed, for it's known that air will "be on the side". :think: Apparently clarinetists always tend to tongue at the middle of the reed at first, but I guess the spot where you use the tongue on the tongue matters. I've even heard of "tonguing without putting your tongue on the reed". o_o

But, yeah, like I mentioned, the Mozart Clarinet Concerto (III- Rondo Movement) is literally a "killer" if you can't tongue evenly and fast enough, which is what I'm concerned about right now. x_x

Bassoonists, etc, have to control their breath using their diaphram and mouth to form the tonguing sound without actually tonguing, which I believe is what's meant by tonguing without putting your tongue on the reed ;) I think it's a double-reed instrument thing from necessity, but I guess you could accheive a similar effect if you really wanted to, but I think it's easier to just tongue!

disclaimer: I could be wrong about everything in this post, it's only going off the bassoonist in my band who had a whinge at one of our 3rds when they were complaining about tonguing XD

Bassoonists, etc, have to control their breath using their diaphram and mouth to form the tonguing sound without actually tonguing, which I believe is what's meant by tonguing without putting your tongue on the reed ;) I think it's a double-reed instrument thing from necessity, but I guess you could accheive a similar effect if you really wanted to, but I think it's easier to just tongue!

disclaimer: I could be wrong about everything in this post, it's only going off the bassoonist in my band who had a whinge at one of our 3rds when they were complaining about tonguing XD

Hm... I can see where it comes from, but I don't recommend 'tonguing' that way. By doing it that way, you're choking the air off of your airway, which will lead to some bad consequences... The only thing you should do with your diaphragm is breathe and vibrato (however, clarinets do not need vibrato) anything else will mess up your performance.

Bassoonists, etc, have to control their breath using their diaphram and mouth to form the tonguing sound without actually tonguing, which I believe is what's meant by tonguing without putting your tongue on the reed ;) I think it's a double-reed instrument thing from necessity, but I guess you could accheive a similar effect if you really wanted to, but I think it's easier to just tongue!

disclaimer: I could be wrong about everything in this post, it's only going off the bassoonist in my band who had a whinge at one of our 3rds when they were complaining about tonguing XD

O.o Bad idea. I also played oboe, and because I couldn't tongue properly (note that I was never taught how to), I quit, and for other reasons also.

Maybe it's my embouchure that is causing me to not be able to tongue "properly". :think: Does anyone here use "double lip" (the act of putting both lips on the mouthpiece/reed, instead of the top teeth as in "single lip")? Or maybe it's because I'm used to "biting" the top of my mouthpiece, since I used to do it when I was younger. :think:

You only use two lips when you play double reeds; for single reeds, you can bite until your mouthpiece breaks, as it only needs vibration on the reed.

But biting your reed isn't a good idea XD The only thing biting on your mouthpiece really does is put nice little teeth marks on it... that being the reason I may well invest in a new mouthpiece when I get home. Although, said tooth marks allowed me to figure out I for some reason used to have my clarinet slightly to the left side of my mouth instead of central, which was causing my tonguing to sound odd, and my tone airy, so they may have served a cause.

Some odd people do play with the double-lip embochure, but it just feels off, and I find screws up your playing anyway - you lose the sound quality. I was bored, so I was experimenting. Don't give me odd looks.

Your best bet for correction however, is to ask a clarinet teacher, since they will actually be able to see what you're doing, unlike us trying to figure it out! Also, it tends to be a matter of practice as to how clearly you tongue, especially when doing it at speed.

I don't know how it is for woodwinds, but for brass it is "tip of the tounge top of the teeth." Our director says that our clarinetists need to tounge at the tip of the reed. And, our clarinetits are very good, so I'd assume he's right.

But biting your reed isn't a good idea XD The only thing biting on your mouthpiece really does is put nice little teeth marks on it... that being the reason I may well invest in a new mouthpiece when I get home. Although, said tooth marks allowed me to figure out I for some reason used to have my clarinet slightly to the left side of my mouth instead of central, which was causing my tonguing to sound odd, and my tone airy, so they may have served a cause.

:0 I have that same problem. Maybe it has something to do with it? :think: My tone has been airy... a lot of times.

xp I need a private teacher... soon. The Rondo movement in the Mozart Clarinet Concerto is just insane. -_- (@ random_tangent: Have you played it?)

Well, I just got all of my stuff done in terms of taking care of the wooden clarinet I just bought (10 days ago). Oil and everything. :bleh:

:0 I have that same problem. Maybe it has something to do with it? :think: My tone has been airy... a lot of times.



My best guess is that you should make the airstream as concentrated and not spread out as possible, hence the fact that you should try to prevent air your blow from going anywhere else.

@clarinetist: no... there's only one shop where i live that sells clarinet sheet music, and the vast majority of it is pop/movie music <_<

But yes, making sure the air's going down the barrel and not escaping out the side of your mouth cos you've not got the clarinet central is a fairly good bet for improving tone!

Ahhh, wooden clarinets. Much love :D I'm very lucky - my parents bought mine as a surprise and didn't know what they were doing, but they got a good, wooden one because it was on sale - I could just as easily have ended up with a Plastic Yamaha student on.

You know, I think we need a proper thread for clarinets, since the number of us seems to be happily increasing!

@clarinetist: no... there's only one shop where i live that sells clarinet sheet music, and the vast majority of it is pop/movie music <_<

But yes, making sure the air's going down the barrel and not escaping out the side of your mouth cos you've not got the clarinet central is a fairly good bet for improving tone!

Ahhh, wooden clarinets. Much love :D I'm very lucky - my parents bought mine as a surprise and didn't know what they were doing, but they got a good, wooden one because it was on sale - I could just as easily have ended up with a Plastic Yamaha student on.

You know, I think we need a proper thread for clarinets, since the number of us seems to be happily increasing!

There's imslp.org. :)

I just tried the whole "center" hint, and wow, it really improves it. :) Thanks for the help.

I honestly just thought of that. Why not make this one a thread for clarinetists? :D

I honestly just thought of that. Why not make this one a thread for clarinetists? :D

Or, to be fair to all other woodwinds, a thread for all woodwinds? ;)

Well, I think we can probably get away with making a new thread for woodwinds to chatter in! We can always get a mod to merge this in. But I think it really is about time we had one - there weren't many of us when I joined but I think we can justify a discussion thread for us now.

Then, you should have one for Brass, Strings, Piano and Percussion topics too. :shifty:

No-one's stopping you from making one, lol. I'm not a Mod in this forum :P And there's millions of Violin and Piano topics, and a Percussion one somewhere too... it was just a note since there seems to be a few woodwinds around, and it might be nice to have somewhere to talk about them!

This is now the "Woodwind Instrument Discussion Thread" (thanks to M). :D Wait for a later post, actual pictures of what I (thought to) believe was the problem with my playing. :)

Thanks muchly, M :D We have a HOME! And can stop spamming other places XD

Yay! Now... Next topic:

What are some of your peeves and little habits of playing your instrument? Being an oboist for a while now, my thumb starting to get all unflexible from the oboe's weight and just hurts everytime I play more than a certain amount of time. Not to mention I can start to do that double jointed thing on my thumb now, even if it isn't.

I have the habit of being thrown off balance because of my right thumb, if I play for a REALLY long time (in my terms, that would be about 250-400 minutes, with no breaks). x_x It works like this: say that you are playing a C Maj. scale, and out of nowhere, your right hand just ends up letting go of the clarinet, thus putting you off balance. There isn't a C Maj. scale that isn't done with the right hand on the clarinet. >.< I think it has something to do with the thumb rest, but I already ordered one of those "Ridenour Thumb Saddles". :)

(Apparently, when I play with my plastic reed, or any reed, there's always some or a lot of moisture on it (this is AFTER playing it. I always dry out my reeds). :think: Is this bad? xp)

Well, it's rather expected that your reed will be moist XD It's been in your mouth, afterall! But a moist reed is generally a good reed, since it improves the timbre of the vibrations - but if it's dripping, it's time to wipe it off before you keep playing! lol.

My worst habit is losing my embouchure, thus making my notes sound sloppy, and leading to my conductor to yell 'SMILE' at me on a fairly regular basis, thus making me laugh and throw the entire section off. Obviously this does not happen at performances and is actually an okay thing since it amuses everyone (what else am I there to do????)

Other than that, I tend to get bored easily and play sloppily, but for some reason only when I am rehearsing with my band - I can practice for hours on end as long as I am on my own, I guess because I can always move on to a different piece if I'm getting overly frustrated with the nuances of one!

*cough* And biting down on my mouthpiece and having my clarinet to one side of my mouth. But THAT I've more or less managed to train myself out of. Attention span's the more difficult one, but I'm working on it XD

Too much moisture is okay, just wipe it off or blow it out when you have the chance~

Yes, I do lose my embouchure often too. Compared to clarinet or flute, oboists require more resistance and more lip muscles to play since the reed is rather small and you have two reeds to support at the same time.

I just got done practicing doing vibrato for about 30 minutes. I just recently figured out how to "properly" do it. >.<

But another question (mainly for us reed players): What is your preferred method of executing vibrato? I find it easier to make the reed vibrate. :think:

Another thing: What is your opinion on (using) vibrato? (Especially clarinets.)

You don't 'vibrate the reed' to do vibrato. You use your diaphragm, and it's not easy to do vibrato (it takes years of practice). And no, clarinets do not need vibrato. It's a weird thing how most other instruments use it but clarinet doesn't.

Okay... I feel left out here! There's only clarinetists and oboeists here. XD
I don't know anything about instruments with reeds and stuff, so I can't really say anything about that. XD
Flute's also a woodwind, so this is my home too, right? XD

I got this bad habit to rest my flute at the wrong place on my thumb, which means my whole arm is actually in a really bad position and starts to hurt easily. I'm really trying to stop doing that.
Also I'm too lazy to stand or sit with my back straight while practising so I can't take as deep breaths as I should. but at concerts or lessons I try to have my back straight. I'm actually trying alot to stop being so lazy while practising too. It's hard enough not to be able to breath properly when in a proper position, because of my lungs...

I have this third thing too, but I don't know if it's me learning wrong or if it's alright, but it seems I can't relax my mouth and cheeks while playing. My teacher has never said it was wrong, but she says that one should relax and have alot of air in ones mouth. Does my habit actually affect my playing? I mean, i can't seem to get out of it and she hasn't said it's wrong or anything, but it's like she was hinting that it's actually not good...
Can anyone answer me that? I would be happy if I knew, and if anyon could tell me how to stop it, I would also be happy, because I have no idea to stop habits I have had in more than five years and this is something I have had for eleven years now...:think:

Well, you can always do what our conductor did to one of our Saxes who refused to sit up straight and not lean on the back of the chair - stickytape a sharpened pencil to where the small of your back would be if you leaned on the chair XD Our conductor gets SERIOUS about posture (and everything else) when it comes up to eisteddfod time!

With your thumb, if you put a dot of white-out or something on it while you practice, it might remind you where you should be resting your flute... it worked when I had my fingers in the wrong place, so I wasn't covering the holes properly (admittedly this was 9 years ago...) of course, you do tend to look a little funny, but I've never cared about that XD

And the third problem I can't help with, because I don't think it's equivalent to anything on clarinet except for beginners puffing out their cheeks!

Although, and I'm going to go off on a tangent now, it annoyed me muchly when one of the suposably best bands in our town, that beat our sin the Eisteddfod because they're 3 times the size and have a much greater range of instruments (the comment for our band was that we didn't have enough variety - we have 30 people, 11 of them are flutes. We're a community band, so we just get whoever happens to want to join) had about 3 clarinets that were really badly blowing out their cheeks, and a couple of others who were sqeaking constantly!

My band has 3 1st clarinets (me and 2 others), two 2nds and two 3rds, and us firsts help out the others with any problems that they might have, and we try and stamp out the bad habits before they become ingrained. It annoys me that a band in which I could obviously see many bad performance habits beat our band just because they had a greater range of instruments and had much more scope for volume and such than us.

Admittedly I'm only annoyed because I don't think it's fair that our little community band was up against two HUGE ones - one from the Grammar Schools, and one from interstate. So, a question: do the countries where the rest of you live have different catagories for small bands?

^ Nope.

What are some things that you feel that are neglected, in the playing/learning of your instrument(s), i.e. clarinets/clarinetists/listeners feel like vibrato and double tonguing aren't important (on a clarinet)? :think:

Double tonguing isn't something 'neglected' from clarinet; it's still used, just uncommon. However, vibrato is just not employed. Besides, it's much easier to learn an instrument without doing vibrato.

~~~

To many people, they see oboe as 'another kind of clarinet', which is not true completely. I really dislike the fact that people can't distinct the two even after they heard the different sounds. Oboes definitely need more love.

I find that mastering the ability to double tongue on any instrument is a neccessity. You don't know what piece you'll end up playing, and that talent must be brought out to play a piece correctly. If you're playing in high school, heck, it could be your All-County Symphony judges that select that piece for you that would be borderline impossible without double tonguing.

I never played clarinet, so I don't think I could really help you down to the exact point... however I did play the Bari Sax and a little bit of the Bass Clarinet (very little).

It's quite easy, really. First off, I'd say you need a ton of practice, and yeah, a lot of time. You should let time pass if you ever get frustrated because it is as such. It's way more useful and easier than triples, so thank you for not asking me to explain that!

Back when I was actually paying attention to my band director and caring... he taught us a great trick. Don't get me wrong, my band teacher is awesome. Probably the most influential and eccentric man of music.

Anyways, he described the motions of the tongue and noises made without the embouchure in your mouth as that of a helicopter's blades. Slowed down, it sounds more like "Ti-ka, ti-ka... etc". That's slowed down with an accent on the breaks where you'd take the next tonguing point, if you get what I'm saying.

You know how to tongue already on beat, I assume? Well that's your first part. That's the "ti" part. The "ka" part is used with the top of your mouth towards the back, near in set to your molar region. You must use the back of your tongue to make a "ka" noise similiar to saying the word "Capture". Practice this many times without the embouchure at all, and you're probably get it. After you've mastered it without the instrument at all, I suggest moving on and applying it to your playing.

The best of luck!

Oh, and why does your signature display a flute?

--Arojekt.

Oh, and why does your signature display a flute?



It's a clarinet in his sig. :mellow:

Yeah, my mistake. I guess I just looked at it too fast. I'm just so way too used to the black of a clarinet's body. Eh...

--Arojekt.

it's a verrrry pretty clarinet actually.... although I have to admit I like the coloured plastic ones, even if they're not actually very good quality! Someone in my band has a blue one, and that was the 1st time I'd seen one.. I think she wondered why I spent about an hour staring at her clarinet XD

I have a black Cannonball alto sax, professional grade. It looks so amazing. I know some people dislike Cannonball, mainly because of the heaviness of the key pads. They are not as light as let's say, a Yamaha. However, I don't notice the difference in key weight. I play fast anyway =]

Anyway, yeah, some people get low grade instruments that look good mainly for the aesthetic quality, or if they just need it for school lol. I played on the school's crappy tenor sax before I got my Yamaha Allegro.

it's a verrrry pretty clarinet actually.... although I have to admit I like the coloured plastic ones, even if they're not actually very good quality! Someone in my band has a blue one, and that was the 1st time I'd seen one.. I think she wondered why I spent about an hour staring at her clarinet XD

I wonder why most companies, when using Grenadilla wood, decide to paint it the black color, instead of just leaving it, for the wood color will just show itself later, like mine. xp


I find that mastering the ability to double tongue on any instrument is a neccessity. You don't know what piece you'll end up playing, and that talent must be brought out to play a piece correctly. If you're playing in high school, heck, it could be your All-County Symphony judges that select that piece for you that would be borderline impossible without double tonguing.

Just last year, I figured that out.

I had been asked to learn how to play three 300-measured concert band pieces in 3 days. But there was one part that I could not play at all. ._. I had to "throat-tongue" it at the time. Here's the excerpt:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j266/Bbclarinetist/Excerpt.png

I literally had to slur the triplets. ._. This is Bb-pitched.

The paint is for protecting the wood from decaying or go bad. :mellow:

The paint is for protecting the wood from decaying or go bad. :mellow:

That, I didn't know. xp I thought it was because people just dislike the Grenadilla wood color. :heh:

EDIT: Check previous post...

I guess you need to triple tongue those triplets. At least it's the same note, Rossini's Semiramide Overture had fast triplets with jumps. It was a dread to play.

How does one blow "cold air" into an instrument? I've also read that the tongue position in which you say "key" is the proper tongue position... :think:

Source: http://www.ridenourclarinetproducts.com/teach.htm

It means blowing down the mouthpiece as opposed to breathing over it, lol... try blowing onto the palm of your hand - the air will be cool. If you breath on your palm, the breath will be warm. It's all a matter of concentration of the air and the way your moth is formed.

ummm... actually if you blow on the palm of your hand the air will most likely be cold what i was taught was that if you open your throat passage and blow it will come out warmer.hope i helped:bigsmile:

I was taught to blow cold air by putting my index finger and middle finger in my mouth and then blowing. . .I figured out on my own is when you open your throat and clear the 'opening' (as in, don't have any syliva dripping from the top) and then "blow with you lips" now "with your cheeks."

It's very hard to explain, but when I do it, it turns out perfect. :)

I was taught to blow cold air by putting my index finger and middle finger in my mouth and then blowing. . .I figured out on my own is when you open your throat and clear the 'opening' (as in, don't have any syliva dripping from the top) and then "blow with you lips" now "with your cheeks."

It's very hard to explain, but when I do it, it turns out perfect. :)

Actually, you explained it very well. ^_^

I tried doing what people said above, and wow, I'm getting the results that I want, such as a (somewhat) lack of moisture on the reed, which shows that I'm breathing properly. :) My tonguing has no noise now, when I use this new embouchure. :o But, the only thing that was bad about it is that I cannot tongue as fast as I could on my previous embouchure. I guess that will take some practice. :heh:

Thanks everyone! :)

@DiogenesP: that's basically what I said, I was just putting it in the most simple way (aka the way it was explained to me when i first was learning to play) :P

@Clarinetist: everything takes practice with a clarinet XD I have a feeling that when I get home I'm gonna be practicing a hell of a lot to make up for the 6 months i've missed, before band practice starts again!

Unlike most other instruments, oboe takes a long time to get good at, just a large amount of practice isn't enough. :(

*nods* and it's one of the worst sounding instruments imaginable when played by someone who doesn't know what they're doing, but I adore the sound when it's handled by someone who DOES. Unfortunately I have yet to be in a band with a competant oboe player, but I've experienced a few of the dead-duck variety!

One of these days I'd like to try one out, just to find out if I could do any better... probably not, lol, but somehow it always seems to be the complete beginners with the huge egos, who think they're brilliant on oboes in the bands I'm a member of!

On another note: my Grandma's a cretin! She went 'look, there's a clarinet playing!' ... NOT. Twas an oboe... and not being played particularly well. I really don't know why a busker would choose the oboe as their instrument of choice!

oboe......i should really start practicing....mehhhhh:\

*nods* and it's one of the worst sounding instruments imaginable when played by someone who doesn't know what they're doing, but I adore the sound when it's handled by someone who DOES. Unfortunately I have yet to be in a band with a competant oboe player, but I've experienced a few of the dead-duck variety!

One of these days I'd like to try one out, just to find out if I could do any better... probably not, lol, but somehow it always seems to be the complete beginners with the huge egos, who think they're brilliant on oboes in the bands I'm a member of!

On another note: my Grandma's a cretin! She went 'look, there's a clarinet playing!' ... NOT. Twas an oboe... and not being played particularly well. I really don't know why a busker would choose the oboe as their instrument of choice!

Hehe. Oboists are already rare enough (my school, which is an art school, has only two oboes, me and some other person),
good oboists are like... Extinct. >< Yet, so much music was written for oboe. It's kind of sad that not many people plays oboe anymore... As opposed to the earlier eras of music.

I also understand how it feels to listen to not-too-good oboist. But you should really consider listening to a section of 'not-too-good' oboists, it's much worse. XD

Unlike most other instruments, oboe takes a long time to get good at, just a large amount of practice isn't enough. :(

Very true.


*nods* and it's one of the worst sounding instruments imaginable when played by someone who doesn't know what they're doing, but I adore the sound when it's handled by someone who DOES. Unfortunately I have yet to be in a band with a competant oboe player, but I've experienced a few of the dead-duck variety!

One of these days I'd like to try one out, just to find out if I could do any better... probably not, lol, but somehow it always seems to be the complete beginners with the huge egos, who think they're brilliant on oboes in the bands I'm a member of!

On another note: my Grandma's a cretin! She went 'look, there's a clarinet playing!' ... NOT. Twas an oboe... and not being played particularly well. I really don't know why a busker would choose the oboe as their instrument of choice!

I don't know if anyone else besides Sir_Dotdotdot knows this, but I used to play oboe. :heh: Sure, it's similar, but oh so tough to play. Ah, memories. :heh: It makes me regret quitting oboe, though. xp (I plan to get back to playing it if I ever have a chance). Another thing I must mention: clarinet and oboe do not mix. Trust me. If you play clarinet, and want to play oboe also, DO NOT do it without a private teacher (same with going from oboe ---> clarinet).

(The band director that let me play oboe in the band had a clarinet major, so I didn't learn how to play oboe that well).


Hehe. Oboists are already rare enough (my school, which is an art school, has only two oboes, me and some other person),
good oboists are like... Extinct. >< Yet, so much music was written for oboe. It's kind of sad that not many people plays oboe anymore... As opposed to the earlier eras of music.

I know. >.< I wonder why though; maybe the difficulty?

i think it's a lot easier to go from flute-->oboe instead of from clarinet then again i think i'm just stating the obvious

I disagree. Flute to oboe is not a good mix embouchure wise. If you're a good flautist, you shuold never play oboe, it messes up with your air. If you're so-so, then I guess it's like all other instruments.

not really i've been playing flute for a good 4 years now and i started oboe like a year and a half ago and i'm playing flute just as good as always.....

not really i've been playing flute for a good 4 years now and i started oboe like a year and a half ago and i'm playing flute just as good as always.....

Have you learned how to do a proper flute vibrato yet? You should realize the difference between a flute and an oboe vibrato. Flute's vibrato can be done through the throat and your embouchure, while oboe's vibrato has to be done through the diaphragm. If you are used to a flute vibrato, then it's uneasy to play oboe with the embouchure you're used to. On the other hand, oboe requires much more embouchure endurance as opposed to flute's airstream endurance. It's easy for a single reed instrument (clarinets) to go into oboe or bassoon than a pipe instrument like flute.

as far as i've been told both my vibrato on flute and oboe are fine the only thing is i don't have the best tone on oboe because i haven't been playing that long. so i guess i just have to keep at it:lol:

You know... I really should keep out of this thread.. it's making me incredibly homesick for my clarinet XD Although when I get home, I think I might start to learn another instrument, for the sake of widening my reportoire. Not to mention the fact that if I learn something else, our band can have a bit greater variety of instruments XD We'll see though I guess, since I'll be starting Uni AND getting a new job AND trying to get back in the habit of studying and practicing music and applying my time and my mind to where it needs to be!

Well, how do you guys feel about Avalon brand instruments? My music only sell Avalon instruments, and I want a Flute, Alto Sax and Soprano Sax(and maybe a Piccolo). Since I don't know how good Avalon's reputation is with woodwinds, I'm asking the Woodwind Discussion Thread!

For Jazz studies, I'll need to be able to play flute and clarinet as well as saxophone. I've been trying to see if any of my friends are selling their flutes/clarinets, heh. If I have to buy one eventually, does anyone have any suggestions as to what brand to trust the most? Most of the stuff you see online is a bunch of crap most of the time, unfortunately -_-

When you buy an instrument, it's best to consult someone who knows about your playing ability the best. I mean, we don't know anything about your skills and how well you play. So if we told you to buy a professional instrument, it's just going to turn out to be a waste of your money and time and might even make you frustrated for not being able to play it. You should ask your music teacher to see which brand's model fits you the best.

When you buy an instrument, it's best to consult someone who knows about your playing ability the best. I mean, we don't know anything about your skills and how well you play. So if we told you to buy a professional instrument, it's just going to turn out to be a waste of your money and time and might even make you frustrated for not being able to play it. You should ask your music teacher to see which brand's model fits you the best.

An exception to this rule: band directors (usually). x_x Apparently, my band director suggested that I get a Buffet R13 ($2567) @_@ (apparently, he had a major on saxophone. Also, Buffet apparently has a reputation on making the "best" clarinets, which is why he probably suggested it to me). First of all, what a ripoff. -_- Second of all, I tried it; it plays well, but it is way off tune (-30 off tune, which some may not realize). I found a Leblanc Soloist to be best for me ($1499). Lesson: Always tune an instrument you will get.

Avoid buying instruments online as much as possible, because you have no idea how it will play. Try to get to a music store. Don't just limit yourself to one store, though.

EDIT: Also, note that professional instruments aren't always the best. I tried some intermediate clarinets, and I found some to be just as good as professional ones.

No, it's not about the instrument. Every instrument is equally good, it's just that you have to find one that's fitting for you. Different people have different ways of playing their instrument, so even if you find an instrument that's not in tune with your playing doesn't mean that it won't work well with other people.

No, it's not about the instrument. Every instrument is equally good, it's just that you have to find one that's fitting for you. Different people have different ways of playing their instrument, so even if you find an instrument that's not in tune with your playing doesn't mean that it won't work well with other people.

There's something about the R-13s, as I mentioned in the "Your Dream Instruments..." thread... :\


R-13 Intonation

I apologize for not quoting all of the many interesting parts of the string in this discussion. I will try to incorporate previous thoughts as I go.
The Buffet R-13 does indeed have some problems with the overall tuning schema, particularly the R-13 A clarinets. The fact of the matter is that Buffet and Boosey & Hawkes (the parent company of Buffet) are so nervous about doing anything to disrupt their highly profitable line of R-13 clarinets that any improvements are usually reserved for other models. The most significant change Buffet has made in recent years was to move the register vent up toward the mouthpiece about 3mm. This change was first used, I believe, in the RC model clarinets and much later in the "Festival" clarinet. The RC model clarinets have a slightly larger upper bore and have two reversed cones in the upper joint rather than the three of the R-13.Common designs prior to 1950 were either a pure cylinder or a constantly reducing upper joint.
(RC, BTW, stands for Robert Caree and was designed by him shortly before he died. Robert Caree was also the designer of the R-13 Clarinet which was introduced in in 1950. Mr Caree's inovative design became known as "poly-cylindrical".)
However, it is precisely the bore design of the R-13 that gives it the unique tonal character and resistance that so many of us have come to enjoy over the years. I find that overall the modal parameters on the R-13 are very manageable, particularly in the case of a good Prestige model, which I play.
Because I play an R-13 I have designed my mouthpieces and barrels to accomodate some of the inherent tuning problems. The original design of the R-13 Bb calls for a barrel with a nominal bore of 14.95mm with no linear reduction (taper). This usually translates into about .589"- .590" on most new Buffets. The reason for this is to compensate for the flattening in the third mode (tones above high C, known usually as the "altissimo"). This probably works with the Buffet mouthpieces that have a small bore (about 53mm in length).

Source: http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/Intonation.html



Also, and a bit more in depth: http://clarinet.cc/archives/2007/07/the_yamaha_clar.html

Buffet R13s have been known to be out of tune. That's all I'm going to say concerning this instrument. :/

>.< I was caught using the Legere reed for band. Apparently, it doesn't blend well with large ensembles, and is more suitable for solo type compositions. x_x

Does anyone here find the right hand thumb rest a nuisance? I already have a bump on my thumb because of this. ._.

Well, you shouldn't really be complaining if you're a dedicated musician who plays instruments with thumb rests. The oboe is at least twice as heavy as the clarinet, hence the fact that my thumb is literally crooked now, but I manage.

About different brands and types:
When I bought my Trevor J James beginner's flute I got the oportunity to try a more professional too (a yamaha and a Trevor J James). I can't say the tune was good on those two @_@ I know it was my own fault... Or rather me not relaxing (i realised it just a few days ago) that make it sound off. So I guess i might not be able to play on proffesional flutes that are those brands if I don't relax. XD

As for relaxing or not has, actually, nothing to do with how great you'll be able to play on a flute. I played very well on my lessons this week. I guess my teacher was hinting about relaxing, but when i, after half my lesson on monday, puffed my cheeks, complaining it hurt, she laughed and said I already knew what to do when it started to hurt. And then I played normally and it sounded real good, instead of bad as it sounded the first part of my lesson.
As for having alot of air in your month, it's still a problem when not relaxing. But I manage somehow. I don't know why, but I can hold out longer notes better than anyone that plays on the grouplessons I have every week. XD (we are a quartet now, though we were about 15 in the beginning, ten years ago)

My right thumb is crooked. Not as much as my brothers, because of me not resting the flute at the right place, but it's still crooked XD I wonder if it will get more crooked now when I started to pu whiteout on my thumb while practising XD (great tip, random_tanget, by the way)

Edit: I haven't been active for a while :heh:

*studies thumb* to my knowledge it isn't crooked, and I've been playing for 9 years... it does get a rather horrible mark on it from my thumb rest if I play for too long though, but that's because the padding fell off years ago and I haven't bothered replacing it, so it's just plain metal.

My clarinet is an Amarti Kresliche, which is a Czech brand - I can't remember which model it is, but I belive it was an end-of-model when my parents bought it for me, which was....nearly 6 years ago now, because they got it for around AU$700, which is incredibly cheap for a wooden instrument here! I truly can't say what grade it is, but I would say probably intermediate. I was incredibly lucky in that it was a surprise present, from two people who know nothing about instruments, but it DOES suit me. It tends to tune sharp, but that's not too much of a hassle.

As for reeds, I just use a plain old Rico - 3.5. Or whatever else the music shop happens to be stocking at the time. We don't have much choice in the matter here, lol.. what they've got is what we get!

*studies thumb* to my knowledge it isn't crooked, and I've been playing for 9 years... it does get a rather horrible mark on it from my thumb rest if I play for too long though, but that's because the padding fell off years ago and I haven't bothered replacing it, so it's just plain metal.

My clarinet is an Amarti Kresliche, which is a Czech brand - I can't remember which model it is, but I belive it was an end-of-model when my parents bought it for me, which was....nearly 6 years ago now, because they got it for around AU$700, which is incredibly cheap for a wooden instrument here! I truly can't say what grade it is, but I would say probably intermediate. I was incredibly lucky in that it was a surprise present, from two people who know nothing about instruments, but it DOES suit me. It tends to tune sharp, but that's not too much of a hassle.

As for reeds, I just use a plain old Rico - 3.5. Or whatever else the music shop happens to be stocking at the time. We don't have much choice in the matter here, lol.. what they've got is what we get!

Oh, the Amati. :heh: Have you ever considered getting the Full-Boehm one? :think: It's really hard to find one of those around here.

Today, I learned my lesson about breaking in reeds... the hard way. xp I was squeaking like crazy in band today, and I switched reeds at least 4 times. x_x

My right thumb is crooked. Not as much as my brothers, because of me not resting the flute at the right place, but it's still crooked XD I wonder if it will get more crooked now when I started to pu whiteout on my thumb while practising XD (great tip, random_tanget, by the way)

errrr......my thumb is not crooked....yet....well, it might happen later on haha.

i have a big problem with relaxing too. sometimes i should play more naturally, but i dont and it sounds bad. *sigh* and i cant do long tones.....i use to be worst at it. i think it's cause i dont do any sports at all so i cant keep my breath too long? lolll...i find that athletes that play wind instruments are better players because of their air support.

it always good to do breathing exercises i use to be able to hold out for like a measure but now i can hold out for like 5-6 measures depending on the tempo of course

You don't even need an instrument to practise breathing. When you have nothing to do, just try breathing in deeply and take in as much air as possible, then breathe out as slow as possible. If you want, while doing that, you can practise tonguing as well.

You don't even need an instrument to practise breathing. When you have nothing to do, just try breathing in deeply and take in as much air as possible, then breathe out as slow as possible. If you want, while doing that, you can practise tonguing as well.

Hmm...before i wasnt sure if that will work. I have to do that exercise then. =)

The breathing works - tonguing is a littke more difficult, because if you're anything like me, you'll find out you can't actually tongue properly without a clarinet in your mouth XD

On a different subject - only 10 weeks til I'm home and can actually start practicing agin!

I just started teaching myself the flute a couple days ago and already I've noticed that it seems my fingers are permanently damaged. My right pinkie especially is practically double-jointed now because of the way that I press down the keys and where I rest it on my left hand is suffering too. When my piano teacher saw it he told me to stop playing the flute since it was affecting my piano playing quite a lot. I don't want to give up the instrument but without a teacher I don't know how to fix this. Any suggestions?

You answered the question for yourself: get a teacher. Because we haven't seen your playing position, it's impossible for us to give proper advice.

It's pretty much impossible for me to get a teacher but yeah I guess you can't really help me...so I don't know what I'm going do.

Or if you go to a school with an orchestra, find a flute player, and ask them, or the band leader. If not... I'm sure there's SOMEONE who plays flute near where you live!

I've been playing Flute for 5 years, just asked my teacher, too look into The Planets - Jupiter, awesome piece if I dont say.

The band teacher at my school can't play the flute, therefore none of the flute players use good technique at all, and I don't want to learn wrong. But I will find someone to help me, eventually.

If you could somehow show how you're holding the flute I guess I could try to help.
I mean, my teacher was getting crazy about how I held it when I started out and now my fingers are permanently damaged, though that doesn't really matter to me as a flautist. That thing about my bad posture now, with the thumb, was later so we hadn't time to cerrect it before it was stuck in me. XD Oh well... I guess I've been holding the flute in many bad ways... XD

at first when you press the key with your right pinkie it is tiring. maybe you have the hitch hiker's thumb? that's when your thumb on your right hand is under the flute. If so, try to place your thumb at the side of the flute more.
Here are some pictures: (the one with Hh's is bad caz i was trying to press the button with my other hand xD)

Hitch hiker's (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c270/dreaming_baka/posture.jpg)
No hitch hiker's (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c270/dreaming_baka/posture2.jpg)
None again... (http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c270/dreaming_baka/posture3.jpg)

When you play with your thumb on the side, it helps your other fingers move and press the keys better. Hope this helps a bit! =)

Thanks so much! This helps LOADS!

I've been playing the clarinet for about a year and three quarters now and lately ive been having trouble playing the highest C. Everytime i attempt to, i end up either made a squeaking sound or making no sound at all. I played with a 1 & 1/2 reed which i found was really good for the lower notes but not so good for the high notes. So my teacher gave me some 2 & 1/2 reeds to use. It took me a long time to get used to the new reeds but when i finally did, i found that I still couldn't quite get to the high C without first playing a D and then slurirng to the C.
Can any one give me some good advice?

I've been playing the clarinet for about a year and three quarters now and lately ive been having trouble playing the highest C. Everytime i attempt to, i end up either made a squeaking sound or making no sound at all. I played with a 1 & 1/2 reed which i found was really good for the lower notes but not so good for the high notes. So my teacher gave me some 2 & 1/2 reeds to use. It took me a long time to get used to the new reeds but when i finally did, i found that I still couldn't quite get to the high C without first playing a D and then slurirng to the C.
Can any one give me some good advice?

Which C? First one above the staff, or 3rd space? (I doubt you're hitting the 2nd one above the staff yet. :heh:)

EDIT: I'm assuming it's the first one above the staff.

You are in the transitional period of being a beginner ---> intermediate clarinetist. At this point, I would suggest mixing up with (2 & 1/2) reeds and 3 reeds. Why? You can't really get your specific strength with these brands. I would also play thumb F and press the register key. Use lots of air. :) What brand of reed are you using?

the 1st one above the staff

XD Read my above post.

Again, what brand are you using?

the 2 & 1/2 is prestini and the 1 & 1/2 is rico. i have no idea wat brands i should use so my teach recomended these to me

I would get 2, 2.5 ricos. :)

Thanks you soooooo much. i'll try to get my hands on some of those reeds.
Theres still so much i have to learn. i feel like such a nood right now :heh:

****noob

Um... well, here's the first hint! At the bottom of your posts, you'll see a little button that says 'edit' use that to change your posts, as opposed to double-posting ;)

Argh, when I saw 'how do I play the highest C' I felt very incompetent until I saw the next post XD I can still only get that out about 1/2 of the time, unless slurring up to it - I need some music that goes that high to actually force me to practice, as opposed to just scale up to it - my band is fairly low-level, so it very rarely goes above the E above the stave. Of course, whether I can even get THAT high anymore is anothger question!

Argh, when I saw 'how do I play the highest C' I felt very incompetent until I saw the next post XD I can still only get that out about 1/2 of the time, unless slurring up to it - I need some music that goes that high to actually force me to practice, as opposed to just scale up to it - my band is fairly low-level, so it very rarely goes above the E above the stave. Of course, whether I can even get THAT high anymore is anothger question!

I do have a reed that give me a immediate response of that note (highest C), but it took SO MUCH playing around with to get it this way. :heh: It's literally a Rico 3.5 "sliced" in half. (And it is not an Eb Clarinet reed.)

I happen to like thin reeds better, so I'm sticking with Rico, even though most players don't like this brand. :heh:

What reed strength(s) do you clarinetists use? (Brand and strength please. :heh: ) I use Rico 3.5 (I need to get 4s!). I can't stand Vandoren. ._.

I also use Rico 3.5 - and I find the normal ones give a MUCH better response than the Rico Royales that I have found. I hopefully will move on to a 4 when I get home and back in practice though. I believe I used a Vandoren once, when my parents bought my reed for some reason - I dont think I liked it. Rico is by far the most common brand where I live though, and it is literally a matter of what they have is what you get, so it is really a good thing that I like Rico!

Rico oboe reeds are horrible though. Oboe reeds are best homemade.

That is what everyone says about all double reeds - I can quite honestly say I dont know what I would do without ready made reeds XD It would cost me an absolute fortune in screwups!

Rico oboe reeds are horrible though. Oboe reeds are best homemade.

I have to agree. When I played Oboe, I also used La Voz, which also didn't work very well (and from what I've heard, they're literally the same company). :/ I am apparently looking for sources with clarinet reed cane; haven't found anything...


I also use Rico 3.5 - and I find the normal ones give a MUCH better response than the Rico Royales that I have found. I hopefully will move on to a 4 when I get home and back in practice though. I believe I used a Vandoren once, when my parents bought my reed for some reason - I dont think I liked it. Rico is by far the most common brand where I live though, and it is literally a matter of what they have is what you get, so it is really a good thing that I like Rico!

Just like me. :lol: I can't stand thick reeds, I like the thinner ones (which I figured out when I got a Gonzalez F.O.F. 10 pack). :heh: They also work better on my Vandoren 5RV. :)

Ricos are "horrible" to [other clarinetists], I wonder why not to me? :think:

:lol:The first day of school a few years ago, my band director was telling us the rules and stuff, and he was like "the worst thing you can do this year is utter the most cursed word of all words: Rico reeds." I started cracking up because I thought he was kidding, but he wasn't. @_@

Anyone with a wooden clarinet, or anything that is wooden that has corks on it, please help...

Apparently, my upper and lower joint on my... about 2 month old clarinet is hard to take apart, without much effort. I've tried cork grease (light application, also), and it never works. I don't play it too much either, considering how old it is, and I do swab it after playing... any help?

It should always work when you apply cork grease. Have you been applying it BEFORE you put it together?

It should always work when you apply cork grease. Have you been applying it BEFORE you put it together?

Of course. I even apply it and let it dry out, and it doesn't work... This past weekend, I didn't play it at all, in order to avoid breaking something. :\ I don't get it; I am doing the same thing with my rubber Vandoren mouthpieces, and it works easily, but the parts of my wooden clarinet aren't doing well at all. :/ The corks still look "new" on the wooden clarinet and very different on my mouthpieces. I've had to buy cork grease 3 times now.

Well, try one more thing:

Though this may sound gross, at many times, it actually works better than crappy cork grease you get from music stores (though if you find homemade cork grease, they usually work magic). Before you play, actually lick the cork part of the instrument. If you run out of cork grease in a concert, I guess you'd have to do this too. This strategy should work for most clarinets and oboes.

Well, try one more thing:

Though this may sound gross, at many times, it actually works better than crappy cork grease you get from music stores (though if you find homemade cork grease, they usually work magic). Before you play, actually lick the cork part of the instrument. If you run out of cork grease in a concert, I guess you'd have to do this too. This strategy should work for most clarinets and oboes.

O.o

:think: *searches for ways to make cork grease* I guess I'm going to have to go with the "licking" method for now. :heh: Or, I'll try to get some almond oil. :think:

EDIT: How do you know if an instrument has cracked? :think: *searches Google Images*

EDIT2: Never mind; found an image. o_o

I've been playing Flute for 5 years, just asked my teacher, too look into The Planets - Jupiter, awesome piece if I dont say.

Jupiter is awesome, especially the Flutes/1st Clarinet/1st Trumpet. But, in my middle school band, the 1st Clarinet and Trumpet couldn't play the melody, so it became a Flute Soli. And now I'm in High School, and I don't play Flute anymore, I had to transposed it into the Eb Key to play on my Alto.

The song has such a pretty melody, and the song is very beautiful when play correctly. I want to play Mars- the Bringer of War(I think that's it.). My friends had it in honors band. That song is so cool.

About my instrument problem, I got a Suzuki Alto Sax, as a gift from my uncle. It's pretty good, I guess for my standards....

Jupiter is awesome, especially the Flutes/1st Clarinet/1st Trumpet. But, in my middle school band, the 1st Clarinet and Trumpet couldn't play the melody, so it became a Flute Soli. And now I'm in High School, and I don't play Flute anymore, I had to transposed it into the Eb Key to play on my Alto.

The song has such a pretty melody, and the song is very beautiful when play correctly. I want to play Mars- the Bringer of War(I think that's it.). My friends had it in honors band. That song is so cool.

I'm not much of a fan of Holst. -_- I personally believe Holst's marches are better than [Holst's] orchestral works.

In just the past hour, I threw away my Leblanc cork grease (Yamaha is the best, to those using regular cork grease :)), and used olive oil on all of the corks... hopefully it works, but I figured out the problem! Apparently (grenadilla, especially) wood expands when in contact with moisture. I believe I've used my Dampit at the worst times :heh:. But then again, what is the purpose of a humidifier? To add moisture when it is warm, or to add moisture when cool? :think:

Ok. So I was in band, playing my clarinet as usual, and guess what happened? My upper and lower joint were "locked", literally. If I twisted hard, it would cause some damage, so I got my teacher to do so. Apparently, the problem is the wood is dry. I thought that wood was suppose to look brownish in the inside, but I guess not. So I just oiled it about 4 hours ago. And bought cork grease. xp

So, one thing to learn: When you buy a wooden instrument, ALWAYS buy bore oil (unless your instrument is "100% new"; the one I bought was a discontinued brand, which I later figure out, and this excludes Buffet instruments (concerning oiling at first time)). Instruments on the shelf usually aren't "100% new", thus an oiling is needed. When I used olive oil on my corks, some of it got on the wood, without me knowing so, but the response was actually really great. I was able to hit my highest note, which I thought I couldn't do without "breaking it in". :think:

Maybe it's my embouchure that is causing me to not be able to tongue "properly". :think: Does anyone here use "double lip" (the act of putting both lips on the mouthpiece/reed, instead of the top teeth as in "single lip")? Or maybe it's because I'm used to "biting" the top of my mouthpiece, since I used to do it when I was younger. :think:


i automatically put both lips on my clarinet, i didn't know you could use your top teeth...well i guess iknew, but my instructor yelled at me when i tried it. as for the tounging, i have always had a habit of touching the tip of my tounge to...well not the middle, but in between the middle and top. i'm trying to break that and move up higher, but its harder than it seems. ^_^

i have a basically cheap clarinet right now, i've been begging for a wooden one for quite some time:cry:....maybe soon

i personally use a yamaha cork grease that i love and some 3 1/2 reeds. they really make my tone much clearer than my 1 1/2's.

Yes, 3 1/2's WOULD improve tone over 1 1/2's XD Although it can be funny to try and play a lower level reed after playing a harder one for a while - yay loud blaring sounds!

And there's nothing wrong with plastic clarinets - the best clarinet in my band plays a Yamaha Student, and sounds better than my Amati wooden one (in turn, I sound better than the much more expensive wooden Buffet one) It's a matter of the quality of the player as well as the quality of the instrument. *cough* That's just the 1st clarinet players in my band, I can't say I've actually paid much attention to what the 2nd and 3rds are playing!

i have a basically cheap clarinet right now, i've been begging for a wooden one for quite some time:cry:....maybe soon

"Wood isn't better; it's just tradition." -Sherman Friedland


And there's nothing wrong with plastic clarinets - the best clarinet in my band plays a Yamaha Student, and sounds better than my Amati wooden one (in turn, I sound better than the much more expensive wooden Buffet one) It's a matter of the quality of the player as well as the quality of the instrument. *cough* That's just the 1st clarinet players in my band, I can't say I've actually paid much attention to what the 2nd and 3rds are playing!

I have to agree. My plastic Vito ($200) sounds better when I play it rather than my wooden Leblanc Soloist ($1499.99). The point of getting my Soloist was to hit higher notes, and improve tone production, plus it is a bit more free-blowing than my Vito.

But I have to say: Yamaha clarinets (the plastic ones) are as good as you'll get concerning plastic clarinets. They are very free-blowing. At most times, they're even more free blowing than some of the most expensive clarinets. o.o

Any plastic clarinet is better than about 98% of the Buffet R13 clarinets ($2599-ish) out there, or sometimes, any of the Buffet E11 clarinets. ._. Buffet clarinets are almost never in tune (I mean, like -30 cents off, which is REALLY bad, and nearly impossible to get unless you had a size .5 reed or something).

I will admit that my clarinet is very, very rarely in tune - it's always sharp... to the point that when it was miraculously in tune without adjustments for once, every other clarinet let out a cheer XD It was hot that day... and no-one wanted to be spending the extra time while I got in tune XD

Of course, I could solve this by getting a slightly longer barrel, but hey, it's not that hard to just pull out a little - and I can judge the right amount now.

I never have gotten why people will bother to spend $3,000 on an insturment when you can get an almost identical one that sounds no different for 1/3 of the price, or less. In the case of the one in our band, it's all about showing off - she wanted it and so mummy and daddy got it her. *sigh* Rather wish they'd just spend the money on lessons... they would probably help that particular player more! She drags the 1st clarinets down, but she kicks up a huge fuss if we try to get her to play 2nd or 3rd.

Not saying I'm a particularly good player, but at least I don't highly overvalue my own skills, lol. I know when I suck, and I am fully prepared to admit it!

I will admit that my clarinet is very, very rarely in tune - it's always sharp... to the point that when it was miraculously in tune without adjustments for once, every other clarinet let out a cheer XD It was hot that day... and no-one wanted to be spending the extra time while I got in tune XD

Of course, I could solve this by getting a slightly longer barrel, but hey, it's not that hard to just pull out a little - and I can judge the right amount now.

I never have gotten why people will bother to spend $3,000 on an insturment when you can get an almost identical one that sounds no different for 1/3 of the price, or less. In the case of the one in our band, it's all about showing off - she wanted it and so mummy and daddy got it her. *sigh* Rather wish they'd just spend the money on lessons... they would probably help that particular player more! She drags the 1st clarinets down, but she kicks up a huge fuss if we try to get her to play 2nd or 3rd.

Not saying I'm a particularly good player, but at least I don't highly overvalue my own skills, lol. I know when I suck, and I am fully prepared to admit it!

I think it may have been the weather that got it in tune. XD Clarinets' tuning (wood clarinets, that is) are always affected by weather one way or another.

But, a Buffet clarinet? Bad formula there. :\ "Only the best clarinetists can play those things" (according to my band teacher, (and ironically), he decided to ask me to get one myself, but I despise those things :P).

To clarify my opinion on Buffet clarinets (and it is not me playing): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cltm6ERj87o

Word of advice for those who are buying instruments:

Expensive instruments are not meant to be played easily. On the other hand, cheap instruments are easily played no matter your level because they are made for students.

@Clarinetist: Yeah, I know... but remember I live in Australia, so the extreme hot weather in Summer is normal, and it STILL usually manages to be sharp - I'd say it would have something to do with the fact that I have taken to warming my clarinet up by practicing more before band now, lol... it tends to be more in tune.

Wise advice, Sir Dotdotdot, if only more people would pay attention to it and get an instrument that is right for them, as opposed to one that has prestige attached to the name. Quite frankly, I pay more attention to how people are playing, than WHAT they are playing!

wah...and i was thinking maybe i'll get a more advanced flute when i get better hahha. xD

We're not necessarily saying don't upgrade your instrument, just, don't upgrade it because you want a 'brand name' one, just so you can say 'oh i have an [insert flute brand here]'. Test different makes and models, and even price-ranges until you find one that fits you. Believe me, you'll be able to tell the difference between what works for you and what doesn't.

Believe me, you'll be able to tell the difference between what works for you and what doesn't.

I agree, however, if you can't tell, then it means you haven't played your instrument long enough. If you have enough experience, you should be able to tell which instrument is right for you when you try them.

Don't upgrade it because you want a 'brand name' one, just so you can say 'oh i have an [insert flute brand here]'.

Just like with what my band director decided to do. ._.; (See above post(s))

EDIT: Professional (in the perspective of a clarinetist) players usually suggest to stay with the same brand that you had your first instrument with. Just suggesting something to try first...

EDIT2: I really don't like how orchestras choose what brand of clarinet you must choose. "Play Buffet or we won't let you in. Play Selmer or we won't let you in." Buffet is chosen in like, 90% of orchestras. ._.

We're not necessarily saying don't upgrade your instrument, just, don't upgrade it because you want a 'brand name' one, just so you can say 'oh i have an [insert flute brand here]'. Test different makes and models, and even price-ranges until you find one that fits you. Believe me, you'll be able to tell the difference between what works for you and what doesn't.

yeah, i know what you mean. getting an instrument just for the brand is kinda...dumb..:heh:

i dont know if its the same with other instruments, but with my flute; i was told to upgrade from a 'student' one when i took my grade 5 exam. my teacher specifically told me you can not pass grades 6-8 on a student flute.

and although i think she exaggerated a bit, i could see what she meant as soon as i got a decent flute. you know when you have an instrument that just feels right and you couldnt imagine ever getting a new one? thats what im like with the one i did my grades 7 and 8 on. although i would love to get an open holed one at some point so i can play more contemporary stuff!

Because you play more contemporary stuff as you're higher level, you'd need instruments that are more capable of playing advanced techniques. Therefore, yes, your teacher is right, and it makes sense. However, newbies tend to use 'ah, I think I need a new instrument' as an excuse when they can't play something.

yeah, this is true- its the whole 'bad workman blames his tools' scenario isnt it

yay, i want the b extension for the flute...but then again, i rarely play that low...i wonder if you can just get that part? instead of buying another flute..:think:

yay, i want the b extension for the flute...but then again, i rarely play that low...i wonder if you can just get that part? instead of buying another flute..:think:

I doubt you could. You would have to send your instrument to a manufacturer of the brand of your current flute, ask them to put a new key system in, they would have to change and add tone holes if that B key is going to work. :\ Doing this would probably be more expensive than buying a new one (a friend of mine got his with a B key for $500). Then, there's the shipping...

I doubt you could. You would have to send your instrument to a manufacturer of the brand of your current flute, ask them to put a new key system in, they would have to change and add tone holes if that B key is going to work. :\ Doing this would probably be more expensive than buying a new one (a friend of mine got his with a B key for $500). Then, there's the shipping...

i see...i guess i should just get another one.:lol:

yay, i want the b extension for the flute...but then again, i rarely play that low...i wonder if you can just get that part? instead of buying another flute..:think:

find someone with that bit and steal it :ph34r:

hahah, but it doesnt work without the holes right? on the keys..:P

well my friend had a "normal flute" with a B footjoint and she could get it

the open holes are for things like half/quarter sharps and flats and glissandi- like specialist stuff

i see...i'm enlightened now. xD thanks~

meh... if i swapped my flute for an open holed one with the B-footjoint the music shop round here told me that they'd knock loads off the price

thing is- i dont want to get rid of my old flute; i did my grades 7 and 8 on that and all of my orchestral experience has been with it; im a bit too attached to it

ah well... maybe if i waited til i went to uni and bought one with some of my student loan =P

I'm thinking I want to get a new mouthpiece when I get home - I could do with one without the toothmarks on, now that I don't bite down as much. Possibly I should get a new barrel as well, try and solve my constant sharpness.


Mostly... I just wanna be able to pick up my clarinet and play it!!!

I'm thinking I want to get a new mouthpiece when I get home - I could do with one without the toothmarks on, now that I don't bite down as much. Possibly I should get a new barrel as well, try and solve my constant sharpness.


Mostly... I just wanna be able to pick up my clarinet and play it!!!

If any stores sell Vandoren mouthpieces, I strongly suggest the Vandoren M13. It's the best one that Vandoren makes. Another suggestion: whatever you do, do not get a Leblanc mouthpiece. They're the worst you can get. :\

Another note: in many cases, the mouthpiece can also change the intonation. ;) The Vandoren M13, for example, is meant to solve tuning problems with the Buffet R13 (at least... some of them :P). No two mouthpieces are the same (even those with the same brand and model aren't), so I suggest trying a mouthpiece before buying it (but at times, you have to pay a cleaning fee).

EDIT: Possibly a dumb question, but what is cork grease made of? :think:

If any stores sell Vandoren mouthpieces, I strongly suggest the Vandoren M13. It's the best one that Vandoren makes. Another suggestion: whatever you do, do not get a Leblanc mouthpiece. They're the worst you can get. :\

Another note: in many cases, the mouthpiece can also change the intonation. ;) The Vandoren M13, for example, is meant to solve tuning problems with the Buffet R13 (at least... some of them :P). No two mouthpieces are the same (even those with the same brand and model aren't), so I suggest trying a mouthpiece before buying it (but at times, you have to pay a cleaning fee).

EDIT: Possibly a dumb question, but what is cork grease made of? :think:


I don't think you should tell people of what kinds of mouthpieces they should choose. Everyone is different, therefore different mouthpieces are made for different people. Just because a kind of mouthpiece doesn't fit you does not mean they won't fit the other person, unless you know their skills and their ways of playing pretty well.

Cork grease can be made of fat, but I don't know what the synthetic ones or the homemade ones are made of.

Uh... wax and stuff, I think. Google it XD

most cork grease...saturated animal fat, lol i'm not that sure...yeah need to check that one out
i wish i was good at the clarinet...almost been playing a year now...unfortunately recently i got braces and now i'm finding it difficult to play...are there any other clarinetists that have braces? and if there are any advice on how to play without it hurting lol...i hope it gets better

most cork grease...saturated animal fat, lol i'm not that sure...yeah need to check that one out
i wish i was good at the clarinet...almost been playing a year now...unfortunately recently i got braces and now i'm finding it difficult to play...are there any other clarinetists that have braces? and if there are any advice on how to play without it hurting lol...i hope it gets better

I have braces; got them last year. Learn single lip embouchure. It fixes everything. I know it's tough to learn on your first year, but it's good to learn it early. You'll have to learn it on your 5th or 6th year, so why not? :heh:

(If you don't know: single lip embouchure is where you use your bottom lip on the reed, as opposed to using your teeth. Quite easy to get used to, but that's just me. :P)

Well, the only woodwind instrument I play is Bassoon. Any other bassoon players here? >_>

I have braces; got them last year. Learn single lip embouchure. It fixes everything. I know it's tough to learn on your first year, but it's good to learn it early. You'll have to learn it on your 5th or 6th year, so why not? :heh:

(If you don't know: single lip embouchure is where you use your bottom lip on the reed, as opposed to using your teeth. Quite easy to get used to, but that's just me. :P)

Oh wow, that's the exact same embouchure I use for playing sax. My 8th grade director taught me to use that when I first started to learn sax. I suppose it holds the same ground when playing saxophones?

In other news, does anyone have any advice for people who play instruments with different embouchure/fingerings. For example, I play flute and sax, and they both use different embouchure, but the fingerings are mostly similar.

In other news, does anyone have any advice for people who play instruments with different embouchure/fingerings. For example, I play flute and sax, and they both use different embouchure, but the fingerings are mostly similar.

Get a private teacher. :heh: Really. I played oboe for a while and quit because the embouchure really got to me, and I couldn't even start tonguing yet (well, actually, I didn't even know how to tongue on the oboe). I remember that my jaw was apparently not used to it, so I did a choir exercise while massaging my jaw. XD


Well, the only woodwind instrument I play is Bassoon. Any other bassoon players here? >_>

I don't get it, but oboe and bassoon are the woodwind instruments that tend to not be played. :/ I wonder why...

I'm gonna play English horn for The Nutcracker Suite in my orchestra's next concert. Yay solos!

I'm gonna play English horn for The Nutcracker Suite in my orchestra's next concert. Yay solos!

Lucky. :P English horn has a (somewhat) "big" part in that suite.

*reminds < to audition for orchestral winds*...

Clarinetest, speaking of 'orchestra', are we going to see you as the principle clarinetest in the Chicago Symphony one of the days? :P It'd be fun playing the Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 with yas. XD

Clarinetest, speaking of 'orchestra', are we going to see you as the principle clarinetest in the Chicago Symphony one of the days? :P It'd be fun playing the Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 with yas. XD

XD Who knows. :heh: Maybe I will. For now, I have to get my rank back up (concerning the band I'm in. Spitty tone when I auditioned last March; didn't figure out how to fix it until last summer, as you know).

Next year, I'm auditioning for the U of M (Minnesota) honor band, and I'll see where I go from there. :) I am also auditioning for the top band in our high school (which should be easy, now that my tone is better). Then it's a bunch of tours to Greece, Chicago, and whatnot when I get to that band. :lol:

*blinks* there's something other than using your bottom lip on the reed? Now I'm confused - doesn't everyone else use their bottom lip over their bottom teeth, and their top teeth on top of the mouthpiece? That's how I've always played.... and how everyone I know plays. Are Aussies being weird again, or am I confuzzled?

*dances* 4 weeks til I see my clarinet again!

Get a private teacher. :heh: Really. I played oboe for a while and quit because the embouchure really got to me, and I couldn't even start tonguing yet (well, actually, I didn't even know how to tongue on the oboe). I remember that my jaw was apparently not used to it, so I did a choir exercise while massaging my jaw. XD



I don't get it, but oboe and bassoon are the woodwind instruments that tend to not be played. :/ I wonder why...

Yeah, but every set of wind and string instruments have the "cool but not played" instrument. Maybe thats what I play a bit of all of them o.O.

*blinks* there's something other than using your bottom lip on the reed? Now I'm confused - doesn't everyone else use their bottom lip over their bottom teeth, and their top teeth on top of the mouthpiece? That's how I've always played.... and how everyone I know plays. Are Aussies being weird again, or am I confuzzled?

*dances* 4 weeks til I see my clarinet again!

Yes, that's what I meant. :heh:

*EDIT: I have a friend who is a trumpet player. He told me that in order to get rid of spit in tone, you have to use less air, and "swallow" some spit while playing. I've tried this, and it's improved. What do you think? :think:

Yep, that's right - also, make sure you shake the excess spit out when you have breaks in performances/practice, and swab it through if you've got time! It sounds kinda gross, sucking and swallowing spit, but it improves tone out of sight, if you have that problem (which I do, lol - it can be gross the amount that comes out of my instrument at the end of performances)

No, do not use less air, use MORE air, and suck out spit, check your posture every time you have a chance to.

Air is the key to success in all wind instruments.

Yep, that's right - also, make sure you shake the excess spit out when you have breaks in performances/practice, and swab it through if you've got time! It sounds kinda gross, sucking and swallowing spit, but it improves tone out of sight, if you have that problem (which I do, lol - it can be gross the amount that comes out of my instrument at the end of performances)

That has been my problem ever since I've started playing clarinet, I swear. There's always a spit puddle when I'm done playing. ._. Sometimes I have to place my shoes under my clarinet bell. :bleh:

No, do not use less air, use MORE air

Beat me to it. :P

I haven't bee seen for awhile again... How are you, everyone? I've been quite busy with school and practising and stuff, so I haven't bee able to write for awhile.

I have a performance today. I feel... it won't end up in a way it should, since I got a sour throuth. I know I shouldn't play when it's really bad (which it is) but I promised my teacher. And... I am playing background music for a play tomorrow and I don't even know what to play. I think the class believes flautists that have played for eleven years can make miracles... I have no time for prctise today since pretty much just after school I just have time to eat and then it's off to the concert and afterwards I need write something about something that does something against the human rights or something...

I hate when I have long performaces and there's spit in my flute in the end. I usually try to swallow spit so there won't be as much, but I never use less air.

Ay. x_x

Clarinet got stuck again! I just e-mailed my band director about asking for a rental clarinet, but it seems that they're out. The weather is so crazy right now. ._. It's warm one day and cold the next. My band director will talk to me about the dos and don'ts with wood.

*cough* I assumed by less air we were meaning regulate the air flow better XD If not, well then... no... we don't wanna use less air, or it causes loss of tone and volume, and just about everything else good XD

@Clarinetist: Have you tried putting cork grease on AFTER you practice and leaving it to soak into the cork until the next time you practice? That works better in warm climates, but it worked for un-stiffening mine when it was new.

My performance today was a failure, if anyone wanna know.

I got a question! I was going to start with the violin this year, but my mother forgot she had to help me sign up and I didn't get signed up. My brother is happy I didn't start the violin, though, since he's sure i wouldn't be wouldn't be able to "stand the terrible sound" I would play "for several years". Anyway, so now mother has promised she'll help me signing up for an instrument as soon as possible. And because I believe my brother would actually kill me if I signed up for any string instrument, I decided to start another woodwind. There are two I really don't wanna play - recorder and saxophone. So... A woodwind is what I would wanna play. I want to learn almost any instrument, but right now it's violin and woodwinds that feels attempting.
So which should I choose? And why?

@Clarinetist: Have you tried putting cork grease on AFTER you practice and leaving it to soak into the cork until the next time you practice? That works better in warm climates, but it worked for un-stiffening mine when it was new.

Keeping your instrument in a moderately moist and warm environment helps too.

@ Michi-Chan:

If money isn't a problem, try bassoon. If technicality and embouchure isn't a problem and you want a challenge, try oboe. If you want something easy to pick up and has a larger repertoire, try clarinet. And you're play flute already.

@Clarinetist: Have you tried putting cork grease on AFTER you practice and leaving it to soak into the cork until the next time you practice? That works better in warm climates, but it worked for un-stiffening mine when it was new.

Of course. ._. My band director suspects that my clarinet has not been dry enough (he said that I put too much cork grease on there, which I know is not the case, for I use cork grease about once every .5 of a week, and I make sure I put as little as possible on there). Since he mentions that my clarinet has not been dry enough, I know what's wrong; I've used my DampIt too much. >.< This has happened twice to me now (concerning the DampIt). *throws DampIt somewhere*


Keeping your instrument in a moderately moist and warm environment helps too.

You have no idea how hard it is to do that this time of year. Minnesota weather is CRAZY. It's warm right now: 67 degrees Fahrenheit (or 19.5 Celsius). In two hours, it will be 36 degrees Fahrenheit (or 2 degrees Celsius).

For now, I took the DampIt away from my clarinet and left it in my backpack, and will do so until tomorrow (teacher's directions).

Although Bassoon can be quite challenging if you have small hands! I'm leaing towards trying a new instrument myself, when I get home - but I'm thinking Bari Sax or maybe oboe, because I belive my band owns an oboe which isn't being used at the moment, and know we could do with both these instruments. *cough* and much as I adore clarinet, if you already play flute, I'd suggest try one of the less common woodwinds, to give yourself a bit of variety in what you play in group situations - the flute and clarinet parts can be quite similar.

EDIT: And I've never bothered using silica gel, or DampIt or whatever with my clarinet. But then, I guess I live in a much warmer, drier climate than the rest of you XD

EDIT: And I've never bothered using silica gel, or DampIt or whatever with my clarinet. But then, I guess I live in a much warmer, drier climate than the rest of you XD

Now that I haven't heard of. XD Oh well, I have to use the DampIt some time; it's Minnesota after all. :\

It's the stuff you get in shoeboxes when you buy new shoes, lol. I know there was some in my case when I first got it, but it's poisonous, and I had a kitten at the time, lol.

Um.. never mind XD That ABSORBS moisture, not provides it.

If money isn't a problem, try bassoon. If technicality and embouchure isn't a problem and you want a challenge, try oboe. If you want something easy to pick up and has a larger repertoire, try clarinet. And you're play flute already.


Although Bassoon can be quite challenging if you have small hands! I'm leaing towards trying a new instrument myself, when I get home - but I'm thinking Bari Sax or maybe oboe, because I belive my band owns an oboe which isn't being used at the moment, and know we could do with both these instruments. *cough* and much as I adore clarinet, if you already play flute, I'd suggest try one of the less common woodwinds, to give yourself a bit of variety in what you play in group situations - the flute and clarinet parts can be quite similar.

I checked prices for oboes and clarinets (I couldn't find any prices for bassoon) on the net and kinda got shocked from the prices of the oboes I saw. I only looked hastily and I need to check in the local stores, but right now I kinda feel it might end up being clarinet or even the recorder. Though I feel very attemted to play oboe, but that means I need to work right after Christmas to even hav a small chance to get enough money. Though there might be the possibility to rent the instrument I decide to play for a year (I would obviously need to buy one when I go to Japan after I finish school to study in Japanese High school for a year) and if it's possible I would have about one and a half a year to make enough money to buy the instrument I started out.

Okay, I have a question about saxes, so this is mainly in reference to people who play, or are very knowledgable about saxes.

Soprano Sax, the big boss, the hardest to play at that, or so I've heard. Any opinions? How should one, who want to eventually play it, prepare for it.

And another question: Altissimo Register. Are there any confirmed(or very used fingerings), for the sax altissimo register.

You have no idea how hard it is to do that this time of year. Minnesota weather is CRAZY. It's warm right now: 67 degrees Fahrenheit (or 19.5 Celsius). In two hours, it will be 36 degrees Fahrenheit (or 2 degrees Celsius).

For now, I took the DampIt away from my clarinet and left it in my backpack, and will do so until tomorrow (teacher's directions).

That's nothing, really. Canadian autumns are even more extreme at many times (it was like what? 28 degrees Celsius here yesterday? and now it's no more than 12). :mellow: However, all instrumentalists here can manage.

As for the sax issue above:

It's just your embouchure. Because the range is higher, your instrument is smaller, which means you need more concentration of air to play. I guess your best bet is practice, practice and more practice. Furthermore, it always help to get a sax teacher. As for the altissimo question, google for a fingering chart, I'm sure there are some information.

:blink: soprano saxes are tiny, compared to all the others - I wouldn't call them the big boss XD I can't really say how difficult they are, since the only player I have experience with is the 1st clarinet in my band who I'm always complaining about - she says she can play oboe, also... but she certainly can't play either clarinet or soprano sax particularly well. Yes, I'm mean, but I dislike people who brag when they realllllly have no cause to.

@Michi-chan: Yeppp, oboes are expensive! But the upside of having an expensive instrument is that generally those who just want an instrument for the sake of having one usually steer away from them, and towards the cheaper ones - which also tend to be easier (thank god - i know enough bad oboe players*shudder*)

@ all helpful people: I think I will go for oboe. I might get my grandmother to pay for it, if I'm lucky. >.< My brother won't kill me if I go for oboe either. He thinks it's sounds better than any violin in the world XD
I go for the cheapest thing I like and that still sounds good when I'm playing. So I won't buy an oboe the same day I start playing. XD I think I will hire one for my last year at the music school and then buy one when I have to. I think that is for the best. And also, if it turns out I hate the oboe, I haven't spent any money to buy a instrument I won't use, right? XD
It's a great plan isn't it? XD Now I need to find a job, start a bank account, start to save money and tell mother about my plan. ^_^ Man... it sounds so easy... :mellow:

@ all helpful people: I think I will go for oboe. I might get my grandmother to pay for it, if I'm lucky. >.< My brother won't kill me if I go for oboe either. He thinks it's sounds better than any violin in the world XD
I go for the cheapest thing I like and that still sounds good when I'm playing. So I won't buy an oboe the same day I start playing. XD I think I will hire one for my last year at the music school and then buy one when I have to. I think that is for the best. And also, if it turns out I hate the oboe, I haven't spent any money to buy a instrument I won't use, right? XD
It's a great plan isn't it? XD Now I need to find a job, start a bank account, start to save money and tell mother about my plan. ^_^ Man... it sounds so easy... :mellow:

Another thing, try the oboe before you start buying it. My band teacher (the one I had when I was playing clarinet and oboe for band) told me that it is really hard for most people to even get something out of the oboe. But, for me, it took a few minutes, so it varies. :\

-----------------------

About the clarinet getting stuck: I left the clarinet with its case in my backpack overnight (minus the DampIt, which I thought to believe was the problem). If you read carefully, my band director thought I was putting too much cork grease on it (the clarinet).

Let's say that I was right. :heh: Yep, the DampIt (like I suspected) was bringing too much moisture to the clarinet, not the cork grease. Wow, am I ever going to stop leaving my DampIt in my case for hours. :\

Another thing, try the oboe before you start buying it. My band teacher (the one I had when I was playing clarinet and oboe for band) told me that it is really hard for most people to even get something out of the oboe. But, for me, it took a few minutes, so it varies. :\



Don't forget about the reed and the model of instruments contribute to the problem too.

Don't forget about the reed and the model of instruments contribute to the problem too.

Of course. After all, the reed was La Voz (a subdivision of Rico). :lol:

Another thing, try the oboe before you start buying it. My band teacher (the one I had when I was playing clarinet and oboe for band) told me that it is really hard for most people to even get something out of the oboe. But, for me, it took a few minutes, so it varies. :\

I wouldn't buy anything I don't try. Man, it would be a great mistake if I had just bought the Yamaha-flute I was going to buy, though when I tried Trevor J James I totally fell in love with everything about it. XD

And, um, don't sound discouraged if you sound like a dying cat when you first pick up an oboe XD It definitely seems to be one of those instruments where practice realllllly improves how you sound - and an oboe played well is absolutely gorgeous!

On a totally different note - I bought more sheet music :D There were books with decent practice pieces on sale very cheaply (£3-6), so now I have a book of Jazz and some Classical (finally - you have NO idea how hard it is to find non-movie related music at my local music shop at home) to entertain myself with when I get home. Of course, now I want my clarinet even more. Oh... and I'm really, really in love with a charcoal-gray Alto sax with silver etchings on it - it was very, very pretttttyyyyyyy!

Well... When i started with flute I already sounded like something dying and I really love the feeling of improvement you get from when you finished something (now I don't hear my own improvements, or even praise for improviong, because it's such a small difference, though I know I improve everytime I have finished a new piece my teacher has given me)

And, um, don't sound discouraged if you sound like a dying cat when you first pick up an oboe XD It definitely seems to be one of those instruments where practice realllllly improves how you sound - and an oboe played well is absolutely gorgeous!



Actually, don't over practise, or you'll be sorry. Non-oboists won't understand the torturous things oboe does to the performer...

Actually, don't over practise, or you'll be sorry. Non-oboists won't understand the torturous things oboe does to the performer...

Well... I guess I can't over practise when I'm as sickly in my lungs as I am... x_x I can't even practise as much on the flute I should... But playing something i need to use my lungs tp play is good for me... as long as it does not start to hurt so much I can't breath... XD

Air and lung problems can be worked on as you progress, but finding an embouchure and using it correctly is a total pain; both physically and mentally speaking.

My lung problem is quite serious actually... But the doctor is still unsure what to do... Just saying i should play alot because it seems it's much better when i do that. Though I can't fdo sports, because it's gets worse... XD
I will learn, eventually. I have patience for that, as long as I find it fun to try, which I'm quite sure I will. ^_^

Oboe reeds are expensive..i heard that homemade ones are the best. xD

Also, everytime the oboe player plays by him/herself everyone laughs because it's so cute. It sounds like a duck. =)

actually in my band they all think it's really annoying, and they always make fun of me...T_T..or at least they used to, iv'e gotten so much better!:lol:

ahh how dare they! it's so cute! >_< but you know...because there are so few oboe players they are always forgotten. At least my teacher always forgets them, like for hearing their parts as a section or something. -_-;;

Talking about oboes, diuble reed instruments blow. I don't like playing them. after I'm done playing for after 5 minutes, my lips feel all shaky and stuff cuz of the vibrations.

anyways, talking about embochures.
I was wondering if this happens to anyone else,
by any chance. [for clarinet players.]
after playing for an hour or so- my upper lip tends to slip out of my mouthpiece [it looks like if I was slowly swallowing my mouthpiece.] it know it sounds gross. but after it happens once, it keeps on going and going repeatedly, and no matter what I do I can't control it! It just happens.

I was wondering if it happens to anyone else,
and if there is an easier way I can keep my embochure w/o my lips lagging off.?

I was wondering if it happens to anyone else,
and if there is an easier way I can keep my embochure w/o my lips lagging off.?

According to the info you've given me, I assume you're using double lip embouchure. If I were you, I would go back to single lip (top teeth on the mouthpiece), because the double lip is very very hard. :\

------

To any clarinetists: which is the best reed brand? Rico, Vandoren or Gonzalez (made from Argentina, if you haven't heard of it)? I've tried all of these reed brands, but the last two require time and patience for them to work.

(Since I'm usually too lazy to break in my reeds :heh:, I use Rico most of the time, but my Gonzalez is SO even with quality of notes. Even the middle register doesn't sound weaker than the others. :))

------

What do (all of) you find is the easiest way to memorize scales? I have a tendency to make it harder on myself, i.e. thinking of Ab Minor instead of G# Minor. ._.;

According to the info you've given me, I assume you're using double lip embouchure. If I were you, I would go back to single lip (top teeth on the mouthpiece), because the double lip is very very hard. :\

------


What do (all of) you find is the easiest way to memorize scales? I have a tendency to make it harder on myself, i.e. thinking of Ab Minor instead of G# Minor. ._.;

I think she just tired out her embouchure; it happens a lot to beginners when they play a lot or doesn't support with air.

The easiest way to memorize scales? If you know your fingerings well on your instrument, then it's really up to practising.

What do (all of) you find is the easiest way to memorize scales? I have a tendency to make it harder on myself, i.e. thinking of Ab Minor instead of G# Minor. ._.;

sometimes i use the wheel to practise. THe cycle of fifths..i think thats what they call it.

I think she just tired out her embouchure; it happens a lot to beginners when they play a lot or doesn't support with air.

The easiest way to memorize scales? If you know your fingerings well on your instrument, then it's really up to practising.

Beginner?
wtf? jk....

I've been playing for almost 4 yrs.
I'm not saying I'm the best but I am quiet good at playing the clarinet.
My theory is, because I don't pratice as much as I should. So my embochure gets tired and all of that. I used to play constantly before summer vacation started. but throughout the summer, I have stopped playing completly, up until sept. 6- I started school and then came marching band. [again]. And because of that [not practicing], It's made it even harder for me to re-adjust my embochure.

lol- I just answered my own question: Practice!



To any clarinetists: which is the best reed brand? Rico, Vandoren or Gonzalez (made from Argentina, if you haven't heard of it)? I've tried all of these reed brands, but the last two require time and patience for them to work.

(Since I'm usually too lazy to break in my reeds , I use Rico most of the time, but my Gonzalez is SO even with quality of notes. Even the middle register doesn't sound weaker than the others

Vandoren has got to be the ultimate reed.
Ever since I started using VanDoren, I've been extremly picky about my reeds. I wouldn't let any other reed touch my mouthpiece unless if its a Vandoren. Only because Vandoren makes ww sound like gods of music. lol

I've never heard of Gonzalez,
how good is it and how much are the reeds [Bb clarinet]?

Vandoren has got to be the ultimate reed.
Ever since I started using VanDoren, I've been extremly picky about my reeds. I wouldn't let any other reed touch my mouthpiece unless if its a Vandoren. Only because Vandoren makes ww sound like gods of music. lol

I've never heard of Gonzalez,
how good is it and how much are the reeds [Bb clarinet]?

Gonzalez F.O.F. (For Our Friends) reeds can be ordered online at www.wwbw.com . I don't remember the cost. :heh: They are thicker than Vandoren, so they require a lot more time and patience than Vandoren.

They are the best reeds you can get; no chemicals used, so there's a lack of that dirt stuff on the bark. :) Hand-made also.

*EDIT: If you do decide to get Gonzalez, you will need a knife for reeds, and sandpaper. The excess bark on the bottom part that goes on the reed will make it harder to play. Sandpaper is used to remove the bottom part, and the knife is to remove the top (the part that faces you when you put the reed on the mouthpiece. Look around on how to adjust clarinet reeds. It's fun to experiment with. :)


why not?
there's nothing wrong with Vandoren.

*Answering in a different thread: Vandorens are rarely consistent, unless you have the V12s.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I use Ricos, because that's what my local music shop usually has XD I've used Rico Royales, and Vandoren before, and quite frankly I like Rico standards best. Though the quality may not ALWYAS be brilliant, when they're good, they're really good.

Adding to Clarinetist's comment about the Vandoren reeds:

Just because something works well with you, it doesn't necessarily mean that it works well with other performers; different people like different things.

I guess this is very random and uncalled for, but I suddenly had this question... How many of (all of) you smoke tobaco?
It crossed my mind when I told a friend that I don't smoke or drink or do drugs because it's really bad for one's health.

I can tell you I don't. And I'm trying to make my mother to stop for my sake... Though that doesn't really work out, but she's trying to smoke less. And that's a start.

Random yes. And very much off topic XD Although, I expect that since smoking is bad for your lungs it probably doesn't have the most brilliant effect on the playing of woodwinds! Or any other instrument. But no. I don't. And never will, because I'm quite fond of being alive, and smoking is even worse than normal when you have asthma ;)

playing the flute was the best thing ever for me as an asthmatic. just learing to control your brieving takes the edge off many an asthma attack

:think:

In terms of single reed players, who else "manipulates" their reed? :think: I am, at least, am trying to make my Rico 3.5 hit my full range with little effort (lowest E ---> 2nd C above the staff), but still can't get it up there with all of the sanding and everything. :heh: Best I can get it to is from lowest E ---> 1st F above the staff).

Too bad there's not any sources that you can buy clarinet reed cane from. :\

:think:

In terms of single reed players, who else "manipulates" their reed? :think: I am, at least, am trying to make my Rico 3.5 hit my full range with little effort (lowest E ---> 2nd C above the staff), but still can't get it up there with all of the sanding and everything. :heh: Best I can get it to is from lowest E ---> 1st F above the staff).

Too bad there's not any sources that you can buy clarinet reed cane from. :\

Answer to your problem: practice, experiment, and AIR.

Answer to your problem: practice, experiment, and AIR.

I guess more experimentation will be needed, for I have been able to hit my full range for 2 years now. :heh:

Just so people know what I've done (bored :P):

Note that response is considered, but this is based on how high I can get the reeds to go with little effort.

Reeds:

Gonzalez F.O.F. 3.25 Reed
Rico 3.5 Reed
Vandoren 3 Reed

The above reeds have been sanded and wood was removed from a reed knife.

To test with:

Vito (no marking) Mouthpiece
Vandoren B45 Mouthpiece
Vandoren 5RV Mouthpiece
Vandoren M13 Mouthpiece

with ligatures;

Leblanc "L" Metal Ligature
Yamaha Metal Ligature
Rovner "Dark" Ligature (fabric), inverted
Rovner "Dark" Ligature (fabric), regular

with 2 clarinets:

Leblanc Vito 7214
Leblanc Soloist (no longer can be found online)

Using all of the resources above, I conclude the following things on a wooden clarinet:

The best combination with a Rico 3.5 (sanded, and whatnot) is a Rovner "Dark" (inverted), but the range will not go as high as I want it to. The highest I can get it to is the 2nd G above the staff; the A above with great effort. The mouthpiece that works best with a Rico in this case is a Vandoren 5RV. The M13, although it heightens the range (to the A, with little effort), does not respond quite as well, but it requires some getting used to.

With a Vandoren 3 reed (sanded, and whatnot), a Rovner "Dark" Ligature (regular) is best, depending on how long you had it. I have had this one for 2 years now. It works best on either the M13 or 5RV. It can hit full range, but some effort is required.

With a Gonzalez 3.25 reed, a Rovner "Dark" (doesn't matter) or Leblanc "L" ligature is best, depending on the reed itself, or your wanted response. The "L" is best if you just got the reed. Rovner, in my opinion, is better if you've shaved some wood off of it. It can hit full range with little to no effort. The best mouthpiece for this is the M13 (have to get used to the response) after sanding has been done. Before sanding, 5RV is best.

So in other words, newer (age) reeds are better with a metal ligature. I used the thickest Rico possible, and I conclude that Rico Reeds are just not meant to hit higher notes. :\

Depending on how old your Vito is (the more it has aged, the better; I've had this one for 5 years), and if you have "exercised" it to hit the full range, it will respond better. For plastic, 5RV is best. Wood, as many have mentioned, is not meant to make things easier. I still can't hit the highest C without more effort on the wooden one. But then again, I haven't had this one for a year yet. :heh:

There's my extended experiment. :heh: One can see that I do demand a lot. :bleh:

My Rico 3.5's can reasonably easily hit the F above the stave with NO manipulation :blink: Anything above the G though is iffy.... but that's my fault for not practicing that high, due to the fact I have no music that GOES that high and hardly ever practice scales up that high XD

ugh high notes. When i try not to blast i cant play it, and when i use more air it sounds terrible. >.< I think it's mostly my embouchure, and i need to remember to use good air support all the time. xD

My Rico 3.5's can reasonably easily hit the F above the stave with NO manipulation :blink: Anything above the G though is iffy.... but that's my fault for not practicing that high, due to the fact I have no music that GOES that high and hardly ever practice scales up that high XD

It's one of those issues with clarinet reeds; some work, some don't work so well, even if they're of the same brand and size. :\ In other words, most reeds aren't consistent with each other, even if they all came out of the same box.

I wonder if Rico makes reeds thicker than a 3.5? :think: *searches*

*EDIT:


ugh high notes. When i try not to blast i cant play it, and when i use more air it sounds terrible. I think it's mostly my embouchure, and i need to remember to use good air support all the time. xD

If I were you (that is, if you want your range to get higher), I would rent a bass clarinet for the current year, if you go to a school that has one. It helps. It gives you the ability to expand your dynamic range (I did this; on the first week, I doubled on bass clarinet. The band director said that I was playing too loud on my Bb clarinet; I apparently was "sticking out". XD So I have to treat every dynamic marking as if it were a dynamic softer now. :heh: ), and it gives you much better air support. When I first started playing bass clarinet, I was able to hit the highest C in a few weeks, with very little effort, but that was on my (aging) plastic Vito clarinet. (It was even in tune! :O) ._.; I still need to send that one to repair.

err..i play the flute. xD sorry for the misunderstanding. well, the thing is...it takes up a lot of air especially if you waste it haha. and i think i do. :sweat: i could play the high notes but the tone depends...well, it varies. sometimes its good and sometimes it isnt. @_@

err..i play the flute. xD sorry for the misunderstanding. well, the thing is...it takes up a lot of air especially if you waste it haha. and i think i do. :sweat: i could play the high notes but the tone depends...well, it varies. sometimes its good and sometimes it isnt. @_@

:heh: I forgot. :lol: The flute standards at our school require the flautists to go from lowest B to 2nd C above the staff... that's minimum too. :\

the lowest b..as in the one below the leger line? i cant play that xD at first i didnt even know if a flute can play that or not, but then i found out why. :P i need to practice the sharps/flats of the higher notes. >_<

neither can i..x_x...but i can play 3 octaves above it with good tone!:lol:

I just figured out what is wrong with my clarinet playing! :O It seems that my top teeth are "biting" on the mouthpiece, even when I try my best not to. When I put a small piece of sponge on the tips of my bottom teeth (in other words, on top of the mouthpiece itself), I hear the best tone ever coming out. O_o That tells me that I need to learn double lip... but it seems that I may never be able to do so. My lip presses hard on my mouthpiece. ._.; Any ideas from anyone on how for me to fix it without having to keep a pink sponge on my teeth? :heh:

Uh, try and relax the urge to bite down on your mouthpiece? lol... I guess it's a matter of practice, and relaxing your jaw slightly - I used to have the same problem, which is why there's tooth-marks on my mouthpiece, but I'm not quite sure how I managed to correct it. I just seem to have stopped doing it recently, lol. If I figure out how (it's hard to figure out these things without an instrument), I'll let you know!

Using more air keeps you relaxed. Just like all my music teachers taught me: Air is the key to everything. It's true because if you're tired, your embouchure would want to bite to support the tone and whatnot, however, what keeps you not tired is your air support. Don't take shallow breaths, take deep breaths that fill up your diaphragms. If you don't know how that feels like, lie down on a flat surface, breathe in with your mouth, and you'll feel how it feels like to actually breathe properly. Don't even think about vibrato, circular breathing or anything like that. Think regular AIR. Breathe! Air! Air! Air!!!!

Yoga : )

Using more air keeps you relaxed. Just like all my music teachers taught me: Air is the key to everything. It's true because if you're tired, your embouchure would want to bite to support the tone and whatnot, however, what keeps you not tired is your air support. Don't take shallow breaths, take deep breaths that fill up your diaphragms. If you don't know how that feels like, lie down on a flat surface, breathe in with your mouth, and you'll feel how it feels like to actually breathe properly. Don't even think about vibrato, circular breathing or anything like that. Think regular AIR. Breathe! Air! Air! Air!!!!


Yoga : )

XD :heh:

But, I have to say, Sir_Dotdotdot has to be right. :\ Clarinetists (in general; the school-taught ones) do not emphasize usage of a lot of air. Even if one can hit the highest C on the clarinet (like I can). Usage of air seems to only be emphasized, in a perspective of a clarinetist, in very slow and legato passages ("Slow"= 40 bpm).

And, I have been told many, many times that I need a private teacher by my band director. My scale test was yesterday, and even though I do not have a private teacher, I had the ability that almost no clarinetist can do without guidance: hitting the highest altissimo notes. Yes, he (my band teacher) is waiting for me to get a private teacher in order to "refine" everything concerning my playing.

So, I guess I need private teaching.

Im a clarinet player(school) and I forgot what an altissimo is, actually, i dunno what it is... I know, it's off-topic

Im a clarinet player(school) and I forgot what an altissimo is, actually, i dunno what it is... I know, it's off-topic

On a clarinet, the altissimo is generally regarded as starting the first D above the staff and higher notes...

------------

Has any clarinet player here tried the Mitchell Lurie brand of reeds? I bought a premium cut not too long ago, and I have to say; it's the first reed that I've tried that actually plays well out of the box. :heh: But, I don't recommend it to those who are very used to the thicker brands; e.g. Vandoren, Gonzalez, Rico Royal, Rico International, Zonda, etc... Only reason they play so well for me is because they're soft, and I have a tendency to play better on softer reeds. However, I do recommend them if you are used to the basic Rico brand. But if you're aiming for high notes, don't get it ("high"= first F above the staff and up). After about 2 days, the notes up there stopped playing for me. :\ (Just to confirm: http://clarinet.cc/archives/2007/01/the_color_and_s.html).

----------

So I just got done with a lot of experimentation. I can therefore conclude that the sponge/air amount has nothing to do with my tone problems. It's my teeth positioning. :\ (Note that I have braces.) After putting rubber bands on, response was the best it hasn't been for a long time. Unfortunately, I can't do much about it other than putting rubber bands on my braces. Oh well. :heh:

Lol, well apparently we've lost one of out 1sts since she got braces a few weeks ago - she just doesn't show up to rehearsals anymore. Oh well, no loss - it's the one I don't work well with anyway XD I do remember from primary school that there was some specific thing for woodwind players with braces - can't remember what the hell it was though, that being so long ago. Might be something to look in to?

*grins* I have my clarinet back :D Now I just have to get back into the habit of practicing, especially since band breaks for the hols after next week, so it's ALLLL up to me to keep improving, without being pushed to do so by rehearsals.

Oh, and also, do the rest of you buy reeds individualy, or by the box? Up til now I've always bought them from music retailers individually, but I want to experiment with different reeds, and to do that I'll have to buy by the box from online. Anyone know a good site? That ships to Australia, obviously, lol. Otherwise, I'll have to google it!

Lol, well apparently we've lost one of out 1sts since she got braces a few weeks ago - she just doesn't show up to rehearsals anymore. Oh well, no loss - it's the one I don't work well with anyway XD I do remember from primary school that there was some specific thing for woodwind players with braces - can't remember what the hell it was though, that being so long ago. Might be something to look in to?

Oh, and also, do the rest of you buy reeds individualy, or by the box? Up til now I've always bought them from music retailers individually, but I want to experiment with different reeds, and to do that I'll have to buy by the box from online. Anyone know a good site? That ships to Australia, obviously, lol. Otherwise, I'll have to google it!

:think: Well, I've found this (concerning braces): http://clarinet.cc/archives/2004/05/playing_with_br.html

Concerning reeds, it's always better to buy them "in bulk" (in other words, the more the better). :lol: I recommend www.wwbw.com (http://www.wwbw.com), but shipping is expensive. >.< It's safe; I was told of this website by my band director. Plus, I'm wondering if you're willing to try the Légère Reed. They're made of fibercane (or something like that; they're actually meant to be played if you are a soloist, not in a group), and they do play very nicely. :) But, they're expensive; I believe it was $15 (USD) for 1. -_-

-----

And that reminds me: I got rid of my Légère just yesterday (I like the Mitchell Lurie reeds better :P), and I bent it. Guess what? It wouldn't break. Then I cut a knife (sort of like a butter one) through it. And it STILL didn't break, with all of the slashes in it. O_O I thought my band teacher was exaggerating when he told me these reeds are "indestructible". No kidding. :heh:


EDIT: O_o Just did a bit of research on the private teacher that I will meet with in a week or so. http://www.musicsaintcroix.com/id1.html ("Karl Dikeman")

oh yeah ^_^' Now I know... I never heard of that kind of reed...I only use Vandoren so XP

oh yeah ^_^' Now I know... I never heard of that kind of reed...I only use Vandoren so XP

There's just one thing I do not like about Vandoren Reeds: they're not playable out of the box. :\ Sure, they're really nice... after a month of breaking them in and shaving wood off. -_-

I actually played my solo (Clarinet Concerto (Mozart)- 3rd Movement) yesterday! :) It went well for a first rehearsal. No technique issues, but my band director still says that I need a private teacher and I have to learn how to tongue lightly, especially during fast passages (single tounging). -_-

Flute.

We know :P

yay concert today and i get to play me oboe and me flute!!!!

I need to practice! We have an Xmas concert tomorrow - luckily they're only piss easy versions of christmas carols that I could play in my sleep, but it would be highly embarrasing if I squeaked or something because I haven't been practicing!

mine was last night. :heh: my band was like..the last ones to play. I even had to sell tickets at the door. Blah.. for the first song we played i was out of tune...it was so warm in that room and where i tuned it was cooler. :\ so i had to adjust it...even though i didnt know if it was exactly in tune. @_@ overall it was okay..

Let's hope my Cor anglais and oboe reeds don't chip before I play the Nutcracker Suite and other pieces... Double reeds are evil in cold weather.

I had my 2nd private lesson last week, and wow, did I learn a lot (on my first lesson). I apparently had "the worst habit a clarinetist could get" concerning my embouchure, which is why I was unable to do many things, e.g. double tonguing. xP Well, I actually got it fixed in less than a week, which was very tough (breaking a 5-year bad habit in a week!). And, now I know why I didn't like Vandoren Reeds: my bad embouchure favored soft ones. xP

For now, I'm just seeing what more I can do with my "proper embouchure" now.

Hehe... I don't know the slightest thing about Sax embouchures, but I've apparently got by with it ^^' I got a beat up Yamaha (Gosh how I wish I could get a new professional model), and I've never had lessons, but I've learned fast. I'm in First chair, but I don't really know the slightest thing. I've guessed on everything really (reed placement, how much mouthpeice to put in my mouth, ect.). It works XD I should really get a C* mouthpiece and a good ligature (I forgot the name of the best ones). I use Vandoren reeds like my teachers tells us, but they're so expensice (my music store sells them individually in packages at "prefered humidity." Does that even make a difference?).

Let's hope my Cor anglais and oboe reeds don't chip before I play the Nutcracker Suite and other pieces... Double reeds are evil in cold weather.

Double reeds are evil altogether.

I really think I should start making my own. :lol: I've had reeds that don't even last me a week... They're too expensive for that.

I use Vandoren reeds like my teachers tells us, but they're so expensice (my music store sells them individually in packages at "prefered humidity." Does that even make a difference?).

About Vandoren: http://clarinet.cc/archives/2007/11/a_teacher_told.html

And the humidity stuff: if the reed is too cold, it may crack after playing it. If the reed is too warm, it may "warp itself". (from experience)

Oh DX Thanks. That page made alot of sense out of what my teacher always told us :P

@La Saxofónista: awesome you play bassoon! i wished that my band had one. :heh:

Our band has one :D It's the same person who played bassoon in my High School band with me, lol - it's amusing how people tend to pop up again within the music world. Our Carols performance was boring - we only played 4 different piss-easy songs, all of which were 1 page chrissy carols that take less than a couple minutes. AND we repeated Rudolph, Frosty and Rock around the Christmas Tree at two different times becausee the stupid organiser decided not to let us play any different material, because of the crossover with a brass group and a guitarist.

Oh well, we had fun anyway XD We were the only ones singing at the top of our lungs when we weren't playing... and our percussion box got used for once. Our drummer decided that he wasn't putting his set out because we were outside and it looked like it was going to rain, so he went home. So the rest of us took turns on drums/percussion XD We may not be the most serious of groups, but damn we're fun. And we sound good when we want to.

Gosh, you don't even have a bassoon in your band?

In ours we had 4 others than me this semester. (I know that's a lot. I was surprised myself.) and next semester one's leaving.:( Looks like we have a potential for 6 next year, though. There maybe people coming from other high school's as well. Wow.

Lots of smaller bands don't have basoons - it's quite rare for them to have one, here. We didn't have an oboe until the last few months, either - but then we're a little unusual - we have about 30 people, and 11 of them are flutes and 6 of us are clarinets, so our entire brass/bassline/sax/everything else section is all of about 13 people! But that's what happens when you're a community youth orchestra who doesn't do that much advertising for new members - we're word-of-mouth only, really, and flutes tend to know other flutes, etc XD

woah..four of them. i should just come and steal one haha. :lol: my band is about 30 people too, which is probably why we dont have one. we have two oboes though ^_^

But that's what happens when you're a community youth orchestra who doesn't do that much advertising for new members - we're word-of-mouth only, really, and flutes tend to know other flutes, etc XD

That was the best sentance ever XD (half the prep girls are flutes, the rest are in choir). Anyway, I'm really mad at my Band director so I'm gonna hand him the zelda overworld piece or another full band piece and see what he thinks XD Wish me luck :P

Woot! you go! =D

Ah, but the question is, do you have all the parts? :P That's our conductor's response - if you can find the score and all the parts, we'll try it. We had all the parts but no score for a couple of pieces up til recently XD Those were the ones we messed with him the most on - because he didn't REALLY know what was meant to be going on.

I'm in a daze right now... MY BAND DIRECTOR SAID YES! Actually he siad he'd think about it, but he asked me to print the parts out seperately :3 I'll probably have to do some minor changes by transposing the string pieces to band instruments and then printing each part seprately :3 I'm so happy because it's much better than our boring pieces that we had before :D

That's incredible.

Regardless;
I play Flute and I have a hard time hitting high F and pretty much everything higher on cue.

@Full Moon: ooo..good job! you get to play a song that you like.

Wow, that's cool, Full Moon. After we come from the break, my band will start learning Kingdom Hearts Overture, that's cool, too. I found it for my band director, and she said sure. I know the 2nd flutes(me) and 1st trombones will have problems though.

I play flute and alto sax, btw. All of our flautists can easily hit our full range up to Soprano C with relative ease, except me. Lol. Our sax section is the biggest section in the band, with about a nic 10-15 of us, more or less.

And hi everyone!

Wow, that's cool, Full Moon. After we come from the break, my band will start learning Kingdom Hearts Overture, that's cool, too. I found it for my band director, and she said sure. I know the 2nd flutes(me) and 1st trombones will have problems though.

I play flute and alto sax, btw. All of our flautists can easily hit our full range up to Soprano C with relative ease, except me. Lol. Our sax section is the biggest section in the band, with about a nic 10-15 of us, more or less.

And hi everyone!

The biggest section? Must be nice. We only had two saxophones in our band last semester (and I suppose it's staying that way this next semester.) they both played alto as well! One didn't show most of the time as well.

Kind of weird to have a bassoon section bigger than a saxophone section isn't it?:lol:

Has any woodwind player here played (the band tune) "Ride" by Samuel R. Hazo? I cannot tongue the first few measures without having to use some sort of weird articulation.


Here's what I mean:

This is what it shows:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j266/Bbclarinetist/Noname1-1.png

This is what I'm doing:

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j266/Bbclarinetist/NonameA.png

Tempo is at a 168/quarter note.

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In my band, 1/4 of the band are flautists, 1/2 are saxophones, and the other 1/4 are everyone else. :heh:

Just tongue it normally without that slur you added, since the tempo is already that fast, it doesn't make much difference if you accent each sixteenth note or not.

Well, we have 3 alto saxes, 1 tenor and 1 bari, I believe (i haven't actually looked behind me for a while....) And they are incapable of playing anything below MF in volume - which makes it pretty hard when us 2 first clarinets are meant to be playing ABOVE any combination of saxes! But then, you can't hear us above pretty much anyone, unless none of the louder instruments are playing XD At least there's 2 of us again now so you can hear us OCCASIONALLY!

Most of our reportoire is movie/musical music. We play what our audiences find interesting - thankfully WE find some of it fun as well!

My band is pretty well balanced... There's about 3 alto saxes, 2 tenors, and a bari, about 15 clarinets, and maybe 1-12 flutes. The brass section is equally distributed between trumpets, low brass, and French horns.

I have some clarinet questions though... First, is there a major difference between size 2.5 and 2 reeds? ((Is one or the other 'easier' or 'better' to play?)) And the second question, is there a good way to empty excess spit while playing, or does it just come out as it pleases?

My band is pretty well balanced... There's about 3 alto saxes, 2 tenors, and a bari, about 15 clarinets, and maybe 1-12 flutes. The brass section is equally distributed between trumpets, low brass, and French horns.

I have some clarinet questions though... First, is there a major difference between size 2.5 and 2 reeds? ((Is one or the other 'easier' or 'better' to play?)) And the second question, is there a good way to empty excess spit while playing, or does it just come out as it pleases?

For the reed question, I'm sure Clarinetist would provide a better answer. However, for the spit question: you suck it out if you play oboe, or clarinet while playing.

I have some clarinet questions though... First, is there a major difference between size 2.5 and 2 reeds? ((Is one or the other 'easier' or 'better' to play?)) And the second question, is there a good way to empty excess spit while playing, or does it just come out as it pleases?

The amount of it being easier to play varies from player to player. Skill is not determined by reed size/strength... 2.5 is thicker than 2. It helps one hit the higher notes easier. What reed brand are you talking about?

If you need a suggestion on what strength to get, I need your amount of experience (in years), your clarinet note range, and brand of clarinet, if possible...

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If any of your notes sound spitty (especially the A that doesn't need any holes), blow through the holes that correspond to the note. (Specifically for the A and Ab, press on them and blow through them). But if you must, just swab it during a session, if you can. Or do what Sir_Dotdotdot said.

However, if you've been playing one thickness of reed for a whlie and are starting to find it too easy to play, it might be time to go up a bit, anyway - it's still really a personal choice though. I luff my 3's because they're just right for most of what I need to play, but if there's something that's up in altissimo for most of the piece, it's easier to use my 3.5's.

Oh, and I've still got a 2.5 floating around somewhere for the times when i need to be LOUD, since it's so much easier to play XD

I've just begun learning clarinet, as I got mine on Christmas... I really just wanted to know what reed is good to start out on. What prompted my question was that when I experimented on a size 2 ((after using a 2.5)), I couldn't hit any notes below a C on the low register. Is this just because I was using a new reed, or because I switched sizes?

I've just begun learning clarinet, as I got mine on Christmas... I really just wanted to know what reed is good to start out on. What prompted my question was that when I experimented on a size 2 ((after using a 2.5)), I couldn't hit any notes below a C on the low register. Is this just because I was using a new reed, or because I switched sizes?

If I were you, I would try to mix between 2 and 2.5 reeds in your case, or just stay on a 2.5. Plus I would try to develop embouchure muscles, since you had a sort of limited range with the 2 reeds (you just got yours on Christmas, so don't experiment too much yet). What is the highest note you can hit? Can you note which reed brand you are using? I'd stay away from Vandoren reeds; they're really thick for a starting clarinet player.

My entire range right now is from the low F to an F sharp on the high register. The brand I'm playing right now is flying goose, it came with my clarinet.

My entire range right now is from the low F to an F sharp on the high register. The brand I'm playing right now is flying goose, it came with my clarinet.

O_o After doing some research on that brand, the cane is quite clean compared to Rico. Are you talking about the F# 5th line on the staff?

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What is your instrument's brand name, and model number if possible? You do have some very good reeds, but it may be an instrument problem...

I miss Mozart reeds. :(

I miss Mozart reeds. :(

:think: The closest I can find to one of those is a Gonzalez reed, F.O.F. :bleh: Apparently Muncy Winds sells Mozart reeds, which I doubt is true (*is on website*).

Question here:

I did a little experiment in band. With school-taught clarinetists like myself, there's always the problem of tonguing too hard. In my past post, I stated that I had learned from my (former) private teacher (I quit getting lessons from him after 2 weeks; long story) that I had "the worst habit a clarinetist could get" and solved the embouchure problem in a week. So, today, I was able to utilize the "proper" embouchure during band class and got as much air as I could through my clarinet's bore. The thing is, as I mentioned, there's the problem of tonguing too hard. I blew a lot of air, tongued using my bad hard tonguing, and I couldn't hear any tonguing noise. To summarize, the question is, does air just make tonguing lighter?

Your answer: Air makes everything work.

wow....you guys have alot of people in your band :P In my band, flutes are the majority @_@
I have about 10 clarinets(including me) about 10~15 flutes, 2 tubas/bassoons, 1 oboe, 5 baritones, 6 trombones, 8 trumpets and about 8 saxes(1 tenor, 7 alto)

Wow, you have a lot of people in your band ;) But then, most school bands tend to be larger than community bands apart from the ginormous semi-professional ones! *sigh* AKA the ones we always end up against in band comps.