Clarinet Air

[RiehlSax]

I seem to have a problem getting enough air through my clarinet. My teacher is extremely P.Oed about it, but he can't explain to me what I'm doing wrong. I don't know if he wants more volume, speed, whatever. Everyone says my tone is suffering from it. HELP!!!!! BTW, I've played sax for two years before I started on clarinet, so that's probably what could be it!! Anyway, what should I do!!! ARRRGHHHH!!!!

Tom

[Merlin]

Let me get this straight...Your teacher can't explain to you what you're doing wrong?

I suggest you find a new teacher.

[Bootman]

Try playing super soft C2 (C in the staff) and B2 notes. Play these notes so that you can just hear the note above the air noise of your breath. Play these notes for as long as you can (20 to 30 secs should be adequate) without the notes wobbling, changing pitch or getting louder. Try this for a week or so and let us know how youget along.

[Razzy]

Could be that there's a leak somewhere, no? If you've got a breath support concept down on the sax, you just need to increase it a bit and be more picky about it on the clarinet... it shouldn't require THAT much more air. If your air and your breath support and your embouchure are all there, get the horn checked out!!

This happened to my alto for the longest time. I thought I was just becoming worse all of the sudden, but no, I was actually probably becoming better because I got a consistent tone on my alto despite a huge LEAK around the G# key!! So yea, get that horn checked out.

[paulwl]

Is your reed too hard? What reed do you play on a closed alto mouthpiece? That's probably a good place to start on clarinet.