Clarinet players only!!!

[conntenor]

I introduced my brother to this site and he wishes to know how to cross the break quickly. Anything regarding to clarinet is welcome to be discussed in this topic.

[mike]

Good hand position, air support and lots and lots of practice. And take some lessons with a clarinet player who can observe your mechanics.

The Klose "Celebrated Method for Clarinet" has a section of about 60 exercises for execution. These are a real help for anyone just starting out. There are books of exercises by Kroepsch which are great for crossing the break. Running scales and scale patterns (thirds, fourths, arpeggios, etc.) as in the Baerman books. And for playing musically, there are the Rose etudes.

[Bootman]

The Langenus books are great for the break crossing exercises too. IT bascially requires lots of practise to become comfortable with this area of the clarinet.

[Wicked Good]

The Carl Baermann "Complete Method for Clarinet", Third Division, provides lots of scale and arpeggio studies that cross the break. Take it slow and easy until you build up technique. This book was published by Carl Fisher last I knew.

A good clarinet teacher who knows proper hand position is a must! Flapping your fingers around the tiny clarinet like you're trying to play a bass sax won't cut it! (No insult intended to bass sax players - the size difference makes a good contrasting scenario.) 8)

[David Spiegelthal]

May I recommend you ask such questions on http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/list.html?f=1

This is the Clarinet Pages bulletin board, the best website I'm aware of for clarinetists of all skill levels.

[mostly alto guy]

David, please e-mail me re: B&H 926 mods. I've lost track of your address.

mithril60@hotmail.com

[conntenor]

I had already signed my brother up on there yesterday.

[michaelbaird]

Use good hand position and breath support and anticipation of going over the break.

[Saxy Nate]

A quick tip for that is to keep the four right hand fingers down when playing the throat tones (Gb/F# up) before crossing the break. This will lower the pitch of the throat tones but should be negligible from Ab upwards.

Hope this helps. :D

I'm so Saxy - Nate!

[Gordon (NZ)]

There are better options (for intonation and tone) than just keeping the right four fingers down. They create a second resonant air column (of appropriate length for each particular note) in the lower part of the clarinet. They are called 'resonance fingerings'.

The particular fingerings differ a bit from clarinet to clarinet. For my YCL62 Yamaha I like the following:

Throat Bb: Add L:2,3 & R:1,2,3
Throat G# & A: Add L:2,3 & R:1,2
Throat G: Add L:3 & R:1,2

These types of fingerings seem awkward and difficult to remember at first, but soon become automatic, aiding going over the break, improving the tone of the throat notes, and putting less weight on the right thumb. As far as I know, many professional players use them.

[Anji]

Have a look at the toneholes on the instrument.

The "pinch" B-flat is produced by the outlet of sound near the mouthpiece.
The "long" B is produced by the outlet of sound through the bell.

They are nearly 20 inches apart.

It takes additional impetus to get the air excited about making this trip.

*********
When playing open G, and higher, I keep my right hand fingers down, to sound "long B" on the right hand side.

After playing "pinch" B-flat, I tighten my abdomen to increase the available pressure and blow BABY blow!

Remind your bro that it's a woodwind and it needs air.

[michaelbaird]

Think about playing "through the phrase" going over the break, like playing "through the horn" on sax and support and direct the air column accordingly using good finger position, and practice.

[KEN K]

Been playing clarinet for 55 years. I have no problem going over the break and the reason is I barely lift my fingers off the keys,they go up about one quarter inch. I was never told to do this when I was learning it just happened.I one asked the band director why I had no problem going over the break and he pointed it out to me how low my fingers were over the keys.

And lots of pratice.