Perhaps my title was click bait? I was impressed to talk a person that has taken lessons from Bonade and was close friends with Marcellus, Buddy de Franco, and Eddie Daniels. It would have been great if Ron’s direct life experience included more Gigliotti, but I can’t get on board with that as an omission that amounts to much in this context
Are you generally a fun of profile 88 or the 13 series? I've been lately experimenting with the M15 profile 88 and a 13 series one and definitely like the 13 series more, there's difference in feeling and sound other than tuning. I guess It also depends on mouthpiece form and may would like the profile 88 more over the 13 series in another model. But all in all, I've came to a conclusion that If we like a model, we should try It in all versions of It, traditional, profile 88 and 13 series because tuning can be managed by barrel choosing either one. So, only thing matters is how It plays, not If you play at 442 or 440, that shouldn't be a concern for choosing the profile 88 If someone plays at 442 or choosing 13 series If someone plays at 440.
As you say in your comment - the difference in the 13 is the chamber which is made to play a little bit lower in pitch. Along with that there is a bit of a change in how it plays, but it's hard (at least for me) to characterize what that is. The profile 88, as far as I know, has exactly the same facing and chamber as a traditional, but with a different angle of the beak. I am not a fan of how that feels in my mouth. That is a personal feeling and I think everybody would need to assess that for themselves. I like the idea of the 13. I have played on them for long periods, but switched back to the traditional because I found the sound to be "hollow" and harder to focus. The profile 88 always seemed like a solution looking for a problem. That said, if somebody likes it - thats great.
I was taught early on to use an emery board to shorten reeds, which has the benefit of allowing you to maintain the shape of the edge of the tip of the reed.
@@eichlerphoto I was never taught that. I have never had much luck clipping reeds or shortening them in any way. This tool gave me the right tip shape and very fine adjustment tools. It’s a pretty hyper specific tool but a really good one
Ron is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. First off, incredibly kind. The amazing musician, clarinetist, life story, dentistry, author...make his authenticity more inspiring
In both of the instances you mention, there are curves involved. I am only guessing, but it would be complicated and expensive to fashion a piece of wood into that shape - much less do it consistently. There is no reason a barrel couldn't be made out of metal. There are entire clarinets made out of metal. I think all of those are from a long time ago, and I rarely see one in the wild and have never seen one in a professional situation or semi professional situation. All that said, there is no real reason why it would be a usable barrel
Great technique practice! I was wondering how at the end of each "section" should be played as observed (skipping the 4th note), or would it be better to play the fourth note - Curious if it was served a practical purpose or if it was more to fit into the barline and still get that root note. Thanks!
If I am tracking the question right…the note left out allows for the pattern to get to the next tonic on the down beat and create the harmonic movement to do so. As far as taking breaths, I just hold the tonic that falls where I need the breath and restart on the same note
I don't know why, RT19 cuts the reed in much more rounded shape than original V12 cut.. And I had It another time in the past, same was happening, so returned It. Do I need to adjust it with the left and right wheel? I didn't mess with that yet.
I suppose it could be that the side to side adjustment needed to be messed with. Hard for me to say one way or another. It seems like it would still make basically the same shape either way
Hi Jay, I've incorporated your overtone excercise in my warm-up routine for almost 2 years, and I still find the phrase starting on low G (6 toneholes covered) almost impossible to complete; as soon as I release the reg. key, the tone rumbles from clarion D back to G. Mind you, the 3 notes further below aren't easy either (F#, F and E) but doable. I've tried to conquer the G3/D5 phrase with a zillion variations in air speed/support, voicing, jaw position and embouchure, but I can't seem to get it right. Now my question is: Is that particular phrase particularly difficult due to some inherent feature of the clarinet acoustics, or is there a secret to it, I haven't figured out?
I have worked with other people that have a similar challenge. There is a chance (and I say this as a shot int he dark) that the lowest tone hole - the C/F key tone hole - is too open or too closed. Have you tried this with multiple clarinets in order to investigate something like that? That would be my first suggestion to get that piece of information before I searched elsewhere
I haven't done it. I would love to have my friend Evan Christopher make one with me. I can voice like him, but the sound I get is not the same as his (by a long shot). I will see if I can get him to come over and do the video with me.
Hey buddy! Aloha! I just got these yesterday thanks to you! I’m still having endurance issues so I got the 3 and 3.25. Did you choose to pursue these any longer? Also…is it ok to just use the case that they provided? Also…do you know of the indications that signals that the reed is worn out? By the way…you sound great no matter what you use!!!! I’m jealous!!!!
I am still playing V12's. It would be a difficult thing to get me to stop using them. However - I think these are the best Synthetic reeds I have tried. I use the case that comes with them rather than a traditional reed case. Because of the expense of these reeds, I don't like to slide the tip of them under anything. If the tip gets bent even slightly - I am not able to use the reed at all. At first it feels weird to use the case they come in (at least it did for me), but I have never messed a reed up doing it. They don't have any warping issues either - that is a wonderful upside.
Hi Jay! Long time yeah? Thank you so much for your amazing videos! I am so glad to know that our approach to the thumb position is exact. The thumb position and angle is also a key to getting the fingers pointing downward angle. Worst is when the students left thumb is pointing straight up. Yikes…finger issues galore. You make everything so simple! You’re amazing! Love ya! Mahalo!!!!
I love the thumb pointing to the post at an angle, that's exactly what i tell my sax students who are getting started doubling on clarinet. The left thumb gymnastics are so unique to the instrument
I talk about that left thumb pretty often, so I guess that makes two of us! You forgot the "sloppy favorite" extra position - the one where you rest that thumb on the wood of the clarinet below the thumb mechanism while playing throat G, G#, and A. I know you've seen students do this!
That is something that I have seen for sure! In my head, when I make videos for this channel, I am thinking of adults - and they do that particular move far less than the kids! As always, thanks for watching and contributing good stuff to the conversation :)
I couldn't possibly agree with you more about practicing with intent. I've been fortunate to have taken a long break from music and come back at least equal to my skills, and in some ways better, then before. Keep in mind I am not a professional, I am an enthusiastic hobbyist. I have said to others that practicing without intent is just putting in time. Intent gives us meaning, focus and progress. I've spent the last year focused on clarinet. Like many, I play the big 3 (clarinet/flute/saxophone). I had a goal of being a clarinet player instead of someone who doubles on clarinet. While my skills aren't quite up to my primary instrument, I no longer say I "double" on clarinet; I play clarinet. This works. I am not a part of the dojo (yet).
In 15 years, I've played B40, B40 Lyre, B45, B45 Lyre (best of then till now, for me ofc), M30 Lyre (great one as well) and I am now on a BD5. I've played a BG one, I think it the model was B1 or something like that. That was my favourite but it was given to me just for a period of time like 8 years ago and I never got the chance to buy one bcs no one would seem to have them. Would love to try it again tho to see if it was really that good as I thought at the time. I've just realized the amount of money I've spent only into mouthpieces... I'm not even a professional clarinet player lol
First of all, there are worse things to spend (more) money on than clarinet mouthpieces:) There is little one can do to have more fun than fiddling with mouthpieces and pretending (wholeheartedly and honestly) that this is “the last mouthpiece I am ever going to need”.
My challenge at the moment is a certain fast passage in the altissimo register: Eb Eb D Eb F Eb D where 2,3,5,6 are 16th, the rest 1,4,7 are 8th notes. I have to play the 16th notes by double tongueing and I need to play the F using the open/short fingering (left 2,3 and 4th finger, rather than the normal, long fingering). Here's the problem: the F mostly doesn't respond, at least not when playing fast, but sometimes it does. I tried this for a long time, the response isn't reliable enough for a performance. Changing my (Vandoren) reed to strength 4 does seem to help, but I cannot perform the whole concert with this reed. Would you suggest to train myself to always be able to play the 4 reed? Or would you rather switch reeds after the movement where this passage occurs? I play a Buffet Festival A clarinet for this piece. Sorry for the long-winded question.
If the reed is properly balanced, the high notes will respond more easily, and will most likely feel lighter as in order to balance it, you will need to remove material. Check out Tom Ridenour's ATG Reed resurfacing system. Also, sometimes we move the tongue too much when we articulate, this disrupts the air speed and then high notes don't speak as consistently. One thing that has helped me with this is learning to articulate without the register key, keeping the tongue position high, the air very fast and up front, and the articulation very light
Sure thing! Of course, practicing without the register key is only an exercise to develop better tongue position and air support, when you perform you of course use the register key normally. It's also good to learn how to do this slurred first before you try articulating without the register key. Make sure to keep the embouchure relaxed and rely on strong air support and high voicing to get the high notes to speak. I think Jessica Phillips has a nice video on practicing without the register key.
Without hearing this I can only speculate:) I think that the voicing/tongue position that you are using to produce the altissimo is being disrupted by the tongue position you are using to tongue those notes. I suspect the harder reed is forcing you (by the nature of more resistance) to close that gap and be more favorable to that register. As another commenter said Jessica Phillips has a good video on that. I agree. Any video on this channel that deals with tone also has a “no register key” component to it. That is a foundational technique that, if practiced correctly can clear existing roadblocks and prevent ones you don’t even see coming.
I have heard of that working, but I have never done it myself. In cases like that, I err on the side of not talking about it. I don't have any direct experience with it. I am curious to know if you have tried it and what you think of it
I signed up and "bought" the scale exercise, but when I got to my library there's nothing there. I don't know if the problem's on my end, but I thought I should let you know·
I appreciate you telling me. I would be happy to send them directly to you if you email me at Theclarinetninja@gmail.com sorry for the hassle. Thanks for telling me and I will make sure everything is good on my end:)
I like playing M15 mouthpiece but most V12 3.5 feel light and most of 3.5+ need stronger airstream than I like. Probably with the RT19 will be possible to find the sweet spot by slightly trimming the 3.5 reeds.
I asked Brad to send me a sampling of his barrels to check out. I chose two to use. I am unaware of what’s on his site. I think he does so much updating of the materials that it’s hard to keep the site as current as it could be. As someone who has an active website it can be difficult to stay organized with. I think all of what’s in the video can be purchased by anybody. If it’s not up on the site I would email him through the site and tell him you what you want.
At best, all I could do is show how to compare one to the other, but I would not be able to show how to get exact numbers. As far as my experience tells me, that is something that takes tools and skills developed in a more niche part of the clarinet world than I reside.
You saw one of his professional models. Those are great. Go to clarkfobes.com and find the debut Bb clarinet mouthpiece. Don’t buy this one from amazon. There was some counterfeit ones out there a while back
Found out the double lip embouchure is a great aid to developing a better embouchure. Found out how important the upper lip is in forming your sound. Important info.
S is for sliver key (chromatic B/F#) SK is for side keys (chromatic F#) RL means to use right pinky on the C key while playing B or C#(Db) with the left pinky
