Bass Clarinet
Hello to whoever this may concern,
I am in need of help and would highly appreciate it if my request was answered.
You see, I have been playing the bass clarinet for about 2 and a half years.
I know most of my scales off by heart, have improved my sound quality drastically and can sight read sufficiently.
Yet just recently my music conductor has informed me that my tonguing is not adequate when I play.
She says that I am using the back of my tongue or something along those lines. She calls what I am doing, "clucking".
If I were to learn how to tongue properly, it would greatly improve my performance.
I am open to what ever advice there is to take. I have tried playing in front of a mirror and I still can't seem to get it right.
Thank you to those who answer this.
Sincerely,
A distraught bass clarinetist
Bass Clarinet
Hey Sonia, I love the bass clarinet! Try this: when playing notes let your tongue recoil from the reed instead of striking it. Think of your air as being in a pressurized state and when you play a note the air pressure pushes the tongue off the reed. It works well for me. Good luck! Pat
That is a great tip,
That is a great tip, hearatic. I know that tonguing technique is very very important for playing bass clarinet. It can produce a much richer sound. Sometimes it might now be noticeable right away, but if you compare them through recordings on speakers (Niles Audio, for example), you can really tell a difference. Good luck with your technique!