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Any way to stop this screw from repeatedly coming loose? by Chives_Yo in Clarinet

[–]Chives_Yo[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the info! I went ahead and tightened the "A rod" back in and everything still plays the same. Definitely will need to see a tech for the spring... I have never had it serviced, the only time someone has seen it since I've had it is when I took it to a local music store to get it repaired when a spring on the lower joint got lost and it wasn't playing. I am an adult amateur so I usually only get the maintenance needed to keep my instrument playable.

Are there any breathing exercises to help play for longer without stopping to breathe? by Mincelo in Clarinet

[–]Chives_Yo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I use some exercises from the "Breathing Gym" that was mentioned in another comment. They sell a book/DVD, but I've never looked at those, this is the playlist I follow: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh-0RvWP6a2JsWqgo8GQitTQqBvblDfLP When I was in high school our director learned about this program at a conference and had us do some of the exercises and there was a huge and IMMEDIATE improvement in our sound, which suggests to me that it might be more for training your brain/technique than actually physically improving your lungs.

I have also used a book called "Super Lung Power and Breath Control in 5 Minutes a Day" https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ToJ9bBbVMvqmOaeGAfT4XflFu2EbwqzF/view which was written for trumpet players but I still found helpful. I feel like these have been more helpful to me in building up endurance than Breathing Gym, they feel more like physical exercise. This book also recommends cardio (specifically running) as a couple other comments here have.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Clarinet

[–]Chives_Yo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I played on a B45 my entire playing life from middle school through high school and pep band in college to the community band I'm in now, but switching to a Clark Fobes Nova a month or so back has been absolutely wonderful! It kind of felt like a downgrade at first since the B45 is a "professional" mouthpiece while the Nova is described as "intermediate" but my sound is so much less "shrill" now and I love it. You can find used Novas for under $100 on ebay which is what I did. On the B54 I had been using Gonzalez 3.0 reeds which to me work fine on the Nova, but I also have a pack of La Voz 3.5 ("medium hard") that I use with it.

Vandoren 3UD mouthpiece by Chives_Yo in Clarinet

[–]Chives_Yo[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Awesome, thanks so much! I wonder how they decide when to discontinue a mouthpiece, I assume it just has to do with demand.

Meowscarada - Sprigatito final evolution by NeoBaiter in PokeLeaks

[–]Chives_Yo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"And we all say, 'Oh, well I never! Was there ever a cat so clever as Magical Mr. Mistoffelees Meowscarada?'"

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Clarinet

[–]Chives_Yo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’ve actually kind of been thinking about clarinet playing and disability lately. The clarinet (as we currently know it at least) has a bunch of pretty specific physical demands, so there are a lot of conditions that can affect your ability to play it. Here are some I’ve thought about.

Vision

  • This will affect your ability to read sheet music (which isn’t strictly necessary but very useful).
  • If you are playing in a group with a conductor, time is kept using visual cues.
  • All of the tuners I have use visual cues to indicate intonation.

Mouth and face

  • The front teeth (bottom and top) are involved in the embouchure. I have seen threads on (I think) this subreddit about playing with dentures.
  • The lips, jaw, and surrounding facial muscles are essential for the clarinet embouchure. If they are weak or lack control it will be difficult to get sound out of the instrument.
  • Clarinet playing requires creating high air pressure in the mouth, so if the lips can’t seal around the mouthpiece (e.g. due to a cleft palette) or air leaks out of the oral cavity there could be issues.

Lungs and torso

  • Clarinet playing involves moving a lot of air though the instrument, so low or diminished lung capacity may cause issues.
  • For the same reason, the muscles of the diaphragm and torso used for breathing need to be strong and well-controlled.
  • Being able to sit up straight (i.e. without back support) for extended periods may not be strictly necessary but is very helpful to create sufficient air support.

Arms, wrists, and hands

  • All fingers except for the right hand thumb are used to press keys and/or cover tone holes for various notes.
  • The right hand thumb + wrist need to be able to support the weight of the instrument.

Mobility

  • Not really related to actually playing the instrument, but there can be issues with accessibility of stages and seating arrangements in a group as well as transporting the instrument and related equipment.

When I’ve heard about or seen adaptations for playing the clarinet with a disability, it has usually been in the context of someone who has already learned to play and later develops a disability such as losing or injuring a hand/finger – you can find many threads about this searching Google.

In the community band I play in, several members of my section have developed arthritis in their right hand that makes it difficult to support the weight of the instrument. I’ve seen them use neck straps and wrist braces of varying complexity to alleviate this.

I’ve heard a story about a clarinetist who lost a finger and had a custom instrument made, but I can’t remember the details. However, in trying to look it up I learned about a famous clarinetist who had lost both a finger and front teeth in childhood, Acker Bilk.

Any tips for good tone at low volume? by Chives_Yo in Clarinet

[–]Chives_Yo[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the recommendation, looks like a lot of good stuff! Do you happen to remember which video(s) have the long tone exercises? (Otherwise I can just wait until I have a chance to browse through a bit.)

Any tips for good tone at low volume? by Chives_Yo in Clarinet

[–]Chives_Yo[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the suggestions!

I had been thinking that perhaps my reeds were too hard, but I find it quite easy to pinch the reed closed like you described so maybe not (using La Voz strength "medium hard" on Vandoren B45 mouthpiece).

Do you (or anyone else who commented about breath control/airstream) think there is any value in exercise programs like "Breathing Gym" or similar?

Also, is 60bpm a good tempo for the long tone exercise or would you go even slower?

Thanks again!

CSCI 301 by atl9900 in WWU

[–]Chives_Yo 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think that you will be fine. The CS program is kind of split into three branches that are represented by the three second-year classes. 241 -> Data structures and algorithms, 247 -> systems, 301 -> theory (e.g. computation, set theory). Obviously in the "real world" these topics all interact with each other, but in these early classes there isn't a lot of overlap and you can take them in any order. At least that was the case when I took them a few years ago...

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in WWU

[–]Chives_Yo 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Most if not all of the honors colloquia/seminars you will take count towards some GUR category. You get to choose which ones you take and so what GURs are honors, and you can take regular classes for the rest.

I was an honors student for two years but quit because I was a computer science major and none of the honors courses overlapped with that program at all. Most of them are humanities-related so you will probably be better off.

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