Jump to content

Clarinet Glissandos Chart.


SYS65

Recommended Posts

Hello,

someone asked for this years ago, (I was newbie here) I said I could do one but our "woodwinds expert" Mr.McConaughey (Flint) said "nah, wrrrr, because grrrrrrr, and wrrrrr also grrrrr...." and he was Mod then, so I didn't say a word.

I did one, just I'm not a Pro clarinetist, so I'd like you all who play clarinet watch this and tell me if you consider I should change something, the point here is to give a clear idea of which glissandos can be possible (for people don't play clarinet) because some people listens a glissando and say "oh you see, is possible" and write another one is NOT possible :P

I'm not sure about the highest glisses.

Glissandos are possible because Clarinet is a half whole half keys mechanism instrument, notes are determinated by keys make not gliss possible.

ClarinetGlissChart.jpg

how does it look to you ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well you'll think in something...

Just I forgot to mention that all so called "possible" glissandos sholud be concidered as "difficult". Clarinet is not a trombone.

For long intervales like G-B a fast gliss won't work, it won't sound linear, I'd say that a true linear gliss on G-B takes at least 3 seconds, so is not like having fun with the pitch-bend wheel.

EDIT:

a few hours after making this chart I was like thinking this was too good to be truth :D so I tried to play those and I found this:

Gliss 1 G-B (not so difficult)

Gliss 2 C-Eb (Difficult to play it linear, is like smooth steps)

Gliss 3 E-F# (Difficult)

Gliss 4 D-F# (very difficult, wave easily collapses)

Gliss 5 G-Bb (Difficult)

Gliss 6 C-E (very difficult, wave easily collapses)

Higher glisses, I couldn't do it.

All glissandos are easier descendent.

I could record so you can hear, like I said, is not like trombone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am by no means a "professional" clarinetist, but I have to respond to this post... First: a glissando "chart" for the clarinet is bogus and useless; just write the notes you would like the performer to slide to and from and they will do it. If it is over the break, they can compensate with quick chromatic and/or lip adjustments. If the performer can not do this, find a better performer. Second: your range chart is off. A Bb clarinet's lowest sounding concert pitch is a D below the E displayed above. What you have shown is the "written pitch," which doesn't change between clarinets (the actual sounding pitch does change). Third: A good performer could easily extend the range of the gliss to a high A or Bb (again with the use of the embouchure). Fourth: performing a glissando from the (4th line) D above the break to any upper note (high C - two ledger lines) is the easiest range of the clarinet within which to glissando. Fifth: Glissandos are much more difficult when descending. Finally: a glissando on the clarinet should not result solely from "half-holing"... the embouchure and tongue position should do most of the work. I hope this clears up a number of things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey, thanks for your input.

First: a glissando "chart" for the clarinet is bogus and useless; just write the notes you would like the performer to slide to and from and they will do it. If it is over the break, they can compensate with quick chromatic and/or lip adjustments. If the performer can not do this, find a better performer.

No I don't think is that useless, Lip gliss can be done an all notes, like in Sax, but would be only -1 whole step at most.

Second: your range chart is off. A Bb clarinet's lowest sounding concert pitch is a D below the E displayed above. What you have shown is the "written pitch," which doesn't change between clarinets (the actual sounding pitch does change).

Ops, yes, my mistake :D, I'm fixing that "Written pitch"

Third: A good performer could easily extend the range of the gliss to a high A or Bb (again with the use of the embouchure).

I'd say G is the fair end, altissimo skills should not be included on ranges, is like Sax, F# is the end, I can play A but I won't write it. Bb sounds way too high, no doubt some pros can do it but I'll set G# as higher in the chart.

Fourth: performing a glissando from the (4th line) D above the break to any upper note (high C - two ledger lines) is the easiest range of the clarinet within which to glissando.

Strange, then was me on my cheap clarinet.

Fifth: Glissandos are much more difficult when descending.

again, strange, I noticed all glisses easier in descendent because was easier to control the pitch by start closing the wholes, than start opening them.

Finally: a glissando on the clarinet should not result solely from "half-holing"... the embouchure and tongue position should do most of the work. I hope this clears up a number of things.

Yes, all this is quite helpful, in order to make a good discussion about this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 7 years later...

Hi all - bored at home in Covid Quarantine - and stumbled on this thread. I'm a professional clarinetist - www.paulsaundersclarinet.co.uk -and thought I'd share my thoughts. 

Gliss-ing is tricky one to master and is only usually utilised from c (above middle c) to the top (rhapsody in blue) c. Having said that, it's possible to go further as the gif demonstrates. 

The way in to this effect is to imagine 'catching' the sound at the back of your throat using your larynx in the same way a thumb might go over a water tap to make a jet. If done correctly, this will strangle the sound, it doesn't sound good but it's not supposed to.

Try this on an 'all fingers down' C. When you hear the change the next step is to make a break in the sound. 

Under normal circumstances this would have a massive detrimental affect on the note BUT because you have 'caught' the sound at the back of the throat you 'should' begin to gain control of the beginning of a gliss.

Initially, lift the RH 4th (ring) finger whilst playing the C and see if that works. If it doesn't, then you haven't successfully 'caught' the sound.

If you have, CONGRATULATIONS  ! 

Then experiment with lifting the middle and then the index finger. Once the 'break' in the sound has been made, you should be able to gliss anywhere within the 2 octave range, providing your embouchure can already find those notes.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zuze94g24ajvlj4/Quarantine%20Glissing%20Lesson%20Vid.mov?dl=0

Hope that helps.

Paul 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...