Tone Quality and Focused Sound in Single Reeds - Part II - ProQuest

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Tone Quality and Focused Sound in Single Reeds - Part II

Dyck, Kevin. Canadian Music Educator 43. 4 (Summer 2002): 31-32.
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In part two of a series, considerations in quality tone production when playing a reed instrument are discussed. The position of the throat and tongue, articulation, and proper assembly of the instrument are addressed. The selection of mouthpieces and reeds can also affect tone. Hearing other musicians perform is a good way for young players to develop a concept of personal sound. Narrow subject Tone Sound Quality

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Reed Players Teaching Methods More... Broad subject Music Education

Kevin Dyck
Tone Quality and Focused Sound in Single Reeds -- PART II

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Kevin Dyck

Copyright 2002 Canadian Music Educators Association.

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Tone Quality and Focused Sound in Single Reeds - Part II - ProQuest

kevin dyck

Part I of this article (CME 43(1), Fall 2001) dealt primarily with the use of air to produce a focused, characteristic tone on a single reed instrument. Although the correct use of air is, and should be, the primary concern when playing any wind instrument, it is not the only factor involved in quality tone production. Starting at the throat and moving outward through the instrument, this article will address several other considerations in tone production.

What takes place in the throat and oral cavity directly affects the air stream travelling through the instrument. It is important that beginning musicians are taught to ''feel'' the ''openness'' that is required in the throat of all wind musicians. This feeling can be impressed any number of ways. Some suggestions might be:

* the feeling of a yawn -- Have your students yawn together and ask them to notice how their throats open to take in the air. Have them try to achieve that feeling while playing a note.

* ''Say AWWW'' -- as if at the doctor's office. A deep, throaty AWWW will also adequately open the airway.

* Imagine something holding the throat open i.e. a hollowed out egg shell, a short tube, etc.

The position of the tongue while playing is as critical to tone production as it is to intonation and flexibility. Although opinions vary one main point remains; the tongue should be somewhat ''arched'' toward the back of the oral cavity while the tip of the tongue remains poised for articulation. This position allows for greater focus of the air stream out of the throat and into the instrument. Playing mouthpieces (and barrels for clarinets) alone are an excellent method of determining the tongue's position while playing. Ask a student to play on the mouthpiece alone and slowly alter the position of the tongue within the mouth. A great range of pitches will likely be produced as the various tongue positions alter the flow of air into the mouthpiece. Play the correct mouthpiece pitch for your student (printed in Part I of this article) and have them slowly move the tongue until they have achieved the correct pitch. Don't forget that the correct use of air is also a concern here. Thecorrect mouthpiece pitches can be achieved only with a combination of air and tongue/throat position. An exaggeration of the arch in the tongue, either too much or not enough, usually results in the student playing flat with a weak and hollow tone. Singing open vowels like ''Ah,'' ''Oh,'' or ''Ooh'' are also good ways to feel the various positions of the tongue within the mouth. Once a ''Characteristic'' tone is firmly in place experiment with other vowels like ''Eee'' or ''Eye'' to experience other tone colors.

It is my experience that when teaching/demonstrating articulation orally, the syllables ''Too'' or ''Doo'' allow the students to feel the actual ''arch'' of the tongue and produce a high quality articulation while maintaining acceptable openness in the throat. During articulation, only the tip of the tongue contacts the reed at a point just in front of the lower lip. Ultimately, the actual positions of tongue and throat are individual decisions that students will have to make in their quest for quality tone production.

Two main concepts exist for the formation of the embouchure on a single reed instrument: the single lip and the double lip. It is my assumption that each teacher will teach the embouchure formation that he/she has been taught and/or feels most comfortable personally. I believe that the top teeth must be on the mouthpiece in order to produce a good tone on any single reed instrument. This allows the lips to form a firm but flexible seal around the mouthpiece and provides a firmer brace against which the lower lip
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Tone Quality and Focused Sound in Single Reeds - Part II - ProQuest

and jaw can assert pressure against the reed. The lower lip curls slightly over the lower teeth simply to avoid contact between the teeth and the reed. It is primarily the lips that provide pressure against the reed while the jaw remains free to produce vibrato or other tonal variations. Some pressure from the jaw is required in order to produce a steady pitch. The single lip embouchure allows for greater flexibility and fluency in technique, iseasier to accomplish for people with braces, and requires less muscle exertion from the lips.

Beginning single reed players often lack consistency when it comes to the assembly of their instrument. This inconsistency is amplified in their placement of the reed on the mouthpiece. The first consideration here should be the quality of the mouthpiece. Whatever the brand name or design, several components should be examined carefully:

* the tip of the mouthpiece should be unblemished. A damaged tip could cause the mouthpiece to be difficult to blow or, in severe cases, affect the tone and intonation of the entire horn.

* the rails should be even in thickness and straight. The rails are the sides of the mouthpiece that run along the opening.

* flatness of the table. The table is that part of the mouthpiece on which the reed is placed. A warped table makes it impossible for the reed to form a seal against the mouthpiece.

* cleanliness. The mouthpiece can become a receptacle for many things. Reeds should be removed after each playing and the mouthpiece should be cleaned occasionally in luke warm water with just a dash of mild soap.

Whenever possible, arrangements should be made to provide the students with upgraded or Professional quality mouthpieces. Some music stores will arrange to provide these mouthpieces with their rental instruments for a small additional cost. Most often the students will simply have to buy the mouthpieces themselves. In most cases, the new mouthpiece alone will make the entire horn sound new. Some suggested mouthpieces are: for clarinet, the Vandoren B45; for soprano, alto, or tenor saxophone, the Selmer C* (C star) or S90, for baritone saxophone, the Selmer C* or D.

Reed strength for beginning players will not be discussed at length in this article however I feel that students are quite able to begin on 21 strength reeds. This leads to the rapid development of facial and embouchure muscles and reduces the number of occasions a student may have to increase reed strength. The strength of ones reed is not indicative of the skill level of the musician. It is only a sign of the firmness of their embouchure. An embouchure that is too tight can lead to
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a restricted tone quality, cause articulation problems, and limit potential tonal variation. Arnold Jacobs once said, ''When you are starving the embouchure for air volume, giving it all sorts of pressure but not quantity, it cannot work. Very quickly you will be struggling to produce your tone. Just increase your volume of air not by blowing hard, but by blowing a much thicker quality of air. Very frequently, the air column is just too thin.''

Assuming that proper care and handling so as not to damage or even touch the tip of the reed has been taught to the students,
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Tone Quality and Focused Sound in Single Reeds - Part II - ProQuest

there are two positions to consider when placing a reed on the mouthpiece; vertically and horizontally. In order to achieve a seal over the opening of the mouthpiece, the reed must cover the inside edges of the rails. If this seal is not achieved, the reed will seem difficult to play and the tone will be harsh and airy. An incomplete seal could also be the result of a warped or damaged reed. The easiest way to accomplish the seal is to position the reed in the center of the mouthpiece. The position of the reed vertically on the mouthpiece also differs from player to player. Ideally, it is best to position the reed so that it is even with the tip of the mouthpiece. This can be determined by gently pressing the reed against the mouthpiece with your thumb. The black of the mouthpiece will show through the tip of a wet reed so be sure tolook above the reed when checking its position this way. It is acceptable to position the reed slightly lower so that a hairline of black shows above the reed when pressed to the mouthpiece. It is not recommended to position the reed above the tip of the mouthpiece. This will lead to a very harsh, uncontrolled tone.

Hearing other musicians perform is also a great way for young players to develop a concept of personal sound. However possible, developing musicians should be exposed to performances through live concerts and video or audio recordings. It is also beneficial to hear performances on instruments other than the one the student is learning. Many great jazz instrumentalists indicate that they often listen to vocalists for ideas in phrasing and tone color. Through trial and error while drawing on other musical experiences young musicians will develop an internal sense of what they want their sound to be. Whether they achieve that sound is up to them. In the meantime, we can only provide the tools they will need along the way.

Kevin Dyck is the President of the Saskatchewan Music Educators Association. He has conducted at the Saskatchewan Summer Band Camps and was the Conductor /Coordinator of the West Central District Honour Band. Kevin has spent his teaching career in Rural Saskatchewan and currently teaches in 4 schools in the Souris-Moose Mountain School Division. He remains active as a performer/clinician in schools across Saskatchewan.

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END
Copyright 2002 Canadian Music Educators Association.

Indexing (details)
Narrow subject

Cite Tone, Sound Quality, Reed Instrument, Reed Players, Teaching Methods, Articulation, Instrument Quality, Instrument Construction

Broad subject Title Author Publication title Volume Issue Pages

Music Education Tone Quality and Focused Sound in Single Reeds - Part II Dyck, Kevin Canadian Music Educator 43 4 31-32

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Tone Quality and Focused Sound in Single Reeds - Part II - ProQuest

Publication year Publication date Year Publisher Place of publication Country of publication Journal subject ISSN Source type Peer reviewed Language of publication Document type ProQuest document ID Document URL

2002 Summer 2002 2002 Canadian Music Educators Association Etobicoke, Ont. Canada Music Education, Music, Education, Canada 0008-4549 Scholarly Journals Yes English Series, Instruction/Guidelines 1028560 http://ezproxy.rowan.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1028560? accountid=13605

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2012-11-14 International Index to Music Periodicals Full Text

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