How does clarinet work?
Clarinet
is of course woodwind instrument but it produces different timbre from flute or
oboe. Why does that happen? Clarinet is a close pipe instrument, unlike flute,
which is an open pipe instrument.
This fact makes the two instruments timbre different, which means different harmonic series. As an open pipe instrument, refer to flute, has full harmonic series from 1ƒ, 2ƒ, 3ƒ, 4ƒ, 5ƒ, 6ƒ, 7ƒ…etc. As clarinet harmonic series will be 1ƒ, 3ƒ, 5ƒ, 7ƒ…etc. (Odd number) (What is harmonic series?)
This fact makes the two instruments timbre different, which means different harmonic series. As an open pipe instrument, refer to flute, has full harmonic series from 1ƒ, 2ƒ, 3ƒ, 4ƒ, 5ƒ, 6ƒ, 7ƒ…etc. As clarinet harmonic series will be 1ƒ, 3ƒ, 5ƒ, 7ƒ…etc. (Odd number) (What is harmonic series?)
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| Harmonic Series |
The reason why don't clarinet players use vibrato
According
to clarinet harmonic series, which I have shown above, when try to play vibrato
on clarinet, the odd numbered harmonic series, will emerge overtones vibratos
with amplitude waves. Instead of sound like Wam, Wam, Wam, but it will sound
like Waw, Waw, Waw, which are not presented sounds. However, clarinet jazz use
vibrato. But the players must apply different techniques to avoid strange
sound.
I’m
sorry, guys. Clarinet isn’t made to be sweet character, but a warm one with its
lower tones.
A treatise on the fundamental principles of violin playing
Leopold
Mozart, father of W.A. Mozart had written this textbook in 1756, in german
“Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule”. In this book, he said, “there are
performers who tremble consistently on each note as if they had the permanent
fever”. To condemn the practice, and suggest, instead that vibrato should be
used only on sustained notes and at the ends of phrases when used as an
ornament.(Read the book)
My
personal experience as a flautist, when I have read of this textbook, it had
changed my musical perspective. I spend 3 years in Vienna. I have listened to
many concerts, I believe, as about 200 concerts that I have visited at
Musikverein (Golden Hall), Staatsoper and many more. I have no doubt, that why
Vienna is the city of classical music.
Instead
of using too much vibrato on the flute, which create fluctuation intensity
sound, I then play the flute much more beautiful with its own timbre. However,
studying acoustic and behavior of musical instruments have helped me in so many
ways to improve my music performance skill.
As
far as I believe, clarinet school only exists in 2 different schools, the German
(Austrian) and the French. The German school will not use vibrato on clarinet
at all, but the French school will, with the hint of musical sake.
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