Hi, I just got my Grade 2 in Clarinet.
I want to ask if Circular Breathing a must for all of you who playing clarinet to learn? anything your teacher mentioned about it?

Besides, how many years it takes to attain Grade 8 exam? how much time per day you practice?

Thanks!!

I don't think circular breathing is a necessity at all - however, you do of course need to have good breath control!
As to how long it takes to get to Grade 8 standard, that depends on a lot of factors. I've been learning the clarinet for about 2-and-a-half years and am now working for my Grade 8 (I did Grade 7 in October and got a Distinction - much to my surprise!), but I'm a music teacher, of piano and recorders, so the 'musical' side of playing the clarinet has come easily and my problems are to do with technique rather than interpretation.
For someone beginning their musical education from scratch, I'd say a grade each year is about average, although it does depend a lot on a pupil's innate ability.

I have played clarinet for 22 years and have never needed circular breathing so I wouldn't worry about it. As for practise, well you need to strengthen your mouth so you can play longer without getting tired, so try to build up practise levels gradually. If you take each grade exeam it would take around 6 years to reach grade 8 , but with lots of practise you should improve quicker and maybe able to miss a couple.

Thanks to both of you.
Actually, I also have background in music. I learn piano before but didn't play it for many years before starting the clarinet.
I think i feel ok on reading the pieces/notes but a bit poor on rhythm.
The main problem is on the breathing system, intonation and sound quality right now. Do they really improve if I change my mouthpiece or clarinet?
I am using a yamaha 4C mouthpiece and only using a plastic clarinet only.
I made a flat sound mostly right now.

Also, it's a bit surprise that someone could attain Grade 7 in 2.5 years...
I played for nearly 1.5 years and just got Grade 2 finished...oh...
I am a adult student actually and am not working on music related job at all.
But i really wish I could work on music after I attained Grade 8 in the end.

It makes a very large difference, tonewise, changing to a wooden clarinet - I highly adviseit.

A wooden clarinet makes a massive difference but its also a lot heavier, try changing your mouthpiece, if you have used it from the beginning its likely to have teeth marks etc which won't help.

thanks.
I use a pad on the mouthpiece.
I am using 4C from Yamaha...
but thinking whether to change to 5C? or turn to a rubber one...

For the clarinet, i tried B12(plastic) from a friend, seems the key works is better and tone is more even throughout the range.
but i think if I spend some money, should I try a wooden one like E11 from Buffet? or anything else...mouthpiece/ligature/body...

besides, my teacher ask me not to take exam this year, but u all could attain in a such short period of time. I just really envy and want to be faster but i still work on the long tone right now. So, should I try exam this year? i finished grade 2 on Dec.03

Thanks a lot!!~~

I think you should follow your teacher's advice - if he/she doesn't want you to take an exam this year there is probably a very good reason for it, and it sounds from what you have said that he/she wants you to work on getting a really good tone so that when you do go in for your next exam you'll do really well!
As regards clarinets, have you asked your teacher? He may have some very definite ideas on which clarinet would be best for you as an upgrade. I used a Yamaha plastic clarinet up to Grade 5 and did fine with that, but since then I've upgraded to a Peter Eaton Elite, which has a lovely tone (every day I just can't wait to practice on it!) but they are expensive instruments.
I've also picked up some very good second-hand instruments from ebay (Selmer 10G, Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 and Buffet E13 A - and I'm currently waiting for a Selmer Centred Tone to arrive from America!) but you do have to be extremely careful on ebay because there's a lot of rubbish on those listings - you need advice from someone who knows what questions to ask the seller etc, so that you don't end up with something useless or which needs a major overhaul to get it to playing condition!
Ask your teacher about all this - I'm always pleased when my own piano and recorder pupils show an interest in getting a better instrument and in making good progress, so I'm sure your teacher will be pleased too! Good luck!

so, which clarinet is suggested ah?
I tried Buffet B12 and E11 but the sound is not that different from my old yamaha C10 as expected except the clarinet is lighter and easier to handle.
I also tried the "Esprit" model from Leblanc...
Should I wait until I should buy a R13?

How could the sound be more warm, dark? I was thinking it's about the clarinet but seems it isn't...how about the mouthpiece and ligature? should I use a leather ligature?

Anyone could tell the difference betweend different brand's clarinet?
Thanks!!!

You didn't find a difference in tone?

What strength reed are you using - the harder the reed, the nicer it will sound, as long as you don't go over your limit.

I am using a Vandoren Trad. 2 1/2 reed and a metal ligature and a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece.

I can't find the texture that I like very much on clarinet on the E11 model. I heard a sales in the music store playing a leblanc prof. model(it's much more expensive than E11.) and he uses V12 4 reed and a leather ligature.
His sound is more dark and round and with texture.

I don't know how could I get it?

yes of course there's going to be a massive difference in sound quality between a 2 1/2 reed and a 4. I started using a 3 1/2 about 6 months ago, after using a 3 until then, and now I use a 4 - changes in that short a time make you realise the difference.

But it's hard to blow using a 3 reed or above. is it a must to use a 4 reed in order to produce darker and warm sound? My teacher just uses a 3 reed but his sound is also not that dark but bright instead.

besides reed, how about my mouthpiece? I am using yamaha 4C? should i turn to a vandoren B45 or 5RV or M30?

For ligature...is the vandoren optimum good? anyone uses a leather ligature?

Thanks for advice.

QUOTE (jasonbird @ Feb 25 2004, 02:42 AM)

But it's hard to blow using a 3 reed or above. is it a must to use a 4 reed in order to produce darker and warm sound? My teacher just uses a 3 reed but his sound is also not that dark but bright instead.

I'd say a 4C is fine.

Of course it's harder to play with a strength 3 and above reed (for you) - you need to use a reed confortable for you, but try and build up your strength - a lot of good players who use strength 4 or so will actually find it very hard to play with a strength 2 1/2 or below, because the way you blow is so different!

How about you try a rico royal reed instead of a vandoren these tend to blow in a little easier, vandoren take forever to achieve the same sound.

Thanks to your reply.

How about the ligature? any suggestion? could I try a leather one?
What do you all using on that?

Could you tell me how to produce a darker and warm sound?

The only answer is 'get better'

You know, to get a good tone on any woodwind instrument takes a lot of practice, and comes with time.

A stronger reed, a denser mouthpiece and (sometimes) a leather ligature can help, but make sure you're going for the definite sound you want - I play classical and jazz so I use a plasticover 4 reed, which is about as hard as playing with a brick, but sounds gorgeous. Damned loud though!

hey! I'v read all of the replies etc, and one thing i'v noticed is that you seem to be jumping the gun! slow down! it takes time to develop tone etc! i did my grade 8 last year and managed to get a ditinction, i'm only 17, but since then my tonal qualities and technique are forever changing! it takes time and so i wouldn't worry too much about it at the mo, just try to master the clarinet and the note learning, everything else will come with time. As for the reed issue! again it'll take time! so just stop and enjoy wat u r doing at the moment!

for the leather ligature: Yes. I use one on both my Bb clarinet and bass clarinet. Major tone enchancement with it.
Mouthpiece: go for a Vandoren 5RV Lyre mouthpiece, it's the best I've found.
Try and learn a Van.3 if you can.

Thanks to all of you.

I have bought a BG Leather ligature(standard and super revelation) and use a B40 mouthpiece.
But my accompanist found that there is more "air" sound in it.
is there any problem on my embouchure?
is it because of the leather ligature or the B40 mouthpiece??

Should I back to the 4C mouthpiece?

if you can afford it, as I said, go for the 5RV lyre mouthpiece. It produces a nearly professional tone with my cheap ($300) plastic pawnshop clarinet, so it should work wonders with you .

The thing with rico reeds tho is that if you play a rico 4 is the equivalent of a vandoren 3 1/2. I find Vandoren 3 1/2's a much better reed than any others i've played.

Also if ur considering changing ur mouthpiece, a buffet 125 is really good. I started on a 4C until i got my own clarinet, and i found the change brilliant.

If u want to change your whole clarinet tho, you need to try loads, i tried about 10 before deciding on an E13, which has proved to be a really good model, that gives excellent tone quality as long as you use a strong reed.

Oh yeah, and if you can't play a new 3 1/2 or 4 reed, soak it in a cup of water overnight. It makes it so much easier to play and the tone sounds exactly the same. Try it, everyone i no who's used it says it's brilliant.

Good luck

Purple dolphin

What's the Buffet 125 mouthpiece? I didn't find it in Vandoren's website...
is it B45 u mean?

jasonbird - I really think you should discuss all these issues with your teacher before buying lots of new equipment!
Although everyone who replies on these message boards is well-meaning, we don't know you or how you play at the moment, so advice that might suit one person could be completely wrong for another! Your teacher is the best-placed person to help you and could save you making some expensive mistakes....

QUOTE (jasonbird @ Mar 23 2004, 09:05 AM)

What's the Buffet 125 mouthpiece? I didn't find it in Vandoren's website... is it B45 u mean?

I found it on the internet, but not where to buy one

hi im janets daughter. my teacher realised i had a lot of xtra air and discovered putting paper under the reed so that the gap between reed and mouthpiece was smaller solved the problem and made my tone a lot better. i was using the 4c yamaha mouthpiece at the time but eventually bought an MI5 one when i was sure it was what i needed. By the way, does anyone know if you can set up two posts from the same computer? Mum doesn't want me using hers all the time. Thanx

I'm sure you can write using your own ID!! Try it and see if it works.......