Bandmasters Review - December 2019

Texas Bandmasters Association Bandmasters Review • December 2019 13 Chromatic fingerings and Bis – Teach both fingerings for F# (middle finger and finger 4 + F# key with finger 6 in the right hand) and side C. I teach Bb as 12 + bottom side key first, but feel it is important that the students learn the Bis fingering (hitting both the B key and the key beneath it at the same time with the first finger) before the end of the first semester. The students may resist at first, but this is an important fingering for saxophone technique, so insist they learn to use it. Beginning saxophone students should be able to play the full range of the instrument during the first year. Vibrato – The students need to be able to produce a consistent, resonant tone quality before introducing vibrato, so it is best to wait until the second semester (often near the end of the year) to introduce this skill. Start by having the students lightly chew on their index finger with it inserted like a mouthpiece. Then, have them do the same thing while producing a tone on the mouthpiece/ neck. The vibrato is produced by the sound going slightly below pitch and then back up, but be careful it does not get too wide or too low in pitch. First, pulse quarter notes at 70-80 and then progress to eighth notes at 60. You will eventually add triplets and sixteenths, but not until the slower pulses become more automatic, comfortable and consistent. Vibrato must first be taught as subdivisions of the beat and then during year two or three, the students can learn to make the pulses free and not a subdivision of the beat. Selecting Students for Tenor/Baritone Saxophone and Bass Clarinet When selecting students for tenor/baritone saxophone and bass clarinet, do not put your weaker students on these instruments. They may be the only person playing their part, so the students playing these instruments must be strong rhythmically and confident players. Look for talented players who do not have a great tone quality on soprano clarinet or alto saxophone, or a student who has difficulty forming the embouchure for their current instrument. These students often sound terrific on the larger instruments and become outstanding players. Always check to make sure the student’s hands are big enough to comfortably fit on the larger instruments. Important Differences in Bb Soprano and Bass Clarinet The embouchure on bass clarinet is much more relaxed than soprano clarinet and more like a saxophone embouchure. More mouthpiece must be inserted in the mouth on bass clarinet and when playing in the upper register the student must think of opening the jaw, which is very different from soprano clarinet. The airspeed on bass clarinet is generally slower than soprano clarinet and again, more like a saxophone. Bass clarinet does typically use a harder reed (3 ½ - 4 Vandoren) than the soprano clarinet. Students often have difficulty playing in the upper register on bass clarinet and the best way to improve in this register is by practicing register key slurs. Be patient when first switching a student to bass clarinet, because it may take time for them to get the upper register to respond without slurring from the lower register. You must also make sure the students have a quality instrument, because many lower end bass clarinets will not play in the upper register regardless of the ability or experience of the player. Single Reed Success ( Part 2 )