clarinet and clarinet

So, I'm here in Brooklyn riding out the heatwave in the basement (the only room(s) in the house with decent air conditioning!)I've got my new setup, which I'm totally pumped to bring along to Austin for ICA. Here is a pic of the new "Tree" (the mic stand with all sorts of crap attached to it.) -- By the way, I'm really sorry the quality of the pix are so bad -- Katherine took the camera to Michigan and all I have is the camera on this computer!Show and tell time: From top to bottom, left to right, we've got: • Rode NT3 microphone. My old standby -- feeds back a bit, but sounds so much better than any Shure I've used (and own) that I can't help but use it. I need that proximity effect when I'm beatboxing...• A new 10.1" LCD monitor i got off ebay (showing sheet music when necessary, otherwise it's unused now -- this is a change from when I had a touch-screen monitor where everything happened on that monitor. Unfortunately it weighed a lot, so I'm glad I don't have to shlep it any more.• My iPad running TouchOSC which controls the mac via WiFi. Totally wireless, two-way communication between the pad and the mac, so, if I make a change on the mac in Max, it shows up within 200ms on the pad. Sweet!• Korg's Kaossilator. When I bought this thing I figured it'd be a fun toy that I'd never use in concert, much less a recording. Um, I used it more than the $2,800 Access Virus TI synth for my last record Spin Cycle. Yeah, it's plastic, and it's yellow (though you can now get it in pink), but it sounds AMAZING for what it is. Okay, so below those I've got a rack shelf holding my harmonicas and across from that is...• an Akai EWI, which I use more as a vocoder carrier than as a synth. The other little monitor to the left of the tree isn't used, I just didn't move it for the pic.I'll get a better pic of the iPad when Katherine gets back, and possibly a video of how it works as a demo. It's really cool... I'm nervous about it a bit because I haven't used it in concert yet, and I have not performed with it on an ad-hoc network (I'm using my Airport to link the two -- ad hoc networks for those who don't know are when you can make your computer as the hub of a WiFi network).Anyway, this Austin gig is going to be really great, if short (I've got all of 30 minutes). I'm planning to do a few new tunes (My Mouth, Bam Pip and Trip) and a few of my other faves (Ariel's Hands, Sha and Summertime). Hoping I can get all of them in...I'd like to do Abbey as a final tune. We'll see.Anyway, there you go. If you're in Austin please come by and say hi. I'll be there for nearly the whole conference.-Mike

From the mailbag: I was wondering if you could advise me briefly on how complicated it is to compose music on garageband. I don't mean the musical side of it, but the technical side. I'm asking on behalf of my 82-year-old father who composes piano music for pleasure in his retirement, writes it painstakingly the old-fashioned way, and records it to an archaic cassette deck left over from the 70s or 80s. I've seen the process demonstrated at an Apple store and it looks amazing, but I wondered how difficult it would be for my father to master. We are both Mac users; I am reasonably adept, but no genius (and no composer!), and he is amazingly adept for a recent convert. I'd just love to see him be able to print his sheet music easily and make MP3s of his recordings to send to friends and family. Do you think it's realistic to encourage him to invest in a decent electronic keyboard and try this?Thanks very much for your time,HeidiHey there Heidi,Thanks for your email. So, I think you should indeed encourage your dad to use Garageband - it is very intuitive, has built-in instrument sounds (that actually sound very good), and is free(!). Garageband itself is simple for most users, but it is geared mostly for loop-based popular music. You can used it very easily for more traditional music composition, and I think your dad might find it much more easy to get his ideas down than when using pen-and-paper and cassette tapes, but it will take some getting used to. A portable USB-powered keyboard is fairly inexpensive (i would recommend this one for its price-to-feature ratio: http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOOXY61, $170, 61 keys; fewer-key models cost less), and very portable. Since they are powered by the computer, they are very convenient, but they make no sound on their own. Given what you describe his interests to be, I think they are a good bet.Of course, I'd always consider the possibility that he LIKES to compose the old-fashioned way :) Hope this helps.

From the mailbag, a question about mouthpieces and how to find a good one:On the bass clarinet. I went extremely low end, just try it out. It is a used Busher (sp!), which, save for a slightly moldy smell, has no other major difficulties. The next stop is a new mouthpiece (the one on hand is a stock piece that came with the clarinet), which brought me to your site. I'm inclined to call/write the first fellow you mention (McClure, or something close to that) and get an S2. Still advisable, or are there other recs that have come to the fore? I can swing the price (though it will be more than half of what I paid for the clarinet), and I know well, from my tenor, that the mouthpiece opens up new worlds. I need as well a new ligature. Recommendations here?My reply:So to answer your question about the mouthpiece, as you can imagine, it's a very personal quest. And by "Personal" I mean, your mouth is different from mine is different from anyone else's -- and that's where mouthpiece recommendations begin to fall flat. You want a mouthpiece craftsman who can -- either through trial and error, or through voodoo -- pick up on your cues and make you something you can easily play on. Those cues are successful inasmuch as you are able to accurately describe what your difficulties are (or what you like) about any given mouthpiece. Think about how resistant it is, or how it responds when articulated loudly (or softly), if it is able to give you a pure (and unfuzzy) tone in all dynamic levels, if you can move easily between registers, including extreme register leaps. Stuff like that will help them help you.There are many manufacturers/refacers out there who are good, or so I'm told. Walter Grabner, Clark Fobes, and McClune are the three I hear most about.Ligatures, well, I think they make little difference -- I have a rovner I have used for about 20 years. I like it because when I sit on it, it doesn't break. :)

From the mailbag: I was looking to perform some (or several) of your compositions, particularly Drift and Ten Children. I was wondering if you could tell me what I would need in order to perform them the same way you perform them instead of with the tape accompaniment. Thank you very much.So, I'm going to make a video for the site to show all the gear I use, but until I get around to doing that, this post will have to suffice...First of all, you need a "basic" electronic music computer setup like mine:MacBook (probably pro, but I think you can make do with a non-pro)Audio Interface with at least two inputsInstrument MicrophoneVocal Mic (like an SM58 or something better)Foot pedal (something simple)Then you'll need the software & plugins:Max 5WaveArts TrackPlug & Masterverb (you'd choose "power suite custom duo" here)Voxengo's LF Max PunchThe rest of what I use is optional, really. I guess the reason I don't make these non-tape versions available to people is that there is a LOT of troubleshooting that needs to go on in order to get things working with each particular setup. For example, everyone has a different footpedal, so I would have to reprogram that part of every movement to handle that; everyone has a different audio interface, so the levels need to be optimized, etc. etc. Basically, It'd be too big of a pain for me to do it, so I don't. That said, if you're ever in NYC, you got all the necessary hardware/software and you want me to set your machine up, I might be persuaded...Like I said though, stay tuned. I will try to get a video "tour" of my setup up on the site asap.

From the mailbag I just got this question about tuning on the bass clarinetHello Michael,I want to ask you a question about the tuning topic on the bass clarinet. I'm playing a buffet bcl and a realtively open Schreiber 7* mouthpiece. My first problem is that I can barely get above 440 pitch with this setup. (Especially a problem with classical tuned pianos in Vienna) My second problem is, that b, c, c#, d, and d# in the second register are far low-pitched and it's very difficult to get them higher. Do you have any tips for me what I can do to get rid of this problems?Thank you very much and all the best from Vienna,LeoSo, I should first mention that I don't know that mouthpiece. But the first question should be, with any problems with stuff like this: is it the instrument, or is it me? First troubleshoot your equipment: Try a different mouthpiece. Borrow a friend's bass clarinet and try it with your mouthpiece. What do you discover? If it's the mouthpiece or instrument that seems to be the problem, the answer becomes one of making a decision: Should I have my instrument worked on? Should I get a different mouthpiece? (Not easily answered questions, mind you. But at least you know where the problem is).That all said, generally speaking, if the problem is minor, you can handle pitch issues with your sound production and adding/removing fingerings to certain offending notes. Obviously, no instrument is ever perfectly in tune. None. Some are worse than others, and my observation has been that the newer the model, the more tuning issues have been addressed by the manufacturer.Ok, so how do we adjust pitch on the instrument note-by-note? Well, on notes that are sharp, you can add keys to lengthen the tube without changing the fundamental pitch. Example: if your open "G" is sharp, you can add a keys on the right hand to bring the pitch down. If it's flat, you can open up the side D# and/or F# trill keys. But it becomes more of a problem when you're already using most of your fingers (like on the notes you describe, Leo) -- there's not much you can do about using fingerings or opening up vents when those notes are flat. (If they were sharp, you could handle the problem with your sound production in your mouth. It's easier to make notes lower with your embouchure than to make them higher).But, what do you do if their instrument is flat? Well, I have a pair of Selmer Signature Bb/A clarinets, and I have a really nice Kaspar mouthpiece that I picked up. Together they sound amazing, but very, very flat. So, I call Morrie Backun and asked him to make me some VERY short barrels (For example, I now have a 59mm Bb barrel). I also have a bell that has a hole cut in it. The combination of these bring the instrument up to pitch (but create more minor issues with the scale that I manage with fingerings like I describe above). With the bass clarinet, you could get someone to make you a short neck. Martin Suter from Switzerland makes necks for the bass clarinet that are really, really good. And I bet he could manufacture you one that's a little bit shorter so that your instrument is altogether sharper. Here is the page showing all of the bass clarinet neck options. (This whole site is in German, but can be translated with Google Translate and it becomes fairly readable).Martin also does bass clarinet work that can help you with intonation problems. I've never had him do any work on my instrument, but I have heard good things, and he's worked closely with Ernesto Molinari, which bodes well for the quality of his work. Another option is to work with a mouthpiece craftsman to have him/her adjust your mouthpiece (or make you a new one) that offsets the intonation problems of your instrument. This is likely the most cost-effective measure you can take, and probably the one I'd recommend you begin with. Finally, if it seems to be you and your sound production, take some time to experiment with your tongue position in the back of your mouth. Is the tongue to low? Say "LLLL" -- feel the back of your tongue? That's what a low tongue position feels like. Now say "EEE" (or in german I think it would be "IE"), that's a higher tongue position. If you're more LLL and less EEE, start experimenting to see how that affects your pitch. So to summarize:If it's the instrument as a whole: try to change out your neck or have a mouthpiece made to correct the problems. If it's just a few notes (this is normal): correct with embouchure and/or fingering adjustmentsIf it's you: practice your tongue position. Or, work with a teacher to have him/her help you with this.Hope this helps. And, anyone with other tips, please leave them in the comments!

I got this email from a gentleman who (understandably) fell in love with the bass clarinet... I'll let him tell it:"MikeI am a 51 year old amateur pianist who has become addicted to bass clarinet musicand want to attempt to learn how to play it. I have no woodwind experience.Should I rent a "good" wooden instrument or settle for a plastic or hard rubber model.Are there different reeds/mouthpieces that are easier to learn with ?Thanks"Well, I think that the best way to start would be to check out a decent rental Bass Clarinet to make sure you feel compatible with the bass clarinet in general. Go with your gut regarding wood/plastic. Take it for the month -- you'll get to know very quickly whether wood (or plastic, whichever you chose) is the right fit for the sound you want to get. Of course, given that you're new to the instrument, it'll be harder to determine, but with the help of someone who plays the instrument -- and this might be the same "someone" who will help you pick out your final choice -- you will probably be able to make some preliminary decisions.Regarding reeds/mouthpieces. This is an easier decision: first off, check out the "mouthpiece" video on the site for a primer. I'd recommend something a little "closer" (you'll know what that means after the vid) to begin with. I'd say check out McClune's S1 instead of the S2 I usually recommend. (www.mcclunemouthpiece.com). Grab some Rico reeds of various strengths (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5) to see what works to begin with. Rico reeds are known to play pretty much right out of the box, but they'll die an earlier death than a sturdier reed, like, say, Vandoren. But right now you'll need some early successes to stay with it, so I'd go with the Rico.Hope this helps!Michael

I have been trying for about 3 years now to come up with something interesting I can do with sensor-based instruments as an addition to my regular show. What's difficult about them is that I would like to somehow use them to engage the audience directly in the music-making going on, yet opening up this huge variable has made it difficult to control the form of each piece. Imagine that you've been handed a box with a bunch of sensors all over it during a concert. Well, you start to push buttons to see what they all do. My job is to make the experience clear to the user (in other words, they need to understand right away what each button or slider or whatnot does aurally). My job is also to make the resulting music interesting and cohesive for the rest of the audience. And, my job is to make the whole thing bulletproof, regardless of what the user does. For me, this task is nearly impossible.Most often, people remark that they can't really tell what's going on when they interact with the box (because I've made the musical response too subtle, like changing the reverb time or something). So, I figure, in order to make the action have a more clear effect, I need to make the rest of what's going on musically much more sparse. This will probably be what I try next -- more like a duet between me and someone in the audience. Stay tuned.