Analysis of Tonguing and Blowing Actions During Clarinet Performance

Area of Science:

• Music Performance Science
• Acoustics
• Instrumental Technique

Background:

• Clarinet articulation relies on intricate intraoral actions.
• Understanding the physics of tonguing and blowing is crucial for instrumentalists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the effects of tonguing and blowing on clarinet articulation.
• To investigate the relationship between player actions and sound production parameters.

Main Methods:

• Experimentation with clarinet players measuring mouth pressure, mouthpiece pressure, and reed displacement.
• Analysis of physical variables to evaluate the influence of player actions.

Main Results:

• Different tongue and blowing strategies are employed for various articulations.
• Portato and legato feature consistent blowing, varying with dynamics.
• Staccato involves longer tongue-reed contact and significant mouth pressure reduction between notes.

Conclusions:

• Tongue-based note stopping in staccato yields shorter attack and release transients than mouth pressure reduction.
• Player actions directly influence articulation clarity and note envelope on the clarinet.