i'm a freshman and REALLY want to try All-State I'd say I'm at like a Sophmore or Junior level tbh but I'm TERRIFIED. I play clarinet are there any tips?? ESPECIALLY for fast tempos, sixteenth notes and all that stuff
@john.kurokawa4 сағат бұрын
I can certainly understand your plight. Everyone can get intimidated by difficult pieces of music. A few suggestions: 1. Study privately with a good teacher. They can help you break down difficult passages and provide helpful suggestions and practice strategies. 2. Practice fast passages SLOWLY- 10 times slow, one time fast! 3. Use a metronome. 4. Be patient and be kind to yourself! I have a video on appraoching fast passages: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4rRgJmjfsZ1aqcsi=SsOd7_bkRbLuJfrw I hope this helps!
@finnsclarinetКүн бұрын
Sounds great as usual! Love the Eb clarinet
@john.kurokawa4 сағат бұрын
Thanks so much! Thanks for watching!
@T.H.W.O.T.H4 күн бұрын
Didn't know this piece. Definitely going to check it out. Thnx 👍
@john.kurokawa3 күн бұрын
Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!
@T.H.W.O.T.H4 күн бұрын
Great band 👍
@john.kurokawa3 күн бұрын
Thanks! Thanks for watching!
@vicente10495 күн бұрын
Suena genial 👏👏👏👏👏👏
@zathrasnotzathras94355 күн бұрын
Very nice.
@john.kurokawa5 күн бұрын
Thanks! Thanks for listening!
@amay.clarinet5 күн бұрын
This feels like something out of a James Bond or similar detective action movie. Love it!
@john.kurokawa5 күн бұрын
Agreed! It was a fun quartet to work on. Too bad I forgot to plug the microphone in. 😖
@amay.clarinet5 күн бұрын
Yay E flat! It's an unusually catchy piece! The performance came through; I hardly noticed the mic difference since y'all were so well balanced!
@john.kurokawa5 күн бұрын
Thanks Amay! Fun, fun piece!
@kaywayneflor895 күн бұрын
Wonderful!
@adjbutler5 күн бұрын
thank you
@john.kurokawa5 күн бұрын
You're welcome Thanks for watching!
@tropicalsimp8 күн бұрын
yall sound amazing ! thank you for posting
@john.kurokawa7 күн бұрын
Thanks for the kind words and for listening!
@sparkshot2898 күн бұрын
Hi John, thanks for the video! It’s was incredibly informative. What did you think of the ishimori?
@john.kurokawa7 күн бұрын
Ishimori ligatures are wonderful. I’ll be covering those soon. Thanks for watching!
@clarinetnotestudio48519 күн бұрын
You sound great on both mouthpieces! Thanks for the video!
@john.kurokawa7 күн бұрын
Thank you Julianna! I wish the playing experience for both mouthpieces was similar. Thanks for watching!
@MariMari-to3pm9 күн бұрын
Like!
@john.kurokawa7 күн бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@georgebaker39489 күн бұрын
Perfect, now for balancing, asp please
@john.kurokawa7 күн бұрын
It’s coming! Thanks for watching!
@finnsclarinet14 күн бұрын
Have you tried the Baroque ligatures by Charles Bay? I got one a couple days ago and I’m a big fan
@john.kurokawa11 күн бұрын
Yes! With the right mouthpiece they can be quite good! However, they don’t seem to be in production any more and are unfortunately difficult to obtain. Thanks for watching!
@425gabe15 күн бұрын
Have you tried the Rovner Vangogh ligature?
@john.kurokawa14 күн бұрын
Check out Part Two! Thanks for watching!
@vicente104916 күн бұрын
🎉👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
@john.kurokawa16 күн бұрын
Thank you! Thanks for watching!
@johnfrazier554817 күн бұрын
Bravo! Wish I were there
@john.kurokawa16 күн бұрын
Thank you! Thanks for watching!
@damiansilvera582017 күн бұрын
Superb Tone 😀
@john.kurokawa17 күн бұрын
Thank you very much! Thanks for watching!
@amay.clarinet18 күн бұрын
So pleasant to my ears! I love it. The punctuation, rhythm, sounds fitting into each other, this is a beautiful collaboration. Thanks for posting it, Mr Kurokawa!
@john.kurokawa17 күн бұрын
Thanks Amay! Tony and I used to play in the same section in my orchestra and it’s always been so easy to play with him. Thanks as always for watching!
@amay.clarinet17 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawa that makes sense. You two sound great together!
@amay.clarinet18 күн бұрын
You two play so well together, like extensions of each other's voices! Edit: Flying back to Chicago is quite a story! What did you do at Yamaha? I heard they're developing a new model; were you testing that? Loved this new kind of video :)
@john.kurokawa17 күн бұрын
Yes! That’s coming up in a short!
@amay.clarinet17 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawa awesome! Is it a continuation of an existing bore, or something new?
@zathrasnotzathras943518 күн бұрын
Wonderful, John. What are the pedals you both are using?
@john.kurokawa18 күн бұрын
Thank you! I can’t speak for Tony, but I’m using a Pageflip Butterfly with the ForScore app on my iPad. Thanks for watching!
@zathrasnotzathras943518 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawa I didn’t know the had those. Great idea.
@Cornodebassetto18 күн бұрын
Hope you’re enjoying the festival. Would be good to meet in person if there’s time P. Cigleris
@john.kurokawa18 күн бұрын
Absolutely! Thanks Peter!
@lyndafoster943718 күн бұрын
That is a work out. Great job
@john.kurokawa18 күн бұрын
Thanks 👍 Thanks for watching!
@will-clarinet18 күн бұрын
John how did I not know about this
@john.kurokawa18 күн бұрын
I don’t know, but in any case, I hope you’re enjoying your summer!!!
@ulfpointner814118 күн бұрын
And the winner of this comparison is the woodstone kodama II, the only one were the sound of the clarinet got spirit!
@john.kurokawa18 күн бұрын
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
@davesummers330418 күн бұрын
Thanks for always sharing with us! Cool tune!
@john.kurokawa18 күн бұрын
My pleasure!! Thanks for watching!
@vicente104918 күн бұрын
Genial 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
@john.kurokawa18 күн бұрын
Thank you! Thanks for watching!
@ClarinetEnthusiast19 күн бұрын
I personally use a gold Bonade ligature (from Taplin Weir, of course). Simple, effective, gold is my favorite material, and it doesn’t obliterate the wallet haha.
@john.kurokawa18 күн бұрын
I have several of those and they are among my favorites- excellent choice! Thanks for watching!
@whoitisnot21 күн бұрын
This is such a beautiful exercise! I hope you can share the notation with us....
@Supernxvaee24 күн бұрын
PLS NOT ME SEEING THIS AFTER REIGON ETUDES CAME OUT
@KentCline-t5u25 күн бұрын
Thanks for this interesting review of these different ligatures. I am currently using a Rovner Dark on a Vandoren BD5 mouthpiece, which I like very much and plays well for me, but over the past 6 months I have bought and played a couple of other ligatures with which I have had mixed results. I have a BG Duo in silver, that plays well for me with this mouthpiece, and I also bought a Rovner Versa, which I am not happy with, so I very much appreciated your take on that ligature. On top of not being particularly happy with the way that the Versa responded for me personally, I also found that if I didn't leave the flaps covering the plate on the reed side of the ligature, that if I left the ligature on my mouthpiece, even loosely, when it is stored in my case the metal plate on the Versa started leaving visible scratches/depressions in the table of my mouthpiece, which is a huge problem. I stopped using the Versa and will probably not use it again. I will be very interested to see if you try the BG Duo in your part 3 video, and if so, what you think of it. In the meantime, thank you for all of your videos! I find them to be very interesting and I enjoy them very much.
@john.kurokawa25 күн бұрын
Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for watching! Part 2 will be delayed as the ClarinetFest is this coming week, but I’ll be back with more videos after that!
@cpufahl25 күн бұрын
Great! I’ve experimented with varying extremes of break in procedures, and your process is pretty much exactly what I’ve settled on as well. More than this hadn’t yielded better results for me, and definitely not playing reeds in for at least as long as you describe has been disastrous! I can get away with more with my saxophone reeds, but not clarinet!
@john.kurokawa18 күн бұрын
Glad you’ve found something that works for you! Thanks for watching!
@VinnyDischiavi26 күн бұрын
Have you ever tried the Luyben ligatures?? I highly recommend them
@john.kurokawa26 күн бұрын
Yes! I really enjoyed the older incarnations of those liguatures. I had a student who had real issues with the latest versions in terms of build quality, but that might have just been the one we ordered. Thanks for watching!
@TheSymphonium-CTYT27 күн бұрын
Where do you find exercises for this? I’m glad I found your channel as a 4th year clarinet player going into high school
@john.kurokawa26 күн бұрын
I'll ask Jake if I can post it on my website. Thanks for watching!
@TheSymphonium-CTYT25 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawa the content is great! Keep it up!
@eroberts669827 күн бұрын
Joel was my mentor in woodwind repair, and a fantastic craftsman!! Lomax for the win!
@john.kurokawa26 күн бұрын
Some of the nicest people you'll meet! Thanks for watching!
@emjay204525 күн бұрын
RIP JOEL 😢 💔
@richardevans362427 күн бұрын
Thanks for the review. I've had a BD2 for a couple of weeks now. I have a range of vandoren and selmer mouthpieces but no custom jobs. I found that the mouthpiece felt more open than it actually was (like you) and especially when I compared it to a M15 and M13 lyre. For my embouchure, mouth/throat and clarinet, I didn't find the issues you described. It readily responded over the whole range and had a focused tone like the M15. I really really like it. I use vandoren 56 Ru le pic or d'addario classic reserve reeds on a full Boehm Leblanc LL clarinet.
@john.kurokawa26 күн бұрын
That's really interesting. The design is radically different from the M15, and is definitely not my cup of tea, but as I've noted in many videos, everyone is different, and my review is strictly my opinion. Thanks for watching!
@Fumbles900127 күн бұрын
Have you tried Brad Behn’s adjustable barrels? I use a Silverstein ligature and just swap the barrel between A and Bb, and it works great.
@john.kurokawa26 күн бұрын
I have. I I think adjustable barrels are a really interesting proposition, but I haven't found any that rival the ones that Tomoji Hirakata made for me. Thanks for watching!
@davidnaden27 күн бұрын
Great video...!!! Of the ligatures in this video, the Rovner Van Gough checks all of my boxes. Price for this--as most Rovners--is reasonable (NO Silverstein for me as price alone is a deterrent), Rovners last for years, etc. Okay, I have used Rovners for many years, and I do have a bias. But...I have never tried the Van Gough. A suggestion for all clarinetists that have the issue of ligature caps that are too large and do not fit the case: try the Silverstein Omnicap mouthpiece cap. It fits over the tip, is not bulky, and will protect the mouthpiece and reed. I use them for all of my mouthpieces, and my only issue is that if you are not careful, they can get lost. Looking forward to more videos like this...
@john.kurokawa27 күн бұрын
That’s a really good idea. I also see there are some cheap knockoff versions on Amazon. Good thing, because the Silverstein cap is quite expensive for what it is. Thanks for watching!
@davidnaden27 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawa: Yes there are cheaper copies of the Silverstein, but cheaper does not always equal better. YES, I am biased and spoiled... :) :) :) Seriously, always good to try.
@john.kurokawa26 күн бұрын
@@davidnaden I'm only talking about the cap, lol. I have several of the knockoffs and they do just fine. They actually look identical to Silverstein's cap, but for a fraction of the price.
@arturdavtyan322327 күн бұрын
Excuse me for a question, when playing, should the lower lip stay on the teeth or should it be in the direction of the teeth?
@john.kurokawa27 күн бұрын
In my opinion, the lower lip should be supported by the teeth, or on the teeth, as you say. I prefer a gentle smile with the lower lip and a slight frown with the upper lip. Thanks for watching!
@amay.clarinet28 күн бұрын
I'm surprised how much I liked the sound of the snake-skin ligature... This is quite interesting!
@john.kurokawa27 күн бұрын
Yep- it is quite interesting. Unfortunately some of my colleagues in the orchestra are rather repelled by it. 😳
@amay.clarinet27 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawa haha, that is quite unfortunate.
@alessandrot-b28 күн бұрын
I definitely prefer metal ligatures but I also agree the kodama II is great. I'm also a fan of the BG super revelation.
@john.kurokawa28 күн бұрын
BG does make nice ligatures- agreed! Thanks for watching!
@TylerCutts28 күн бұрын
Your videos are always great! Thank you for making them.
@john.kurokawa28 күн бұрын
Glad you like them Tyler! Thanks for watching!
@amay.clarinet28 күн бұрын
As a side note to my other comment, I am now a very happy owner of a set of Yamaha CSVR-ASP clarinets! I sat with Tomoji Hirakana, who went with me note by note until the entire instrument played and sounded very even, with much less resistance than my old Buffet set, and is now much more reed and mouthpiece friendly! Thought I'd let you know because you also play CSVR clarinets :)
@john.kurokawa28 күн бұрын
Congratulations! Tomoji is AMAZING. You're going to love them. I think the CSVR is one of the best clarinets on the market, and I'm proud to have been one of the many consultants on that project! Enjoy!
@amay.clarinet28 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawa I absolutely love them, and he is amazing! I didn't know you were a consultant for the CSVR project, but it makes a lot of sense. I know many players who love both the CSVR and the ASP variant, as it is very flexible without leaning towards either extreme. Were you a Yamaha artist before the CSVR?
@john.kurokawa27 күн бұрын
@@amay.clarinet Yes. I played the CSG models. In fact, I’m seriously considering them for my next set. David Shifrin was using them when they were new and he showed them to me when he was playing the Mozart concerto with my orchestra. I was very taken with them and haven’t looked back since. Enjoy
@amay.clarinet27 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawa awesome! Do you find the CSVR and CSVR-ASP to be that much different in how they play? I'm also curious as to your thoughts on the CSG, and what you like the most about those. I haven't had the opportunity to try either the base CSVR or the CSG models yet.
@john.kurokawa26 күн бұрын
@@amay.clarinet Yes. For myself, I actually prefer the original CSVR- it's a little freer and easy for me to play. I had Tomoji put a custom low F mechanism on my A clarinet as I feel it is absolutely essential on these models. He did an amazing job- it looks almost stock. The CSG's actually have the same lower joint as the CSVR (so I'm told), but the upper joint and barrel are different. They just blow different- hard to describe. But I played them for about 10 years. Great clarinets. Extremely stable intonation and even sound. I love 'em.
@craterellus357728 күн бұрын
Have you tried the Rovner dark? I know it's a budget model, but after comparing it to how many other ligatures (Versa, Silverstein, Vandoren optimum, and a few more) work for me, I've actually found that it actually feels better than most. It holds the reed to the mouthpiece extremely firm if I want it to (can take mouthpiece off clarinet and reed stays) and it is durable enough to last me 6 years with no signs of deterioration. I also think it looks quite nice and clean on the instrument :)
@john.kurokawa28 күн бұрын
I've not- I'll have to add it to the list. Thanks for the tip and for watching!
@amay.clarinet28 күн бұрын
I loved your analysis on different types of mouthpieces and how much ligatures affect them. Overall, I quite agree with your thoughts for these ligatures, both in terms of feel and sound. I'd like to add my two cents, as someone who enjoys playing 2 setups, 1) a very closed/flexible mouthpiece with a medium reed (M13 Lyre) and 2) a medium-open/"hold" mouthpiece with a medium-resistant reed, but also as a student who's not quite adjusted fully to either particular setup. I find that on the M13 Lyre and all my favorite closed tip mouthpieces, my ligature choices were based on the kind of sound and feel I was going for; a good balance of overtones, aka vibrancy in the sound, with just enough resistance to control dynamic and color. For me, that meant a metal ligature (currently a bonade inverted) works well with a 3½ blue box reed. It requires a lot of sensitivity with my air stream, embouchre, and voicing, but it allows me to sing with that balance of higher frequencies I look for in this setup. On my Kanter and other favorite open mouthpieces that emphasize the fundamental a lot more, I found myself going for a less resistant ligature that also emphasizes the fundamental a bit more, and encourages a more gentle feel and sound for the way I play these mouthpieces. The only exception I've found to this so far is the B40, where I prefer a metal ligature (Bonade non-inverted). I think this is because, despite being a relatively open facing mouthpiece, soundwise, it harkens a lot closer to the M13 Lyre and my favorite closed facing mouthpieces. This all to say, I think that someone used to one mouthpiece type or another would find the other type to be less affected by the same factors, because they are already so different. They require different physical and tonal approaches, especially when you compare mouthpieces that encourage "vibrancy" or "hold" using just your air/embouchre/voicing, and those that encourage "darkness" by biting and constricting the vibrations of the reed. My own preference is one that doesn't require biting, so I know very little about those mouthpieces that encourage it, such as the Vandoren BD and HD series. However, for the more old-school mouthpiece which are designed for minimal jaw pressure (there is still so much variation in these), I find that, regardless if it is a more fundamental emphasizing mouthpiece or overtone emphasizing mouthpiece, they are a lot more sensitive to ligature and reed changes. I think I only came to this conclusion, though, because they are what I'm used to. Fantastic video overall, as always, Mr Kurokawa!
@john.kurokawa28 күн бұрын
Thanks Amay! I am certainly in agreement that different ligatures suit different mouthpieces and reeds. I haven't played the B40 a ton, but many of the B40 players I know prefer metal ligatures as well. Thanks as always for watching!
@amay.clarinet28 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawa of course! Always a pleasure.
@cilantro522128 күн бұрын
Saxophonist here, I much prefer my Ishimori woodstone ligature to anything else I’ve tried. Gives my sound a nice ring and I find it makes it much easier to work with when it comes to tonal flexibility.
@john.kurokawa28 күн бұрын
Very cool! They are excellent ligatures for sure. Thanks for watching!
@jimis316728 күн бұрын
My favourites are Bonades and I'm also interested to try the AK someday maybe..
@john.kurokawa28 күн бұрын
Metal ligatures are next! Thanks for watching!
@emjay204525 күн бұрын
@@john.kurokawalooking forward to it ! 👏🏼
@finnsclarinet28 күн бұрын
I use a Rovner Light, but thanks for giving me a couple ideas for other options! The kodama looks tempting!