Howdy Everyone!

Have been playing clarinet for a while, but am still unable to get this peculiar sound one always here in Klezmer music. I`ve been told it`s about suddenly relieving the pressure you put with your lips on the mouthpiece, but I just can`t do it. I am able to get a regular bend, but not that peculiar glissando (or whatever it is called)... If anybody can give me a somewhat detailed account of it, I would be extremely grateful!
Thanks,
Peace, tranquility & Goodwill - Love!

hmmm... im not sure if i know what you are talking about.. do you mean the sound that happens when you bend and gliss at the same time? to do i regular gliss, i kinda remove my bottom teeth from touching the inside of my lip, then move them outward to push out a bit, almost like dropping your jaw on the sax, but if you were to drop your whole jaw on the clarinet the sound just gets fuzzy. think about move your bottom lip down the reed. but dont actually take it off the reed. ok this is harder that i thought. my favorite note to bend on is high Bb, or Eb above the staff... but to achieve a gliss that sounds like a bend, which is what i think you are talking about, relieve pressure, like i said, then as you gliss, re-tighten your embochure before you get to the top note. the song i can think of doing it off my head if overture to candide. well i hope i helped. haha, if not e-mail me if youd like

Dear Shanna

Thanks very much your reply. I realize I am not very clear about the sound I`m talking about. Imagine a Niiiiiaaa going up... Not much clearer... It might well be the gliss and bend together... Will try it... Thank you very much...

By the way, what does "above the staff mean"?