#266. Make Them Squeak!

I worry a lot. I could win an Olympic Gold Medal in worrying. Some of those worries are gigantic and some are tiny, but they are worries, nonetheless. When rehearsing bands, I often wonder – well, worry – whether my clarinets are taking the maximum amount of reed in their mouth, to get as much of it to vibrate as possible. But standing in front of a band with 25 clarinets it is hard to assess. Enter the “Squeak Test!” Simply have all of your clarinets play their open “G”. Then, instruct them to take a tiny bit more reed in their mouths and play the same pitch. With each subsequent playing of the note, they should take in a tiny bit more reed. Eventually, someone will squeak. When they do, tell that person to take back out of their mouth that last tiny amount of reed they had just added. That person is then to keep playing with that amount of reed in their mouth as we continue this routine with the rest of the players. Continue to have everyone do this until each of them has squeaked and remedied it. You will end up with every player having the maximum amount of vibrating reed in their mouths. It works so well and the resulting tone quality – with its rich resonance – is fabulous.

Peter Loel Boonshaft, Director of Education
KHS America