Underblown Bb Clarinet Multiphonics

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This post is closely related to the post on using the register key, the post on  bass clarinet underblown multiphonics and also to the post on Eb clarinet underblown multiphonics. It might be worth reading those, as well as the posts on spectral multiphonics for Bb, bass and contrabass clarinets, and Bb and Bass dyads to have a complete overview of this aspect of clarinet playing. (Basically read all the posts about multiphonics? There are quite a few more…)

If you’re looking for a nice example of a piece that uses these (plus a rather wide range of dyad multiphonics), check out Martin Rane Bauck’s Kopenhagener Stille. The section where he makes exclusive use of these multiphonics starts at 8:18 (but the whole piece is terrific!).

As usual these are in written (transposed) pitches. The fingering for each multiphonic in the first two sets is actually the same as the fingering for the top note, so you can notate these by just writing u.b. or underblow. If you’re worried about confusing the clarinetist, include a link to this page in your legend.

As with the Eb and bass clarinet equivalents of this technique, these are best performed at quiet dynamics.

firstset

The last few here are a bit theoretical most of the time, but you can hear the low note, just (you might need headphones.

Going upwards from the C sharp, the multiphonics are quite fragile, and a bit louder, but very effective:

altissimo

There is also quite a wide range of alternative fingerings for these, should a) something not really work very well or b) you be looking for a slightly different colour. These may well be some of my favourites, actually…

bonus multiphonics

bonus multiphonics

 

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2 Responses to Underblown Bb Clarinet Multiphonics

  1. matiaslevy says:

    Hi Heather! I am a composer writing a piece that might use this kind of multiphonics. I was told that changing the fingering for the top note (as you would with a timbral trill or with bisbigliando) actually changes the resulting bottom note. I don’t have any charts for that, do you happen to know of a good resource on the topic?

    • heatherroche says:

      Hey there – I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to ignore this comment. Often it will change the bottom note, it kind of depends on the multiphonics used, hm… maybe that’s a nice topic for a blog post :)

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