On the clarinet, the stumbling block of connecting A to B to A — the so-called A-B-A-B transition — tends to be more pronounced for beginners. It is already difficult on a standard clarinet, but on the bass clarinet, when you are on A the tube is short, and the moment you press the keys for B the lower joint connects, causing the tube length to change abruptly. When the length changes, the way air enters the instrument naturally changes as well. If there is not enough air at that point, the tone chokes, the connection breaks, or the attack is delayed. Furthermore, if you try to compensate by clamping down with your embouchure out of fear of choking, the instrument becomes even harder to resonate. In other words, the root cause of the disconnection is that your airflow cannot keep up with the change in register.
- The main reason the A-B-A-B transition breaks down is that your air baseline shifts in response to changes in tube length.
- Start by setting your air baseline to the longer tube (B), then adjust from there to the shorter register.
- Use a long-tone format, changing notes every four beats, to unify the way air enters the instrument.
- Develop the sensation of making the registers that tend to choke (around C-flat or A) resonate more easily.
Why You Should Set Your Baseline to the Longer Tube on Clarinet
If you use the shorter tube register (around A) as your baseline, the moment you move to B your air falls short, causing the tone to choke or the connection to break. So flip the approach. First, establish an air state that can fully resonate the longer tube note (B) as your baseline, then maintain that state while gradually lowering the pitch to adjust to the shorter register. This way, even in the shorter register, sufficient air enters the instrument, making it easier to improve the tonal connection on the clarinet. Once your air baseline is aligned, the tone is less likely to thin out when you return to A, and even with the same finger movements you begin to feel the notes connecting. When descending in pitch, be mindful of sustaining the same support without weakening the airflow — this produces the best results.
Practice Steps
- 1. Using B as your baseline, establish an air state (support) where sufficient air enters the instrument before producing the tone.
- 2. Change notes every four beats, descending stepwise from B — one step lower, then another — while maintaining your air baseline throughout the movement.
- 3. Reaching C (or around C) is sufficient. Focus especially on the range where the change in tube length is greatest.
- 4. As a finishing step, slowly repeat A to B to A and check whether the connection has improved.
Summary
The A-B-A-B problem on the clarinet is often caused by your air baseline shifting in response to changes in tube length. By setting your air support based on the longer tube note (B) and then adjusting to the shorter register through a long-tone exercise, the connection becomes easier to improve. Once you are comfortable, return to A-B-A and check whether you can transition smoothly with the same support. If you can make the transition without the tone choking, the same approach can be applied to other registers that tend to choke. Once you feel the notes connecting, gradually increase the tempo to bring the exercise closer to performance conditions. Even incorporating this briefly into your warm-up before ensemble practice can help improve registers that tend to choke.
Video Info
- Title: Overcoming the A-B-A Transition on Clarinet: Setting Your Air Support Based on Tube Length
- Instrument: clarinet
- Level: Beginner
