Contemporary clarinet notation uses specialized symbols to show extended techniques and new sounds. Common symbols include glissando lines for pitch slides, microtonal accidentals for quarter-tones, multiphonic fingering diagrams, cross-shaped noteheads for key clicks and air sounds, and graphic shapes for noise textures. To execute them, combine clear fingerings, relaxed embouchure, and careful dynamic control, always checking the score legend for composer-specific meanings.
Why Contemporary Notation Matters for Clarinetists
Contemporary clarinet notation matters because it opens access to a huge body of 20th and 21st century repertoire by composers like Pierre Boulez, Luciano Berio, Helmut Lachenmann, and Kaija Saariaho. These scores assume that clarinetists can read non-standard symbols, produce extended techniques, and interpret graphic notation with stylistic confidence.
For advanced students and professionals, fluency in modern notation is no longer optional. Auditions, competitions, and university recitals often require works that use multiphonics, microtones, and air sounds. Clarinet teachers and composers also need a shared notational language so that rehearsal time focuses on music, not deciphering symbols.
Contemporary notation also reflects the acoustics and anatomy of the clarinet itself. Key clicks, breath sounds, and alternate fingerings highlight how the mouthpiece, reed, tone holes, and keys can become independent sound sources. Understanding this connection helps players protect their instruments and maintain consistent sound quality.
Finally, contemporary notation matters because it is still evolving. Unlike classical notation, which is relatively standardized, modern symbols can vary between publishers and composers. Clarinetists who learn to read patterns, ask precise questions, and document their own fingerings will adapt more easily to new scores.
Common Contemporary Notation Symbols (with visual descriptions)
Contemporary clarinet notation builds on standard notation but adds extra symbols. While visual examples are ideal, clear verbal descriptions help you recognize patterns across scores from publishers like Universal Edition, Schott, and Boosey & Hawkes. Always check the score legend, but expect these core symbol families.
Glissandi and Pitch Bends
Glissandi are usually shown as a straight or slightly curved line connecting two noteheads. The line may be diagonal between pitches or wavy for more irregular slides. Some composers add the word “gliss.” or arrows indicating direction and speed of the slide.
Short pitch bends may appear as small arrows above a single notehead, pointing up or down. A curved line with an arrow can indicate a scoop into a note or a fall-off. On clarinet, these often combine embouchure, voicing, and subtle finger motion, especially across throat tones and register breaks.
Microtonal Accidentals
Microtones are notated with special accidentals that modify standard sharps and flats. Common systems include quarter-tone sharps (a half-sharp symbol) and quarter-tone flats (a half-flat symbol), plus arrows attached to accidentals indicating smaller pitch adjustments.
Some scores use accidentals with diagonal slashes, stacked symbols, or unique publisher designs. Many composers include a legend at the front of the score defining each microtonal sign in cents or fraction-of-a-tone values, which is important for consistent tuning.
Multiphonics and Split Tones
Multiphonics are often notated as two or more noteheads stacked on a single stem, sometimes with a fingering diagram or text instruction above the staff. In other cases, a diamond-shaped notehead may indicate a special fingering that produces multiple pitches.
Some composers, such as Jörg Widmann and Franco Donatoni, provide fingering charts in the performance notes. Others expect performers to choose their own multiphonics and may simply indicate “multiphonic” with approximate pitch content or a cluster-like notation.
Key Clicks and Percussive Effects
Key clicks are frequently shown with x-shaped (cross) noteheads on a single line or on the pitch of the fingered note. Stems and rhythmic values indicate timing, while dynamics or text such as “key clicks only” clarify that no normal tone is desired.
Some scores use diamond noteheads for softer mechanical sounds and x noteheads for louder, percussive clicks. A circle around the notehead can indicate that the sound should be very dry and unvoiced, produced only by the key mechanism.
Air Sounds and Breath Noises
Air sounds often appear as x-shaped or hollow noteheads with text such as “air only,” “breath,” or “no pitch.” A diagonal slash through the stem or notehead can emphasize noise rather than tone. Wavy stems or feathered beams may show gradual changes in air intensity.
Some composers notate air sounds on a single staff line to remove pitch reference. Others place them roughly at the pitch of the fingered note but mark them with special heads and instructions, indicating that the fingering shapes the noise color.
Flutter Tongue and Frullato
Flutter tongue is usually indicated by three short diagonal lines through the stem, a tremolo-like marking between a note and itself, or the abbreviation “flz” or “frull.” It may also appear as a squiggly line above the note.
On clarinet, flutter tongue can be produced with rolled “r” tongue action or uvular flutter in the throat. Notation often combines flutter with dynamics and articulations, so players must balance noise and pitch clarity according to the style.
Slap Tongue and Pizzicato Effects
Slap tongue is commonly notated with a small circle or plus sign above the note, or with the text “slap” or “pizz.” Some composers use a triangle notehead or accent-like symbols to emphasize the percussive attack.
These symbols may appear on normal staff positions for pitched slaps or on a single line for unpitched pops. Clarinetists should check whether the composer wants a clear pitch plus slap or primarily a noisy attack.
Multiphonic and Special Fingering Diagrams
Many contemporary scores include small fingering diagrams above or below the staff. Closed circles represent covered tone holes or pressed keys, while open circles show uncovered holes. Additional symbols may show half-holes, venting, or special key combinations.
These diagrams are especially common in works by composers who collaborated closely with specific clarinetists. The diagrams connect notation directly to instrument anatomy, making complex sounds reproducible across different clarinet models.
Extended Techniques: How to Produce and Notate Them
Extended techniques turn the clarinet into a multi-layer sound source. To use them reliably in performance, players need both clear notation and a physical understanding of how the mouthpiece, reed, bore, and keys interact. This section connects common symbols to practical execution.
Multiphonics: Stable Production and Notation Choices
To produce multiphonics, start with fingerings that are known to work on your clarinet model. Many pedagogical resources list stable combinations for B-flat and A clarinets. Begin at mezzo-forte, with a relaxed embouchure and slightly slower, warm air to allow multiple resonances to speak.
Notation usually shows the approximate pitches as stacked noteheads, but the exact spectrum varies by instrument, reed, and player. Composers can add fingering diagrams and dynamic indications, and may specify whether both pitches must be audible or if a noisy, unstable sound is acceptable.
Clarinetists should document three to five reliable multiphonics with fingerings, dynamic ranges, and response notes. Share these with composers or add them to performance notes so that future performers can reproduce your sound choices with similar setups.
Key Clicks: Protecting Pads While Achieving Clarity
Key clicks use the mechanical impact of keys on tone holes and posts. To produce them, finger the indicated note and close the keys sharply without blowing, or with minimal air if a faint pitch halo is desired. Use firm but not violent motion to avoid pad damage.
Notation with x noteheads and clear rhythmic values helps ensemble coordination. Composers can specify “with air” or “without air” and indicate which hand or register they prefer, since lower joint keys often produce louder, more resonant clicks than upper joint keys.
Air Sounds: Colored Noise and Breath Control
For air sounds, form your usual embouchure but reduce reed contact and relax voicing so that little or no pitch speaks. Blow a steady, focused airstream. Fingerings shape the noise color, especially between chalumeau and clarion registers, even when pitch is not clearly heard.
Notation often uses x or hollow noteheads with text like “air only.” Composers should specify dynamic range and whether a hint of pitch is acceptable. Clarinetists must monitor moisture and condensation, since extended air-only passages can cool the bore and affect later intonation.
Flutter Tongue: Tongue vs Throat Methods
Flutter tongue can be produced with a rolled “r” at the tip of the tongue or by uvular flutter in the back of the throat. Some players find tongue flutter easier at softer dynamics, while throat flutter works better at loud dynamics and in the altissimo register.
Notation with tremolo-like stems or “flz” markings should be paired with dynamic and articulation instructions. Composers can indicate “tongue flutter” or “throat flutter” if they want a specific noise color, though many performers will choose the method that works best for them.
Slap Tongue and Pops
Slap tongue uses suction between tongue and reed to create a percussive release. Start by practicing on the mouthpiece alone, then add the barrel and full instrument. Use a slightly softer reed and a flexible embouchure to avoid harsh squeaks.
Notation with small circles, plus signs, or “slap” text should clarify whether a clear pitch is required. For unpitched pops, composers can place x noteheads on a single line. Clarinetists should avoid repeated maximum-force slaps on delicate reeds, as this can shorten reed life.
Overblowing, Harmonics, and Spectral Effects
Harmonics are produced by fingering a lower note and adjusting voicing and air speed to excite higher partials. On clarinet, the twelfth relationship between registers makes some harmonic series less intuitive than on flute or saxophone, but special fingerings can emphasize particular overtones.
Notation may show the sounding pitch with a diamond notehead and the fundamental as a small note, or vice versa. Composers can label “harmonic” or “overblow” and provide fingerings in the performance notes. Clarinetists should experiment with tongue position and throat openness to stabilize these sounds.
Microtonality and Tuning: Notation and Practical Fingering Strategies
Microtonal writing for clarinet has grown steadily since the mid-20th century, especially in works by composers like Giacinto Scelsi, Brian Ferneyhough, and Georg Friedrich Haas. Clarinet acoustics, with its cylindrical bore and register key, make some microtones easy and others challenging.
Common Microtonal Notation Systems
The most common system uses quarter-tone accidentals: a half-sharp raises a note by 50 cents, and a half-flat lowers it by 50 cents. Some publishers use arrows attached to sharps and flats to indicate smaller deviations, such as 25 or 33 cents.
Other systems divide the octave into 24, 36, or 72 equal parts, each with its own accidental set. In all cases, composers should include a legend defining each symbol in cents. Clarinetists should mark fingerings in the part and use a tuner to calibrate their ear and embouchure.
Instrument Anatomy and Microtonal Fingerings
Microtones on clarinet rely heavily on half-holing, alternate fingerings, and subtle embouchure adjustments. The left-hand index tone hole, right-hand index tone hole, and side keys are especially important for quarter-tones in the throat and clarion registers.
By partially covering a tone hole or venting an extra key, players change the effective length of the air column. This shifts pitch in small increments. The barrel and mouthpiece combination also affects microtonal response, so some players keep a slightly shorter or longer barrel available for specific works.
Practical Quarter-Tone Strategies
Begin with quarter-tones around familiar notes such as A4, B4, and C5, where small fingering changes yield predictable pitch shifts. Use a chromatic tuner set to equal temperament and aim for 50-cent offsets. Mark successful fingerings directly into your part.
In fast passages, prioritize fingerings that are ergonomically close to standard ones, even if they are a few cents off. In sustained notes, use more complex fingerings and embouchure adjustments to achieve precise tuning. Communicate with the composer or conductor about acceptable tolerances.
Microtones in Ensemble Context
Microtonal tuning must fit the harmonic language of the ensemble. In works by Boulez or Ligeti, quarter-tones often function as coloristic inflections rather than strict equal divisions. In spectral or just intonation contexts, microtones may align with specific overtone relationships.
Clarinetists should rehearse microtonal passages with fixed-pitch instruments or electronics when possible. Use slow practice with drones to internalize intervals, and note which fingerings tend to be sharp or flat on your specific clarinet and mouthpiece setup.
Reading Graphic and Aleatoric Notation: Strategies for Interpretation
Graphic and aleatoric notation asks clarinetists to make interpretive decisions about rhythm, pitch, and texture. Scores by composers like Karlheinz Stockhausen, Morton Feldman, and George Crumb often include non-traditional layouts, proportional spacing, and symbols that represent gestures instead of exact notes.
Proportional and Spatial Notation
In proportional notation, horizontal space on the page represents time. A long line or wide gap between events means more time, while closely spaced symbols indicate faster actions. Vertical placement may still show approximate pitch, or it may be abstract.
Clarinetists should count underlying pulses internally and map visual distances to seconds or beats. Composers can help by providing a scale such as “1 cm = 1 second” or by marking reference points with approximate timings.
Graphic Symbols for Texture and Density
Graphic scores may use shapes like blocks, waves, or clusters to indicate density, register, or noise level. For example, a thick black band in the lower staff area might mean dense, low-register multiphonics or key clicks, while a thin line in the upper area could mean soft, high air sounds.
Interpretation should follow any legend or text instructions provided. When symbols are open-ended, clarinetists can design a small vocabulary of sounds that match the graphic character and remain consistent within the piece.
Aleatoric and Indeterminate Passages
Aleatoric notation often gives choices of order, rhythm, or pitch. Boxes may contain short figures to be repeated freely, or arrows may indicate that the performer moves through materials at their own pace. Text instructions such as “ad lib” or “freely” guide timing.
Clarinetists should decide on a clear internal structure so that the result feels intentional. Composers can specify minimum and maximum durations, dynamic envelopes, and interaction rules with other instruments to keep the music coherent.
Communication Between Composer and Performer
Graphic and aleatoric notation benefit from direct dialogue. Clarinetists should feel free to ask composers for audio examples, rehearsal notes, or clarifications on ambiguous symbols. Composers should invite feedback on playability and instrument-specific issues.
Documenting agreed interpretations in the part, with short text notes or sketches, helps future performers. This practice has become common in contemporary music festivals and university studios, where multiple clarinetists may share parts over many years.
Instrument Setup and Maintenance Considerations for Contemporary Techniques
Contemporary techniques place different stresses on the clarinet than standard playing. Key clicks, slap tongue, and extended air sounds affect pads, springs, and bore moisture patterns. A thoughtful setup and maintenance routine reduces risk while keeping response flexible for microtones and multiphonics.
Reed and Mouthpiece Choices for Extended Techniques
For multiphonics and microtones, many players prefer slightly softer reeds and mouthpieces with moderate tip openings. This combination allows flexible embouchure and voicing without excessive resistance. Too hard a reed can make multiphonics unstable and microtones sharp.
Keep a small rotation of reeds dedicated to contemporary repertoire. Label them for specific pieces if needed, especially when works require frequent slap tongue or heavy air sounds, which can fatigue reeds more quickly than standard playing.
Barrel, Bore, and Intonation Setup
Barrel length and internal shape influence microtonal response and multiphonic stability. Some clarinetists use a slightly shorter barrel for works with many high-register microtones, improving clarity and reducing flat tendencies. Others prefer a more traditional setup and adjust with embouchure.
Regular bore inspection is important when playing long passages of air sounds or multiphonics, which can change condensation patterns. Swab the instrument carefully after each session, paying attention to the upper joint where moisture can affect pad seating and tuning.
Pad Wear and Key Mechanism Stress
Key clicks and percussive techniques increase mechanical impact on pads and key arms. While normal use will not usually damage a well-maintained clarinet, repeated forceful clicks can compress pads, loosen screws, or misalign rods over time.
Schedule more frequent checkups with a qualified technician if you perform contemporary repertoire regularly. Ask them to inspect pad seating, spring tension, and key alignment, especially on high-use keys like left-hand index and right-hand index tone holes.
Maintenance Checklist for Contemporary Players
After heavy key-click sessions, visually inspect pads for new marks or compression rings. Test seal by playing soft long tones in the low register. If response feels sluggish or unstable, note which keys were used most and mention this to your technician.
For multiphonics and microtones, check that all tone holes are clean and free of debris, as small obstructions can alter pitch and response. Rotate reeds daily and discard any that crack or warp from aggressive techniques. Keep corks lightly greased to avoid extra stress when assembling and disassembling after long, moist sessions.
Troubleshooting Common Performance Issues with Modern Notation
Even experienced clarinetists encounter instability when learning contemporary techniques. Systematic troubleshooting connects what you hear and feel to specific adjustments in embouchure, voicing, fingerings, or instrument setup. Keeping a practice journal helps track which solutions work reliably.
Unstable or Missing Multiphonics
If a multiphonic collapses to a single pitch, first check dynamic level. Many fingerings speak best at mezzo-forte or slightly above. Too soft and the higher partials disappear; too loud and the lower resonance dominates. Adjust air speed while keeping embouchure relaxed.
If the sound squeaks or jumps registers, experiment with tongue position. Lower the tongue slightly and think of a warmer vowel shape like “ah” instead of “ee.” Try small embouchure loosening and check that your reed is not too hard or too closed at the tip.
Inconsistent Microtonal Tuning
When quarter-tones sound uneven, use a tuner to isolate whether fingerings are inherently sharp or flat on your instrument. Mark each fingering with a small plus or minus sign in your part. In performance, compensate with embouchure and air direction rather than changing fingerings mid-phrase.
If microtones drift during long phrases, check for fatigue. Tired embouchures often sag, making pitches flat. Short, focused practice sessions with rest periods help build stability without overuse. Consider slightly softer reeds that respond more easily to subtle adjustments.
Key Clicks Causing Squeaks or Unwanted Pitch
If key clicks produce squeaks, you may be blowing too much air or maintaining too firm an embouchure. For dry mechanical sounds, reduce air to almost zero and relax the embouchure, letting the keys do the work. For clicks with a pitch halo, add just enough air to color the sound.
Check that you are not inadvertently covering tone holes with extra fingers, which can create small resonant cavities. Practice key clicks slowly while watching your hands, then add rhythmic precision once the sound is consistent.
Air Sounds That Accidentally Speak Pitch
If an air-only passage suddenly produces clear tones, you are likely sealing the reed too firmly or voicing too high. Lighten reed contact by slightly rolling the mouthpiece out or relaxing the lower lip. Think of blowing warm air across the reed rather than into it.
Experiment with alternate fingerings that destabilize pitch while preserving noise color. For example, venting extra keys or half-holing can break up resonance. Document successful combinations for future use in similar passages.
Fatigue and Overuse Concerns
Extended techniques can tire muscles that standard playing does not stress as much, such as those used for flutter tongue or repeated slap tongue. If you feel persistent discomfort, reduce session length and alternate contemporary work with traditional repertoire.
Consult a teacher or medical professional if pain persists. Many clarinetists integrate gentle stretching and breathing exercises into practice to support healthy technique, especially when preparing demanding contemporary programs.
Historical Context and Notational Evolution (including Martin Freres archive examples)
Clarinet notation changed dramatically in the 20th century as composers explored new sounds. Early works by Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók expanded rhythmic and dynamic language but still used mostly traditional symbols. Later, composers like Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Luciano Berio introduced systematic extended techniques and microtones.
Berio's “Sequenza IXa” for clarinet, for example, uses complex rhythmic groupings, multiphonics, and dynamic extremes, notated with detailed performance instructions. Stockhausen's works for clarinet and electronics incorporate spatial notation and graphic elements that guide timing and gesture rather than exact beats.
By the late 20th century, composers such as Helmut Lachenmann and Brian Ferneyhough treated the clarinet as a source of noise, breath, and mechanical sounds as much as pitch. Their scores feature dense notation, special noteheads, and extensive legends explaining techniques like key clicks, air sounds, and unconventional articulations.
Field Note (Martin Freres Archive): Examination of early 20th century Martin Freres clarinets shows keywork optimized for classical and romantic repertoire, with limited provision for half-holing or exotic fingerings. Later archival instruments from mid-century professional models reveal subtle changes in tone hole placement and key ergonomics that facilitated emerging contemporary techniques, especially in the throat and clarion registers.
Historical scores in the Martin Freres archives illustrate how notation evolved alongside instrument design. Early printed parts rarely show anything beyond simple glissandi. By the 1960s and 1970s, annotated copies owned by contemporary specialists include hand-written multiphonic fingerings, microtonal accidentals, and experimental symbols that foreshadow the standardized legends found in modern editions.
Understanding this evolution helps clarinetists place contemporary notation in context. What once required personal collaboration between composer and performer is now increasingly codified in pedagogical materials and published scores. At the same time, the living tradition of experimentation continues, inviting new notational solutions for emerging sounds.
Key Takeaways
- Contemporary clarinet notation uses a core set of symbols for glissandi, microtones, multiphonics, key clicks, and air sounds, but composers often customize details, so always consult the score legend.
- Reliable extended technique performance depends on understanding how clarinet anatomy, fingerings, and voicing interact, supported by a flexible reed and mouthpiece setup.
- Systematic troubleshooting and a targeted maintenance routine help prevent mechanical issues and stabilize sound quality when practicing demanding modern repertoire.
- Historical developments in notation and instrument design, documented in archives such as those of Martin Freres, explain why contemporary scores look and sound the way they do today.
FAQ
What is contemporary clarinet notation?
Contemporary clarinet notation is an expanded system of symbols and instructions used to represent extended techniques, microtones, and new sound textures beyond traditional classical writing. It includes special noteheads, microtonal accidentals, graphic shapes, and detailed legends that guide performers in producing multiphonics, key clicks, air sounds, and other modern effects.
How are multiphonics notated and how do I practice them?
Multiphonics are usually notated as two or more pitches stacked on a single stem, sometimes with a fingering diagram or text instruction. To practice them, start with published stable fingerings, use a relaxed embouchure at mezzo-forte, and experiment with tongue position and air speed. Limit sessions to short, focused periods and document which fingerings work best on your instrument.
How do composers indicate microtones for clarinet?
Composers indicate microtones with special accidentals such as half-sharps and half-flats for quarter-tones, or arrows attached to sharps and flats for smaller deviations. Many scores include a legend defining each symbol in cents. Clarinetists use alternate fingerings, half-holing, and embouchure adjustments to match the indicated pitch offsets.
What does an “x” note head mean on a clarinet part?
An x-shaped notehead usually indicates a non-standard sound such as a key click, air sound, or unpitched effect. The exact meaning depends on the score legend and any text instructions nearby. Often, x noteheads on a single line represent pure mechanical or air noises, while x noteheads on normal staff positions may combine noise with approximate pitch.
Will extended techniques damage my clarinet or require special maintenance?
When performed with reasonable force and good technique, extended techniques should not damage a well-maintained clarinet. However, heavy key-click use can accelerate pad wear and loosen mechanisms, and moisture from long air-sound passages can affect pad seating. Contemporary players should schedule more frequent checkups, inspect pads regularly, and maintain a consistent swabbing and reed-rotation routine.
Where can I find reliable score examples of contemporary clarinet notation?
Reliable examples include published scores by composers such as Luciano Berio, Pierre Boulez, Jörg Widmann, and Helmut Lachenmann from major publishers. University libraries and contemporary music festivals often hold annotated parts that show practical fingerings. Historical archives, including those preserving Martin Freres instruments and scores, also document how notation and technique evolved in professional practice.
