The fingering logic and performing of woodwind instruments

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction and definitions
• Basics of the woodwind playing
• Body and instrument as a harmonious unity
• Physical conditions and level of difficulty of the fingerings
• Posture
• Strengthening stamina
• Physiology of mouth and jaw (embouchure) vs. controlled finger coordination
• Instruments for children, instruments for women
• Training of correct practising
• Finger size, key or hole size
• Level of training, age, maturity, playing at sight
• Development of the body and the development of the muscles of the fingers and the hands
• Relation of body height and instrument size
• The issues of the dissertation and its relevance
• Is the degree of the difficulty of fingerings and fingering combinations predictable?
• The proof of the subjective difficulty rating of fingering sets
• Is it possible to make a prediction of the degree of difficulty of a piece and as a result a calculation of the optimal fingering sequence?
• Is it possible to generate an aesthetic prediction of the playing the clarinet?
• A modelled clarinet can be a tool for composers or for instrument manufacturers
• Preliminary studies
• Preliminary study 1: Exploratory
• Question 1: Methods of practising in the “head”. Which methods are available and which are best?
• Question 2: How will the grade of difficulty of a piece be determined?
• Preliminary study 2: Quantitative, qualitative
• Hypothesis 1: Correlation between grade of difficulty and the number of used fingers
• Preliminary study 3: Qualitative
• Hypothesis 2: Correlation between grade of difficulty and finger position
• Hypothesis 3: Correlation between the \"difficulty-acceptance\" and an aesthetic decision
• Preliminary study 4
• Preliminary study with saxophonists
• Preliminary study with clarinettists
• Test persons of the clarinettists study
• Key index 0
• Key index 1
• Key index 2
• Key index 3
• Key index 4
• The calculations
• The saxophone-survival
• Test persons in the saxophone survival
• The survival of the saxophonists
• The values of the saxophone survival
• Main analysis: Quantitative study of clarinettists and saxophonists. Analysis of the obtained data
• General investigations
• Introduction
• Method
• Participants (selection, features)
• Experimental design
• Technical resources
• Procedure
• Evaluation
• Results of both surveys
• Results: Clarinet
• Results: Saxophone
• Discussion
• Description of the model
• Theory
• Mathematical description
• Comparison between results and predictions of the model
• Discussion
• Error causes
• Conclusion
• Experimental design
• Methods of Evaluation (Particularly Explanation of Applied Qualitative Methods)
• Methodological Results
• Generalizability
• Qualitative analysis of quotations, categories
• Summary of main results
• Extension of the model
• Further research: case study, analysis of pieces
• Which conditions make playing a woodwind instrument difficult?
• Which groups of persons have problems?
• Why there are problems and why is this relevant?
• Implications
• Implication for practising
• Implication for composition and publishing
• Implication for music education systems

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This work aims to contribute to the understanding of woodwind instrument playing by developing a model that predicts fingering difficulty and explores its implications for musicians, teachers, and composers. The model is based on empirical research using quantitative and qualitative methods, analyzing data from clarinet and saxophone players.

• The subjective difficulty of fingering combinations on woodwind instruments.
• The influence of finger movements and positions on perceived difficulty.
• The development of a predictive model to optimize fingering sequences for musicians, teachers, and composers.
• The potential of the model to support aesthetic analysis of music compositions.
• Implications for the development and design of woodwind instruments.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The first chapter introduces the basics of woodwind playing, including the relationship between the player’s body and the instrument, physical conditions affecting fingering difficulty, and the importance of proper training. Chapter two delves into the central research questions of the dissertation, exploring the predictability of fingering difficulty, the possibility of creating a predictive model for optimal fingering sequences, and the potential for aesthetic predictions in clarinet playing. Chapter three presents a series of preliminary studies that investigate different aspects of fingering difficulty. These studies involve exploring methods of mental practice, analyzing correlations between finger use and difficulty, and examining the influence of finger position on perceived difficulty. Chapter four discusses the general investigation methods, including participant selection, experimental design, and data analysis. It presents the results of surveys conducted with clarinet and saxophone players. Chapter five focuses on the model itself, describing its theoretical foundation, mathematical description, and comparison between predicted and observed results. The chapter also examines potential error causes. While the final chapters are not included in this preview to avoid spoilers, they delve further into the conclusion, implications for practice, composition, and music education, and outline potential directions for future research.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Woodwind instruments, fingering logic, playing technique, psychological study, predictive model, fingering difficulty, aesthetic prediction, clarinet, saxophone, empirical research, quantitative methods, qualitative methods, music education, instrument design, musical composition.