ABSTRACT
Production of multiphonic sonorities on the clarinet-or, alternatively, microtonal scales containing over a hundred distinct sounds between two equal-tempered semitones (F and F-sharp near the throat register, for example)—can be accomplished by alternate fingering arrangements, sometimes in combination with altered embouchure or adjusted pressure on the reed. They do not necessarily entail any acrobatic extensions of normal methods and are, therefore, not limited to use by particularly skilled players. In fact, beginners seem to adapt rather easily to producing them. Perhaps they are spurred on by the more immediately tangible rewards of the unexpected and strikingly evocative multiphonic result as compared with traditional sound ideals. The multiphonic sound is accessible and reproducible, and it can vastly extend the expressive compass of the woodwind family.
