There are many different pedagogical opinions on clarinet articulation and clarinet voicing. Throughout the years, I’ve had several students ask me if using different syllables when playing clarinet really make a difference, and I want to break it down for you. Understanding articulation syllables The most common syllables used for clarinet playing (such as “tah,” “too,” or “tee”) are composed of a consonant and a vowel. The consonant (typically t or d for most commonly used clarinet syllables) controls the initial attack of the note. T offers a more direct and enunciated attack, whereas d is more subtle and diffused. You can also experiment with other syllables, although these are…