Klarinet Archive - Posting 000369.txt from 1996/05

From: "Joie Canada , Jcanada713@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: involuntary air leak
Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 11:47:01 -0400

It has been my experience that air leaks, through the nose or out of the
corners of the mouth when playing for long periods (how long depends on the
player) are caused by muscle fatigue which caused the embrouchure to lose its
(grip)
Greater strength is not the answer, it's simply that any muscle or group of
muscles can only perform a similar move so many times before the neurological
mechanisms that cause the muscle to move get saturated with neurotransmitters
and can't clear them out fast enough to allow new signals to come in. The
cure is to STOP FOR A BREAK after about 40 minutes (if the problem occurs at
45 minutes and do something completely different with those muscle for about
2 or 3 minutes--brush your teeth or recite tongue twisters or something. It
also helps to do stretching exercises using large muscles of the limbs
instead of the small muscles of the face.

This principle is well known to engravers, calligraphers, and other small
muscle users and is recommended by Yehudi Menuhen for violinists. I have
always found it to work.

Best Wishes,

Joie