Klarinet Archive - Posting 000282.txt from 1997/10

From: "C Henderson" <chenderson@-----.au>
Subj: Re: Crossing ankles & chewing gum
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 18:43:21 -0400

Cheryl wrote:
> I have a new student who is very petite and finds that the easiest way
> for her to support the clarinet is to cross her ankles, slide her feet
> back so that they are underneath her and rest the instrument on the
> inside of her thighs. My reaction was to try to get her to change this=
,
> but I have to admit--I like to cross my ankles and slide them back when
> playing (I fight against this), and I'm interested in others' comments.
>
I'm curious, Cheryl - I know you say she's petite, but she must be of a =
reasonable age? My 8 and 9 year old pupils couldn't do that because the =
distance between mouth and thighs is shorter than the clarinet! Anyway, =
it seems to me you actually have two issues here: 1) does it alter her =
posture to cross her ankles and slide her feet back; and 2) why does she =
need to (does she need to at all?) rest the clarinet on her thighs, and =
does that change her embouchure at all? Answers to both ought to be reas=
onably easy to establish, and should help you to work out whether both =
habits are good, bad, or irrelevant.

> This student also likes to chew gum while playing (an easier issue to
> change!) and in addition to the danger of it ruining her reed, I would
> think it would hinder her tonguing as well. Again, any responses?

This one I'll leave to the outraged horrified answers!! Except to say =
- what's the point? Surely she only holds the gum in her mouth (or is =
it possible to chew while playing?), so I wouldn't have thought it gave =
her a chance to chew more, so why not just get rid of it?

Cheers
Clare
*******************************************************
Clare Pascoe Henderson
variously clarinetist, writer/lecturer, herbalist
chook fanatic and menagerie manager
<chenderson@-----.au>
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