Klarinet Archive - Posting 000037.txt from 1997/11

From: Jacqueline Eastwood <eastwooj@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Long Tones
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 1997 16:34:15 -0500

On Sun, 26 Oct 1997 HatNYC62@-----.com wrote:

>
> <<The embouchure muscles are like any other muscles. They need slow
> exercises as well as fast.>>
>
> This makes no sense to me. The embochure SHOULD be serving the same function
> in either fast or slow passages, no?
>
Far be it from me to presume (especially since I'm still a week behind
the conversations here), but I would clarify the first statement to read
something like "exercises in which one concentrates specifically on the
embouchure muscles".

I do a specific set of long tone exercises every time I warm up. As my
practice time is extremely limited, I find them valuable for getting
focused, both physically and mentally. If I'm in better than usual shape,
I can also use them for tuning long to short fingerings, going from low to
high notes and vice versa, etc. Smoothness, continuity of sound
character, "light" fingers, etc., plus the concentration on those pesky
upper lip muscles -- it gets me started in a physically correct way, often
compared to a ballet dancer doing barre exercises as a warm-up.

Of course, this is only one part of the regimen.

Jacqueline Eastwood
University of Arizona/Arizona Opera Orchestra
eastwooj@-----.edu