Klarinet Archive - Posting 000606.txt from 1998/09

From: "Gene Nibbelin" <gnibbelin@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] "Play with an open throat. What does that mean?"
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 02:09:34 -0400

To any and all listers who have a tight throat problem:

The subject line is quoted from the first sentence of Gary Bovyer
Masterclass article in Windplayer #53, entitled "The Register Key as an
Aid".

Way, way back in my student days, 1930's--1950's, throat problems plagued
my playing in varying degrees and remained a major inpediment to my
playing. In fact, the problem was one of the contributing factors in my
decision to seek my "fortune" elsewhere.

When I resumed playing in Feb. '96, I still had the problem - for about 2
weeks -- until I read Mr. Bovyer's article and applied his advice. It has
been the "Rosetta Stone" of my playing "recovery". If I had been aware of
how easy it was to "teach" my throat to relax way back when, I might have
become a better than average clarinetist.

Whenever I begin to have a throat problem, I just run through Mr. Bovyer's
procedures and voila, the problem is corrected.

You pros out there probably solved any throat problems long ago, but the
many students on the list would no doubt profit from this article.
"Windplayer" has back copies available at about $5.00 per issue.

This article may be somewhere in the clarinet info pages or Sneezy. Does
anyone know?

Gene Nibbelin

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