Klarinet Archive - Posting 001307.txt from 1998/10

From: Anne Bell <bell@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] double lip embouchure
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 1998 03:23:39 -0500

While I wouldn't exactly say I was ever in the closet I do use double lip.
I didn't start with the other kids in 5th grade (If I had I'd probably
play flute...) instead I started in the summer before 7th grade with a
clarinet my grandfather had picked up. He started me on double lip so I
thought that's just the way things were. Well, when I started taking
private lessons there was something like "what are you doing?!" and it was
decided that I should single lip- particularly since I would have to march
the following year. The transition to single lip wasn't difficult, at
least once I got a mouthpiece patch! I continued to play that way through
high school and another private teacher and then into college (not as a
music major).
The funny thing was that left to my own devices and after talking to a
friend of my grandfathers who used (and probably still does) double lip- I
switched back. It was never a problem when playing on my own and once I
did go back to school wind ensemble rehearsals would get pretty tiring- I
would switch to single lip for a few minutes and then right back, I really
didn't have a problem transferring- plus this was in 1993 and I'd just
started with Klarinet and was thus assurred that there were plenty of
people that double lipped. I still do and to date the only real drawback
for me is not being totally comfortable playing while standing- though if
it bothered me that much I could use a neckstrap for added stability.
Actually- now that I think about it there was one period of time that I
really didn't feel comfortable double lipping. I was learning Oboe and
playing that more than the Clarinet- when I would play clarinet it just
didn't feel right. I suppose it just took some getting used to because I
don't have a problem now.

Anne

Anne Bell
bell@-----.net

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