Klarinet Archive - Posting 000833.txt from 1999/01

From: CmdrHerel@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] double lip
Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1999 22:59:57 -0500

In a message dated 1/17/99 1:36:47 PM Eastern Standard Time,
mai_lin@-----.com writes:

<< And one last question, while I'm starting this, what should I
concentrate on practicing the most? Long tones? or something else? >>

Okay, let me see if I can get all your questions! First the five minutes a
day for starters is only the double lip. You can continue to practice for as
long as you want single lip after that. I just don't know about the medical
condition. I'd assumed you wouldn't be playing single lip at all anymore. My
bad. :)

Second, stamina will build up very nicely if you stick to the five on-five off
practice routine. You'll be able to make it through long rehearsals just
fine. Just don't practice for those long uninterrupted times when you're at
home.

You'll soon reach a halfway point where both embouchures will be equally...
bad. (for lack of a better way to say it.) At that time, you need to choose
one or the other. You'll probably be able to play double lip all the time, by
that point.

I've found that most double lip embouchures will set in just a couple months,
but endurance will be low. But... just a few more months will give you enough
endurance. It varies for everyone. Avoid playing on hard reeds for a while.
That will help too.

As for long tones, I don't do specific "embouchure" exercises. I simply work
on embouchure while I'm doing other valuable studies, like chromatics or
staccato. You'll initially want to do "slowish" things while you try the
embouchure, like slow scales, so that you don't knock the clarinet around in
your mouth with heavy fingers. (A fringe bene of switching, is you'll either
play with very light fingers or be in pain! :)

I don't know if I mentioned it, but someone else did: Hold the bell in your
knees for extra support, providing that you can sit and do this comfortably.
That is, if you're not too tall.

Let me know how it goes.

Teri Herel.

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