Klarinet Archive - Posting 000787.txt from 1999/12

From: "Patricia Smith" <david-patty@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Legere reeds.
Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 09:24:15 -0500

Ed Lacy wrote,
"...the embouchure will become "set" for that particular reed and its
response characteristics. Then, every other reed will seem wrong to the
student..."

Ed, you make a really good point here. One does not want a poor embouchure
to set, nor for a student to get into a rut and lose adaptability, as far as
reeds go. Hopefully, a good teacher will spot the poor embouchure in the
very beginning. A better approach would be, perhaps, to buy two or three of
the Legeres and rotate them. Or have the student play on cane reeds in
addition to the Legeres. Either way, usability is extended, and there are
not as many expenditures close together. I know it seems to be putting
money ahead of learning; personally, I don't care for it when parents are
like this, but unfortunately, a good number of the ones I have seen are. On
the other hand, I have found that the more advanced students tend to take an
interest in such things as mouthpieces and reeds and their parents are not
too awfully concerned about expense; in such cases, Legeres would simply be
an "ace in the hole" so to speak, if needed, when a good reed breaks and a
known is preferable over an unknown (such as a broken reed five minutes
before a band concert!). These are the students, however, that do as they
are told and have four good reeds in rotation at al times. (I have seen one
or two at various times...it is hard to remember.... he he)
In the cases of a few of the students I have seen, it would take some time
for it to really matter! Embouchure seems to be one of the hardest aspects
of playing to start kids on, because it involves balancing the horn (in this
respect, it is so similar to teaching flute!) and coordinating the mouth and
right thumb just so. It simply takes time, patience and intelligent work,
other things that seem to be in short supply among parents and students.

Patty Smith

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