Klarinet Archive - Posting 000102.txt from 2000/08

From: LeliaLoban@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Facial exercises?
Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2000 08:36:24 -0400

Gary McGinnis wrote,
>I'm new here. I'm 49 years old, and picked up the clarinet at age 10. I
>played and practiced faithfully into my 30's, but got away from it about
>7 years ago. Consequently, I've pretty much lost my chops. Now, I know
>there are no shortcuts to getting the ol' embouchure back: Long tones,
>slow arpeggios, etc. But I've got a question I've always wondered about,
>and this is as good a time as any to ask it. Does anyone know of facial
>exercises one can do apart from playing the instrument? I sit at a
>computer for most of the day (at Microsoft), and it would be great if
>there were such a thing as isometric facial exercises that would aid in
>toning the embouchure muscles. Any advice? Thanks.

I'm also a comeback player. We've got a lot of company here. Someone on the
www.sneezy.org bulletin board (I think -- or was it someone here on the
list?) suggested whistling as a good exercise for improving clarinet chops.
Well, I can't whistle worth a squeak. For me, it seems more worthwhile to
spend the time practicing the clarinet itself, where I seem to make progress,
rather than working on the whistle, which seems totally hopeless. But if you
want to try this exercise at the office and drive your fellow Borg nuts as an
added entertainment bonus, may I suggest the song, "Whistle While You Work,"
from the old Disney movie, "Snow White." It seems peculiarly appropriate,
given the mailing address of this list....

Welcome, BTW, and I hope you enjoy your comeback as much as I've enjoyed mine!

Lelia
~~~~~~~~~
Why delay today what you can put off until tomorrow?
~~~~~~~~~

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