Klarinet Archive - Posting 000504.txt from 2000/10

From: rgarrett@-----.edu
Subj: Re: [kl] Mouthpieces
Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2000 09:07:55 -0400

At 08:38 AM 10/10/2000 EDT, you wrote:
><< What I am NOT saying is that everyone should buy a mouthpiece that has an
> asymetrical facing so that they can learn how to blow correctly on the
> clarinet. But with some, it takes that experience to know how to. They
> become better players and musicians by doing so, and they then are free to
> express themselves musically. >>
>
>Using a resistant mouthpiece as a method to help some to use air efficiently
>or properly doesn't seem to me the way I would approach solving this type of
>problem.

I didn't say a resistant mouthpiece in the way in which you may be
presenting it above - I say a more resistant mouthpiece than the student is
using. What is resistant to a student may not be at all resistant to me -
that is why generalizations of the "best approach" to solving a problem in
a student's playing should probably not be made. If a person is
uncomfortable moving a student to a more resistant mouthpiece than they
have because they have other methods to teach by, that's fine. But if the
student can benefit from such a move, there is no reason not to make such a
move. That is not to say that other methods of teaching air support and
embouchure use are not also in evidence in one's teaching - just that the
mouthpiece/equipment (which you mentioned in an earlier post) is often at
the heart of the problem.

>I agree to the extent that even as a practical matter, I wouldn't make it
>past the first half page of the Brahms 1st in the orchestra with this style
>of mouthpiece - and believe from experience that it would be harmful to my
>playing to learn to do so.

You know your own playing well - that is a decision you would want to make.
And of course, than you could impart that experience to your students.
But others might not experience the endurance problem you describe - for a
variety of reasons. Perhaps they play in a smaller orchestra and don't
have to have four clarinetists to project the sound. Or, perhaps they have
a different approach to playing that allows them to play the first half
page of Brahms 1st - perhaps even the entire piece.

I wonder if I am being baited here? ; ) Ok.....I'll take the bait. We
played Brahms first - and second - within the last two years. My problems
with endurance come more from Tchaikovsky 5 then any of the Brahms
Symphonies. It is then that having an assistant to play the final movement
of non-stop f and ff would be helpful. One on a part makes it tough to
balance the brass and strings and percussion. Back to Brahms - our
orchestra is not as large as Chicago - and the brass section does not seem
quite as prominent in ours as in Chicago. Therefore, no endurance problems
for the clarinets that I can recall.

>I assume that you mean asymmetrical *and* very open as you mentioned before.

Yes, you are correct.

Sincerely,
Roger Garrett

Roger Garrett
Professor of Clarinet
Director, Symphonic Winds
Advisor, IWU Recording Services
Illinois Wesleyan University
School of Music
Bloomington, IL 61702-2900
(309) 556-3268

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