Klarinet Archive - Posting 000205.txt from 2000/11

From: Bilwright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] Long Tones and Embouchure
Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2000 19:14:10 -0500

<><><> Terry Sterkel wrote:
how do long tones "strengthen the embouchure", please be specific, as I
must be doing something very wrong.

<><> Roger Garrett wrote:
I define long tones as a note beginning at the softest possible volume
[snip] all shades of gray (tone) accounted for without blemish.

Another aspect --- pardon me for repeating, but my teacher worked
with me some more on this today --- is that you can't begin at the
softest possible volume if you're using your embouchure to support the
instrument.
You need to keep your embouchure 'free' and 'unencumbered' to do
other things. Therefore long tones are to some extent an exercise of
your right thumb and/or your use of knees or strap -- rather than being
purely an embouchure and breath support exercise.

Choose a note just above the break, and see how soft you can play
it without the sub-tone overpowering the note that you're trying to
play. Transfer as much of the instrument's weight as possible off of
your embouchure and you should notice an improvement in your ability to
avoid the sub-tone -- simply because your embouchure is free to adjust
and to cooperate with your breath support.
When I try to play long tones as high as G-above-the-staff or
A-above-the-staff, the note I want to play disappears at both ends (the
soft ends) of the long tone, and only the sub-tone remains. This is
part of what long tone exercises are about.

Cheers,
Bill

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