Klarinet Archive - Posting 000496.txt from 2000/11

From: Neil Leupold <leupold_1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] the squeaks
Date: Sun, 12 Nov 2000 15:07:48 -0500

--- Larrylabdog@-----.com wrote:

> I've been having trouble lately playing high E. It jumps to high A
> automatically. I don't know if it has anything to do with my switching to
> Zonda reeds or if it can be attributed to playing a lot of Sax lately. Any
> thoughts or suggestions?...John

Just to rule out embouchure considerations, try the following:
using a double-lip embouchure, play a couple of slow trills on
chalumeau C-to-D, with good air support. Retaining the double-
lip embouchure, play a couple of slow trills on clarion G-A.
With double-lip intact, approach altissimo-E be stepwise motion,
e.g.; C-D-E, or perhaps chromatically, C-C#-D-D#-E. If you don't
get any squeaks via stepwise motion, try attacking the E directly
-- still using a double-lip embouchure.

If the above exercise results in a regained ability to play altissimo
E without squeaking, there is the likelihood that Zonda reeds, combined
with your particular mouthpiece, are more sensitive to embouchure pres-
sure, and may jump to the next overtone more readily than the reeds you
were using before. If you customarily use single-lip embouchure, this is
a signal that you must develop greater firmness and relaxation (no, this
is not oxymoronic) in your embouchure, utilizing the air stream more as
the facilitator of your tone, in order to adapt to the greater sensitiv-
ity of the reed. In other words, your goal is to develop the embouchure
muscles such that you use your lips more, and your jaw less. Developing
this kind of flexibility is the next step in the process of technical
maturity on the instrument.

An alternative, of course, is to find a more forgiving mouthpiece. If
you're doing a lot of sax playing, you may be more prone to use your jaw
in the process of tone production, which is the opposite direction you
wish to go on the clarinet. Switch back & forth between your new Zondas
and a couple of your other reed brand. If you're getting squeaky E's on
both reeds, then it's likely to be an embouchure & air issue. If only
the Zondas squeak, it doesn't mean the Zonda's are bad. But they may
not be an immediateley good match with your mouthpiece. At that point,
you have the option of raising your embouchure/air technique up a notch
in order to adapt, seek out more forgiving equipment, or (3) switch back
to your former brand of reeds.

-- Neil

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