Klarinet Archive - Posting 000668.txt from 2001/03

From: stewart kiritz <kiritz@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] The spirit is willing but the lip is weak!
Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 17:26:05 -0500

David,

If you are not seriously impaired, e.g., overweight, easily fatigued due to
no exercise, etc. my personal opinion is that general physical conditioning
would not be very related to length of time before the muscles that support
the embouchure fatigue. Personally, I am in pretty good physical
condition...weight train and run 3 times a week, at correct weight for my
build, etc. yet my chops still are weak and probably will be until I have
gradually built up the strength of the specific muscles involved in playing
the clarinet. These are specific muscles often not used that much, or at
least not used in the ways they need to be used to play the instrument. So
I doubt that developing other muscles would help much, unless you are
totally infirm.

Stewart Kiritz

----- Original Message -----
From: "David C. Kumpf" <dkumpf@-----.com>
Subject: RE: [kl] The spirit is willing but the lip is weak!

> Facing a bit of the same battle here, as I didn't play for 23 years.
>
> I started with Rico 2's since I figured my lip wouldn't take much more. I
> have only been playing about 10 days and they are starting to become too
> soft. Bought a box of Vandoren 3.5, way too hard, even with sanding the
> backs. I will probably try both Vandoren 2.5 and 3 next and try to find a
> happy medium.
>
> Most of my suggestions are just based on what little (very little!) I know
> about exercise physiology. I would consider some of the following. I'd
love
> to hear what anyone else on the list says as it would help me too.
>
> - consider sanding the backs of the 3.5's with very fine sandpaper (1000
> grit).
> - consider two sessions of 20 - 30 minutes a day. (Studies of racing
> cyclists have indicated that two training sessions of 1 hour per day are
> just as effective as one session of 2 hours per day)
> - consider switching brands of reeds
>
> There was another similar discussion (about embouchre fatigue) recently on
> the list, and I frankly don't remember who started it. So, there might be
> some useful things in the klarinet archives.
>
> One thing I would be curious about, particularly if there are some
exercise
> physiologists who read the list, is the relationship between general
> physical conditioning and ability to play for longer periods of time. I
> suspect the connection is strong but it would be nice to have some more
> informed opinion. If the connection is strong, then it might be reasonable
> to conclude that activities such as running, walking, cycling, swimming,
> etc. will help build endurance for playing (even in the lip, since all
> muscles will be able to process fuel more efficiently, remove wastes more
> effectively, etc). And that all of the normal things associated with
> maintaining athletic performance (such as being well hydrated) would apply
> as well.
>
> Or not...again, it would be nice to hear from someone on the list who has
> some expertise in this topic.
>
> David C. Kumpf
> President
> Optimetra, Inc.
> 4420 Red Rock Ranch Road
> Monument, CO 80132
> mailto:dkumpf@-----.com
> http://www.optimetra.com
> (719) 481-2956 (voice)
> (719) 487-0920 (fax)
> (719) 964-8105 (mobile)
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rhea Jacobs [mailto:rhea-j@-----.net]
> Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 2:23 PM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] The spirit is willing but the lip is weak!
>
>
> A re-beginner is seeking advice from all you experienced teachers!
>
> I've recently begun playing the clarinet again after a long (37 year)
> hiatus, and have been in a position to practice regularly since the
> first of the year. (Let's just say that our local instrument repair
> technician has a LONG backlog!)
>
> I definitely expected things to go slowly as far as getting my chops
> back, but I'm finding, to my great frustration, that my lip tires after
> 45 minutes (or an hour at most), and that I have to quit and rest for a
> day. I tried double sessions with half-day rests, but I blew the lip out
> to the point where my teacher sent me home and said to rest it for a few
> days and not to try to rush it.
>
> This is frustrating to me, not because I'm trying to get back several
> years of serious study in a few months, but because I feel like I'm worn
> out as soon as I'm warmed up. I'd really like to find some way to
> strengthen the lip so that I can practice for a couple hours at a time.
>
> What I think is contributing to the problem is reeds. I'm stuck between
> 3's, which are a bit too soft, and 3 1/2's, which are still a bit stiff.
> I have been starting off with the 3 1/2's and then moving down after
> I've been through my scale warmup or when I feel fatigue, whichever
> comes first.
>
> Any suggestions from those of you who are experienced players and
> teachers would be greatly welcome. My teacher is fine, but she has very
> few adult students, and I doubt she's had to deal with this before.
>
> Thanks so much,
> Rhea Jacobs
> rhea-j@-----.net
>
>
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