Klarinet Archive - Posting 000738.txt from 2001/11

From: DGross1226@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Re: I need help with a student...
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 11:09:56 -0500

In a message dated 01-11-27 04:14:28 EST, you write:

<< The problem is this: Whenever he plays his instrument, his jaw moves and
he
bites too hard on the mouthpiece. It happens when he plays legato as well as
when he is tonguing. The thing that is hard about this is that he doesn't
realize that he is doing this.>>

Ben,

When I first auditioned for my current teacher, Helen Goode-Castro, more than
a year ago, I played two of the Lutoslawski Dance Preludes. Thinking I'd
done a rather good job, her only comment was, "Oh, we can fix that!" "Fix
what," I asked. "You look like you're eating corn on the cob!" Over the
years, I had developed a terrible habit of moving my jaw, especially on
fast, staccato passages. I also did a lot of "scooping" with my jaw on
legato passages thinking I was "interpreting" the music by adding marvelous
musical nuances.

Two remedies have worked very well for me (although I still get caught at my
lessons falling back into my bad habit). First, have your student play in
front of a mirror. Actually seeing a problem is a good first step toward
correcting it. I also have a small "rear view mirror" which I attach to my
stand while practicing. Second, I've found that I tend to move my jaw in
direct relationship to the amount of air column support I'm using. Good
support; little jaw movement. Poor support; lots of jaw movement.

Bad habits are HARD to break. Good luck and keep us posted.

Don Gross
La Canada, California

---------------------------------------------------------------------