Klarinet Archive - Posting 000739.txt from 2001/11

From: "Steve White" <shwhite2@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Re: I need help with a student...
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 11:36:07 -0500

My experience has shown me that chewing and pressure are difficult to change
but possible. When I arrived at college thinking I'd played rather well
over all I was introduced to a whole new concept of control that practically
erased what I thought was a proper use for my lower jaw. My instructor had
me finger a low 'E', and blow warm air. Once doing this properly he would
have me slowly form my embechoure emphazising the 'O' shape. When I applied
just enough pressure to generate a good tone he'd stop me and say - "That's
all the pressure you need to play in any octave - except for some very high
notes in the altissimo register. He also spent time working with my lower
lip using the analagy that if it is pulled tight then the reed will be
resting upon a hard flat surface and would be difficult to control. He
changed one piece of my embechoure to corners tucking back towards my mouth
instead of pulling it tight across my teeth.

These techniques helped me greatly with similar problems, I apologize if you
are already aware. (most likely are)
Steve White

-----Original Message-----
From: DGross1226@-----.com]
Subject: [kl] Re: I need help with a student...

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

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