Klarinet Archive - Posting 000750.txt from 2002/04

From: "Gene Nibbelin" <gnibbelin@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Embouchure question
Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2002 16:57:00 -0400

Tony -

Although my earlier clarinet training took place in the 30s to the 50s -the
"extreme smile" era-- when I returned to playing and studying in the mid
90s, following Klarinet postings on the subject, I changed to the
"drawstring" or "O" embouchure. The angle of the mouthpiece in the mouth
certainly caused no problem, whatsoever. In fact, I never thought about it.

The "O" embouchure improved my tone thru all the registers and was a success
in my case. I have since changed to double-lip to fully take advantage of
the "drawstring" embouchure. My further success with double-lip would take
a fairly long posting which I don't have time to do at this time.

In addition, the double-lippers on the list already know the benefits and
the single lippers, who have never tried double-lipping or have not stayed
with it long enough to really learn the advantages, wouldn't believe me.
"No one is as devout as a convert"-at least not in the area of embouchures.

Regards,

Gene Nibbelin

-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Wakefield [mailto:tony-wakefield@-----.net]
Subject: Re: [kl] Embouchure question

----- Original Message -----
From: "Audrey Travis" <vsofan@-----.ca>
Subject: Re: [kl] Embouchure question

> The post about the *o* embouchure might have been mine.

I`ve never heard of the *O* embouchure being applied to clarinet. Saxophone,
yes, due to the difference of angle of the mouthpiece as it enters the
mouth - saxophone is more "straight out", whilst clarinet sits at it`s lower
angle. It may be that the O is not suitable for the clarinet due to this
lower angle of entry. If you experiment with this angle, the O suits the
saxophone due to the increased amount of tuning fluctuations possible on
sax. More control is therefore available to control these fluctuations of
intonation with the O in the "straight out" set up. If you experiment with
this angle, on clarinet, you will find that with the normal angle, more
lower lip "pressure"/"feel"/"control" is available, making for true control
of intonation. With the sax angle, (straight out)on clarinet, less lip
available to control the intonation, causes flatness. This "normal" angle
(for clarinet) cannot facilitate easily enough the O shape, and I feel
therefore that it should be avoided. Use, and experiment with all the
"normal" teachings therefore, for clarinet. I don`t hold out for much
success with the O on clarinet.
Any other embouchures need disecting?
Tony W.

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