Klarinet Archive - Posting 000761.txt from 2002/04

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Embouchure question
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 05:55:08 -0400

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

> The post about the *o* embouchure might have been mine. - - - - -
> lips are shaped as though in the shape of the letter *o* (with the
corners
> pulled inward toward the centre of the mouth). Inside the mouth, you want
to
> have your tongue placed as if saying the German umlaut oe (I think) -
almost
> the sound oo, but combined with ee. Try the mouth shape first, then say
oo,
> followed by ee, then try combining those two sounds, and you have the
shape, - - - - - -

Confusion here Audrey.
Other listers` have also fallen into the trap of calling the O an OH, and
OO.
You mention in your original post the German oe, being almost the sound oo.
This is vastly different to what we (here in UK) call the O embouchure,
which is what we use for only saxophone, and never in clarinet playing. We
have to make it clear that an O is NOT an oe, nor an OO, nor an oo or an ee
combined. An O is a real circle which utilises & requires the <real>
dropping of the jaw, which is counter-productive to clarinet embouchure.
With an oe the jaw does not drop/fall to the same extent. What you say about
oe is correct. what you say about O is quite confusing, if clarinettists`
also play saxophone.
This needs to be seen and understood as maybe part of a cultural difference
in explanatory methods of teaching.
I was not in fact saying that you are wrong. Keith Stein may be seen to be
misunderstood also. We need to try to offer some conformity in methods of
understanding how we offer descriptions of how to shape the mouth to
students, but understanding however, that there are differences in
embouchures which DO work.
Best,
Tony W.

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

> The post about the *o* embouchure might have been mine. - - - - -
> lips are shaped as though in the shape of the letter *o* (with the
corners
> pulled inward toward the center of the mouth). Inside the mouth, you want
to
> have your tongue placed as if saying the German umlaut oe (I think) -
almost
> the sound oo, but combined with ee. Try the mouth shape first, then say
oo,
> followed by ee, then try combining those two sounds, and you have the
shape, - - - - - -

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