Klarinet Archive - Posting 000763.txt from 2002/04

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Embouchure question
Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2002 08:03:30 -0400

From: "Neil Leupold"
> --- Tony Wakefield <tony-wakefield@-----.net> wrote:
>
> > An O is a real circle which utilises & requires the <real> dropping
> > of the jaw, which is counter-productive to clarinet embouchure.
>
> Oh? What makes you believe that dropping the jaw is not an essential
> element of producing an optimal clarinet embouchure?
>
> ~ Neil

Neil,
To drop the jaw is to OPEN your mouth. Try this, and try to leave your lower
lip on the
reed and try to apply real/what is necessary, pressure with this lip -
IMPOSSIBLE. In clarinet
playing your jaw has to apply itself to more closed position, in order for
the lower lip to be able to work properly. This more closed position of the
jaw - more closed than that of the sax embouchure cannot be called the O
shape. To put it forthrightly - you can, but you`d be wrong. This is the sax
embouchure - O. This is the clarinet embouchure ( as near as what my `puter
can teach me) - <> i.e. jaw in a higher position. The jaw MUST be in a
higher position than that for the saxophone. Try my first resume/post, in
putting the clarinet into mouth at 90 degrees to the mouth i.e. nearer to
sax embouchure. The sound is thin and flatter in pitch - unless you`re
playing in not too important strictness of tuning jazz jam sessions. The
reason for this is that the more lower lip (and jaw) that is allowed to
apply itself to the reed, when the "normal" angle of insertion is observed,
then there is greater control for all aspects of sound and intonation.
All I`m saying is that it is wrong to call the clarinet embouchure "O". It
is not.
Best,
Tony W.

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