Klarinet Archive - Posting 000289.txt from 2002/07

From: "Gary Smith" <asemsi@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Orthodontics and embouchure
Date: Sun, 14 Jul 2002 19:34:07 -0400

I teach a lot of junior high students, and have taught a handful with
braces. One of my best students ever (at least in terms of amount of
progress in the course of one year, after which she moved, unfortunately)
had such profound orthodontic problems that they were actually moving her
jaw alignment around with various retainers, gadgets, and things.

Despite this, she did quite well - whenever the dr. made adjustments, she
seemed to have trouble for a week or two as she rediscovered where her
embouchure was, but she made great progress.

Others have commented on the wax -- I can't imagine doing without it. In
fact, the student I had who did the worst resisted using it for some reason
I never could figure out. She developed this flaccid, wimpy embouchure that
I think was a result of trying to avoid putting any pressure anywhere
(because, I'm sure, it hurt). Talked to her about it, talked to her parents
- finally we mutually agreed to move on to bigger and better things. But
most of my students with braces have done okay.

>From: "C & B Sabal" <jomalu@-----.com>
>Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
>To: <klarinet@-----.org>
>Subject: [kl] Orthodontics and embouchure
>Date: Sat, 13 Jul 2002 13:16:00 -0500
>
>The wisdom teeth conversation got me thinking....I'm back to daily practice
>now after about 6 yrs off, but this time I'm wearing braces (didn't have
>the
>$$ for them way back in the teen yrs). I was apprehensive in starting with
>a mouth full of metal as I knew it would mess w/ my embouchure. It took a
>while to adjust and it seems as my teeth move, my embouchure needs to
>change
>a bit as well. One thing I have noticed is that I've taken to having more
>of the mouthpiece in my mouth as well as more of my bottom lip pulled over
>my teeth while playing than I remember having in the past. I guess it's
>for
>comfort, BUT I also seemed to have developed a bad habit of tonguing
>behind
>the lip rather than on the reed. (yes, I'm cringing, too). I've HOPING
>that it'll be easier to get back to proper mechanics once my braces are
>removed (hopefully this winter).
>
>Wondering what others' experiences are with braces and how they affected
>your playing (and how you overcame the problems)
>
>Thanks!!
>
>Barb Sabal
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------

Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com

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

   
     Copyright © Woodwind.Org, Inc. All Rights Reserved    Privacy Policy    Contact charette@woodwind.org