Klarinet Archive - Posting 000088.txt from 2002/11

From: CGBeale@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Sharp teeth
Date: Sat, 2 Nov 2002 00:45:56 -0500

Every time sharp teeth or sore lip comes up on this board I'm reminded of the
many years I survived playing the clarinet only because one of my teachers
told me about folding cigarette paper over the lower teeth. It's my
understanding that after these many years he still uses cigarette paper over
his lower teeth.

My lower teeth are slightly irregular. For this and other reasons I
eventually completely changed my embouchure. Now I hold my lower lip like a
vertical wall in front of my lower teeth without folding any part of my lower
lip over the top edge of my lower teeth. I never have a sore lip, and I
don't use cigarette paper.

Years after changing my embouchure I read that Robert Marcellus and Bernard
Portnoy held the lower lip in front of the lower teeth without folding the
lower lip over the top edge of the lower teeth. Marcellus' description of
his embouchure can be found in John Weigand's Doctor of Music treatise,
'Robert Marcellus' Fundamentals of Clarinet Playing and Teaching', available
from the Florida State University library. It's a very interesting document.

Obviously, many fine clarinetists play with their lower lip folded over the
top edge of their lower teeth. Having played both ways, it is a mystery to
me why anyone would teach a beginning student to fold the lower lip over the
top of the lower teeth. I was taught to do this at my first lesson. Maybe I
was taught this because my first teacher played with a double lip embouchure.
I have always used a single lip embouchure.

I must add that my radical embouchure change was not a trivial experience.
But it was worth the effort, and I wouldn't consider going back to my old way
of playing for many reasons more than the sore lip remedy.

Clarence Beale

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