Klarinet Archive - Posting 000053.txt from 2003/02

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] some beginner questions
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 2003 20:10:49 -0500

As always, Karl Krelove takes the time to come through with carefully
composed, well thought out and accurate responses to those with
questions. I hope we all appreciate his contributions.

Thank you, Karl

On Sunday, February 2, 2003, at 03:11 PM, Karl Krelove wrote:

>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: rbkeffer@-----.net]On
>>
>> 1) Why is it wrong to let your cheeks puff out while playing?
>> Why the rule
>> about not having inflated cheeks? What is the reasoning? I accept
>> that
>> it's proper form, I'd just like to know why.
>
> It isn't a "rule," just the experience of generations of clarinetists
> and
> other wind instrument players that power, focus, and control are all
> affected badly when air is allowed to collect in the cheeks. Probably
> has
> something to do with turbulence being created inside your mouth that
> impedes
> the direct forward flow of the air.
>
>> 2) When I try to keep my cheeks in, one of two things happen: a) I
>> lose
>> the force of my blowing power. My notes go flat sooner, I can't
>> achieve
>> higher register notes with ease, or I run out of ooomph in fewer
>> measures,
>> or b) the space between my upper lip and nose inflates (very odd
>> looking).
>> What am I doing wrong? When I goof and let my cheeks have their way,
>> I
>> don't do Dizzy Gillespie cheeks...I do keep mine in fairly well,
>> but I know
>> I'm still puffing out a bit too much.
>
> You may be also taking too little or too much reed/mouthpiece or doing
> something else similar to explain the flatness and high register
> difficulty.
> Also, too weak a reed can make you feel as if you're closing the reed
> (you
> may be) unless you let your cheeks puff out. It sounds a little like
> you're
> just blowing too hard and the air backs up and forces your cheeks or
> your
> upper lip out. You really need to have someone knowledgeable watch you
> and
> listen to your playing to unravel this - no one here in cyberspace can
> diagnose this for you, and trying many different things that people
> suggest
> is likely only to add confusion to whatever else is wrong with your
> embouchure approach.
>
>> 3) When I am in a higher register and then come down into lower
>> register
>> notes, sometimes I screechy squeak. What was making a beautiful
>> high D or E
>> will make a nighmarish Bb or A. Amy says I'm doing one or two things
>> wrong: a) I need to adjust the force of my breath, or b) I need
>> to work on
>> my mouth (that ambeture??? word). Any advice?
>
> Again, a teacher listening to you is the best person to help. Squeaks
> occur
> because the embouchure is not completely in control of the reed's
> vibrations
> and it goes into an unintended high harmonic instead of the lower
> intended
> one. This can be caused by too much (unneeded) adjustment as you move
> over
> register breaks, too much tension in the jaw or oral cavity, inaccurate
> finger landings or several other things including badly balanced reeds
> and
> just blowing too hard.
>
>> 4) I seem to be very brutal on reeds. I damage them/wear them out
>> at an
>> obscene rate. Little bits of corner peel back on the top right,
>> splinters
>> come off, etc. I've even bloodied the corner of my mouth on one
>> (have no
>> idea how!). I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I just know I'm
>> guilty of
>> reed abuse. Amy says it might have something to do with how tense I
>> get
>> when I'm really focussed on getting something. Any insights?
>
> In any case, this may account for several of the other problems you've
> already mentioned. Be careful when you pack the reed away - reeds are
> more
> often damaged in the storage container than during playing use. If
> you're
> leaving it on the mouthpiece when you pack your instrument away, be
> careful
> that the cap isn't shaped badly and crushing the tip of the reed. If
> you use
> a reed holder that holds the reeds on their edges, be sure they are
> all the
> way down in the holder, not sticking up on one end or the other. If
> you use
> a holder that keeps the reeds flat, be sure you aren't pushing them
> too far
> in so the tips are bumping into something or that you aren't wobbling
> them
> from side to side when you put them in and bumping the side rails
> against
> something in the holder.
>
> Is Amy a teacher or an acquaintance. If she is your private teacher,
> she
> ought to be in a better position to help with this because she can
> actually
> see the reeds.
>
>> 5) Amy says I practice too much for a beginner. I disagree. I
>> have fallen
>> madly in love with playing clarinet, and practicing is often my sane,
>> formyselftime of the day (I'm in grad school, and I homeschool my
>> very...ermm...energetic son). After learning a couple of cruel
>> lessons, I
>> have instituted my personal practice policies: a) I will stop
>> before I
>> draw blood on my bottom lip or the skin underneath it (which I
>> used to do),
>> b) I will stop before the knuckles in my right thumb become locked to
>> the
>> point that I have to reach down with my left hand and reengage the
>> knuckles. As long as I am following these personal guidelines, is it
>> possible to practice too much as a beginner? How will I ever built
>> breath
>> and mouth endurance and skill if I don't push the envelope???
>>
> Well, I don't think "pushing the envelope" to the point of producing
> and
> ignoring any kind of pain is a good idea. Injury to your inner lip or
> tongue
> will only interfere with practice the next day and may lead to forming
> bad
> habits as pain-avoidance. Why would your knuckles lock like that?
> Perhaps
> you're working too hard when you practice. Again, a teacher would be
> in the
> best position to judge whether or not you are using your energy
> productively
> when you play.
>
> The important thing is that playing a clarinet shouldn't be physically
> tortuous. Your enthusiasm is admirable. Playing should be enjoyable.
> Good
> luck with it.
>
> Karl Krelove
>
>
Richard Bush
Maker of 'BasSonic' bassoon reeds
760 Robins Avenue
Ogden, UT 84404
(801) 393-7265
rbushidioglot@-----.com

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