Klarinet Archive - Posting 000118.txt from 2003/02

From: "Rob Wynne" <rwynne@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] The great double lip debate
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 04:09:17 -0500

Tom--

I didn't know you played with a double lip. In fact, I never noticed this
when playing next to you at UMCP (if I have the right Tom). Do you
alternate between single lip and double lip? If not, I would guess it
doesn't really matter which style a person plays with...just as long as
they're able to find "the sound" in their head they long for. What benifits
do you find in a double lip, over a single lip embochure? Rather, what
lacks in a double lip where a single lip prevails?

It's too bad that a double lip embouchure is no longer taught to beginners
these days, at least in a public school setting (myself as an example). I
wonder what it would take for a shift in methods?

Funny...so many soloists these days use this technique (Stoltzman, etc...),
yet so many of us loathe the thought of even trying something so
"unorthodox."

Rob
rwynne@-----.edu
----- Original Message -----
From: <Tski1128@-----.com>
Subject: [kl] The great double lip debate

> I have played double lip for nearly 33 years. In an army band, on the
parade field and on countless klezmer gigs. STanding up! I've played that
way ever since I read Steins book the Art of Klarinet playing. My two
primary teachers in my youth were Chris Wolfe (Ast prin. Baltimore) and Iggy
Genunsa(legend!) Both of these guys played double.
>
> I have to say that while I think that double lip is the easiest embouchure
to teach to a beginner. I think this is because it is harder in the
beginning to bite too hard with both lips on the mouthpiece. I say in the
beginning because I've heard a few double lippers, my self included, get to
a point that using too much presure on the reed. So after such along time
using it, I feel that the top lip is really the least important part the
double lip embouchure. In order of importance I think it would problably be
> 1 amount of mouthpiece and reed in your mouth
> 2 Shape of oral cavity
> 3 breathing
> 4 top lip
> Playing double lip effects all of these somewhat. I know when I switch to
single lip and listen to the tapes I've done I can't hear when I switch.
This is because the rest of the equation has remained vertually the same.
But I still think it is the easiest to show a beginner. Try this with your
next 4 th grade student.
> 1. Show them the double lip idea (sucking on a soda straw)
> 2. Have them play an open g and apply pressure( bite)
> 3 if they close off the sound have them slide more mouthpiece into their
mouth.
> 4 repeat this until it squaks then back it out just a smidge.
> 5 have them find that spot, take in as much mouthpiece as possible with
out a loud sqauk. now have them play a scale. My experience has shown me
that their sounds will be bigger more vibrant and less choked off sounding.
The throat tones will be intune and quite frankly, the kids I've started off
like this sound like real clarinet players who just can't play any tunes
yet. Now many of you will read this and say " What a stupid idea", "Thats
not how my teacher would do it" " Thats not how I do" To yous guys( it's a
baltimore thing) TRY IT!!!! I'm either right or wrong it will either improve
their sounds or it won't. Apply some scientific method to it, tape it, let
someone else hear or better yet get your student to TRY IT.
> To those that do email me your experiences with yourself and or your
students.
> Tom Puwalski clarinetist With Lox&vodka
>
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>

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