Klarinet Archive - Posting 000520.txt from 2004/11

From: Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Embrouchure/reed-strength/clarinet question.
Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 09:47:05 -0500

At 09:12 AM 11/15/2004 -0500, Lelia Loban wrote:
[...]
>That airy sound in a beginner's chalumeau -- I think of it as "furry" tone
>-- is part of the tone quality of the note itself, not an extra noise on
>top of the note (although there may *also* be the separate hiss that sounds
>like Dolby). Maybe that furry tone is the best that most people can get
>out of the no. 1 or 1-1/2 reed sometimes recommended to beginners (by crazy
>people...), but it's also what teachers refer to as an "unsupported" tone.
>It seems to come not only from a reed that's too soft for the mouthpiece
>but also from just blowing, blaaaaaah, into the mouthpiece, instead of
>forming a firm embouchure and directing the air stream. It's worst when
>someone plays with the cheeks puffed up full of air. Except when it isn't
>-- Robert Springs takes in such a mouthful of air when he's circular
>breathing that even his neck bulges out, but his tone quality stays
>excellent. Good circular breathers must have muscles of iron in there.
>Never understood how Louis Armstrong got away with playing the trumpet so
>superbly with that chipmunk-cheeked embouchure of his -- although I don't
>imagine anybody tried to lecture him to change it, given his results...!

It should be noted that if one plays on a 1-1/2 reed and attempts almost
any kind of embouchure the reed will tend to be overpowered and not play at
all. The sad result of this is that even if the student accidently forms an
embouchure, it wont work.

The reason 1-1/2 reeds are so popular amongst the beginning band crowd, at
least in my opinion, is because you don't have to form an embouchure to get
sound. If we equate success in a young student's beginning moments with
"just getting a sound, any sound", the 1-1/2 strength reed does this quite
well. I don't happen to share that definition of success.

Louis Armstrong suffered terrible embouchure problems throughout most of
his adult life. Take a look at picture of him in his late life:

http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/collections/armstr-auto.jpg

His lips are quite obviously deformed. Quite sad, but changing a trumpet
embouchure after decades of playing is very difficult and near impossible
for someone with a performing schedule as heavy as Armstrong's. I do
believe he was quite aware of the problem and constantly compensated for
it, but he unfortunately wasn't able to escape embouchure problems any more
than anyone else.

Thankfully, he was still able to give us decades of really great music.

-Adam

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