The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: steve
Date: 2000-04-16 15:31
as to relative difficulty of embrochure formation, and salient differences between the two, I can't comment. However, the double-lip clarinet embrochure is valid, although the vast majority of american players use single lip. Famous US players who used double lip include Harold Wright and, I believe, Ralph McLane. I seem to remember hearing that double lip was common in Italy at one time, but I may be wrong...
s.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-04-16 15:57
There's plenty more clarinetists using double lip - search the Forum for a long list (including Stoltzman). As to clarinet being easier than oboe - not really, just different.
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Author: Kristine
Date: 2000-04-17 01:10
Alex, it would depend upon your lips whether or not double lip embouchure would be an option for you. Clarinet is different in that the mouthpiece is larger than the oboe reed, this is obvious...so if you have a fuller upper lip than double lip could be a possibility. I have tried it, but my top lip is too thin...my teacher played with it and her teacher, Harold Wright, used it. It does provide less pressure and you don't pinch the mouthpiece..but it will feel like you don't have control..you can practice by putting the clarinet in between your knees..and then play a few scales while standing up and using double lip..don't over do it though because you could break blood vessles in your lips, as my teacher did. Hope this helps!
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Author: Karel Vahala
Date: 2000-04-17 10:09
Keith Stein and Tom Ridenour give good descriptions of the whys and hows of double embouchure in their books. They are worth reading. It would seem that it can be used as a stand-alone feature, or as a remedial exercise to exorcise the demon of pinching. I am trying it, and it is not that difficult given a little patience. Good luck. Karel.
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Author: Bill Ducker
Date: 2000-04-17 21:20
Dear Steve I started playing double lips until James Joseph, a former pupil of Thurston, Thea King, Sidney Fell,changed my playing to single lip. It revolutionised my playing in a short period of time . I could play for longer periods time and my tone vastly improved. Double lips probably came from early clarinet playing when the reed was on top of the mouthpiece and no doubt early players were also oboists. You probably could not make much of a living just playing the clarinet, so no doubt many were "doublers" etc. probably it was easier to use their "normal" embouchure adapted for both. My teacher used to say that double lips was OK if you practised 5/6 hours a day! We don't have many double lip players in the U.K. and I find that when I change pupils to a single lip embouchure they dramatically improve as was my own case as a child. Yes. read Mr Stein's book, it's first class.I know that there are players who have gone back to double lips and produce fine results, but it is more difficult. You will have to choose.As I sai most professionals here use single lips. Listen to your teacher's advice If you sound Half as good as Harold Wright by whatever means you will do well. Good Luck and lots of practice.
Best wishes Bill Ducker Nottingham Woodwind Studio
U.K.
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Author: Tim2
Date: 2000-04-18 02:53
Somewhere in starting out on clarinet as a kid, I too had double lip emb. My sophomore year in HS, I switched because my private teacher who I had started with said I should. I remember the vibrations feeling very "weird" to my top teeth. I stuck with it and it did make a vast improvement on my sound, my endurance.. A good thing for me.
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