 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-01-11 18:56
I thought that title would get your attention. I was looking at the back of my yard and realized that the White Pine trees I planted some time ago are all different sizes. I planted several at the same time yet one is much taller, one much fuller, one wider and one smaller than the others. Then I thought about body parts, why not right, see where this is going? I’ve seen specials on 60 Minutes and CNN about women getting their breasts enlarged, in some cases even made smaller. Liposuction and nose jobs are very common surgeries as is orthodontic work. There seems to be no end to people wanting to change the size of some parts of their body. So here’s the reason for writing this on a clarinet bboard.
How many different body part sizes effect your clarinet playing and is there anything you can do about them if you don’t like it? Lets see, we have lip thickness and size, fat lips, thin lips, large, and small lips. Than there’s the tongue size, I’ve posted that else where but let’s face it, there are so many possibilities here. Long, short, thick, thin, wide, whatever. Teeth, are probably the most common problem for young clarinet players, and some older ones as well, but can easily be corrected in most cases, but not always cheap. Over bite, under bite, larger or smaller teeth, uneven formations, protruding single teeth, cramped or too much space between some teeth, the possibilities are numerous. Keeps many orthodontists in business. There is also the size and shape of the jaw and the total volume of the oral cavity, mostly affected by many of the above mentioned. There is even the lung capacity as well as the size and depth of the throat.
Every part of your body that is involved in playing the clarinet, from taking the air in to releasing it into the mouthpiece, is different for every single human being. There’s not much you can change. Your teeth are the easiest part to change, after that you really need to adjust to your body instead of the other way around. Lip enhancements, tongue surgery, I don’t think so. So how could everyone play the same way, or sound the same on the same equipment? You need to find the best way to achieve what you’re looking for with the equipment you’re born with. You need to find the best mouthpiece, reed - ligature combination that gives you the best result with what you have and finally you need to play with the voice you were born with. Yes, it can be improved just like a great singer trains and improves their voice, but it’s still their voice. They don’t sound like someone else just because they learned how to use and improve their voice to the best of their abilities. Sound the best you can sound.
Once again here is one my favorite quotes. “Everybody should try to find a sound that really belongs to you. In the end, I think everyone should be different. Good teachers should help a student evolve in a natural way, not be a copy machine.”
Concert pianist Lang Lang while giving a master class in Baltimore. Quoted in the Baltimore Sunpapers. ESP www.peabody.jhu.edu/457
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2009-01-11 19:19
Interesting thoughts. I pondered about having three extra pinkies attached to either hand, but unfortunately they were in short supply.
Joking aside, I think my lips prevent me from becoming a brass player - they simply won't buzz, and that teardrop in the middle doesn't improve my flute playing either. Fortunately my arms are long enough for bass, and my stock fingers agile enough for the average lick.
There's indeed the danger that some silly mind finds a silly doctor in order to improve one's playing with plastic surgery. I fear we haven't seen everything yet...
--
Ben
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Author: pelo_ensortijado
Date: 2009-01-11 19:37
i would gladly pay a lot of cash to get a "upgraded" lungsize and maybe a extra finger somwhere, at the right hand next to the trillkeys perhaps.
no just kidding.
i agree with every word you wrote ed!!
i think one should be happy for what you got and not tweak the nature. altering the way one looks often makes it alot worse! and probably that goes for when playing or singing aswell. ..
the problem with many people that makes this kind of surgery is that they are trying to fit in a role they doesnt belong. okay he or she have a big nose. then perhaps be with people with equally big noses instead of cutting it of.
the same goes for musicians. if he or she doesnt have a beautiful light operavoice, maybe they should think about playing the trumpet instead! (nothing wrong against trumpets...:)
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2009-01-11 20:23
For double tonguing, hehe:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/10/13509016_5dfa6726eb_o.jpg
No, I don't think this guy thought about woodwind playing! and possibly not much else.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2009-01-11 21:00
My tongue is somehow physiologically different than most as I can naturally swing it from side to side at a very rapid rate.
Could be extra muscle, could be something missing that allows that effortless motion.
Basically a 6th gear after double tonguing maxes out.
I have no talent nor lip for brass though.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2009-01-11 21:33
I became an Eb clarinetist in '64 because of something like this. We were trying instruments and the elementary school music teacher (himself a clarinetist) said "your embouchure is really tight, let's try Eb". At that point I didn't know what an Eb WAS. Anyway, when he gave me the Eefer to try I made noise and he said "Congratulations, you're playing Eb clarinet." I'm not sure exactly WHY he thought this, but he also had me double on oboe several years later as I seemed to play the Eefer in tune I think, not so much for embouchure.
Now I play bass as well as Eefer. I am a big guy at 6'4" and was big for my size even in the 4th grade so I'm especially surprised I was started on the Eefer. No regrets though!
We were exchanging oboes the other day and amazingly I sound like me pretty much regardless of the horn, although I was definitely brighter on the Patricola. I'm sure this as Ed suggested characteristics of our oral cavities.
Interesting post!
Eefer guy
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